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UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT RATES FOR GRADUATES

There are several different unemployment benefit rates for graduates. The rate depends on:

  • Your age
  • Whether you have dependent children
  • How long you have been unemployed

If you have dependent children under 18, you will receive DKK 17,295 (2025) per month throughout the unemployment benefit period. If you are not a dependent, your rate will be reduced after receiving unemployment benefits for 481 hours, corresponding to 3 months of unemployment benefits. The rate for non-dependents depends on your age.

Here you can see the unemployment benefit rates for graduates:

You must meet at least one of the requirements below in order to receive benefits:

  • Completed 6th grade in a Danish public school/private school/independent school or passed the final exams in 9th or 10th grade.
  • Certificate of upper secondary education (STX), HF, HHX, HTX, EUX or AVU.
  • Certificate of a Danish-language tertiary education from universities, vocational schools, business schools, nursing schools, teacher training colleges, etc.
  • Passed the 'Prøve i Dansk 2' or 'Prøve i Dansk 3' exam.
  • Passed the 'Danskprøve 3' from Studieskolen in Copenhagen.
  • Certificate of International Baccalaureate (IB) with Danish at A or B level.
  • Certificate of passing individual courses in Danish or Danish as a second language at levels G-A from one of the following education programs: STX, HF, HHX, HTX, EUX, EUD, or AVU.
  • Passed FVU-reading levels 2-4.
  • Completed dyslexia education for adults.
  • Completed primary school education in Danish in the Faroe Islands and Greenland, or at a Danish school in South Schleswig, as well as corresponding education for children in deployed families.

If you do not meet the language requirement, you may be eligible for unemployment benefits if you instead meet the attachment requirement, meaning you have a certain attachment to the Danish labor market. Specifically, you must have worked at least 600 hours during a period of 12 months within the last 24 months.

When you are an unemployed graduate, you are entitled to unemployment benefits for one year (equivalent to 1,924 hours) within a two-year period (24 months). The unemployment benefit period corresponds to one year of unemployment benefits with a durability date of two years.

The two years are also known as the reference period. When the reference period has expired, you must have earned hours or income to qualify for a new unemployment benefit, unless you have found permanent employment.

If you have had a job, you can have your unemployment benefit rate recalculated when:

  • You have received a salary for at least 3 months after completing your education
  • At least 6 months have passed since you completed your education

If you have your rate recalculated based on work, this rate will apply for the rest of your unemployment benefit period.

If you are under 25 and have received unemployment benefits for 962 hours, your unemployment benefit rate can be reduced to half.

Who does not receive half unemployment benefit rate?

If you have completed a vocational education of at least 18 months that entitles you to unemployment benefits, your unemployment benefit rate will not be reduced to half. However, you will receive unemployment benefits at the graduate unemployment benefit rate if you participate in guidance and training offers agreed with the job center.

If you have reported at least 3,848 hours of work to SKAT within the last 3 years, your unemployment benefit rate will not be reduced. But if you participate in a guidance and training offer agreed with the job center, you will receive half unemployment benefit rate while participating in the offer.