Studying with unemployment benefits

You can receive an earnings-related allowance while you study if

• you satisfy the eligibility criteria for an earnings-related allowance, and
• the TE Office has determined that your studies qualify you for unemployment benefits.

Make sure to tell the TE Office about both your current studies and any new courses you are starting well in advance. The TE Office will make an assessment as to whether or not you are entitled to an earnings-related allowance during your studies and give a statement to your unemployment fund. You also use up your maximum earnings-related allowance period while you study. Your entitlement to an earnings-related allowance may therefore run out before you finish your studies. If that happens, you can apply for labour market subsidies from the Social Insurance Institution (SII). If you satisfy the employment requirement while engaged in labour market training or independent study, we will not recalculate the amount of your earnings-related allowance. Your earnings-related allowance can only be recalculated and the maximum period reset once you have finished your studies. You can find out more about different kinds of training options on the TE Services website.  

Labour market training

Labour market training is one of the services that the TE Office provides to promote employment. If you have agreed with the TE Office to include labour market training in your employment plan, your unemployment fund can add an earnings-related increment to your earnings-related allowance for the duration of your labour market training. You can receive the earnings-related increment for a maximum period of 200 days. In addition to your earnings-related allowance, you can also receive an allowance towards your expenses while engaged in labour market training. Expense allowances are not paid for periods during which classes are not run due to holidays, however.  

Independent study

‘Independent study’ means courses that you find yourself but that the TE Office evaluates in respect of whether or not they qualify you for unemployment benefits. If the TE Office concludes that your studies make you eligible for unemployment benefits, we can pay you an earnings-related allowance for the duration of your course. More information about circumstances in which independent study qualifies you for unemployment benefits is available from the TE Office. If you have agreed with the TE Office to include independent study in your employment plan, your unemployment fund can add an earnings-related increment to your earnings-related allowance for the duration of your studies. You can receive the earnings-related increment for a maximum period of 200 days. Independent study does not qualify you for an expense allowance.  

Short-term study

If you have found a course yourself and your studies take less than six months, you can attend the course while receiving an earnings-related allowance. However, the TE Office must first confirm that you qualify for an earnings-related allowance while you study. More information about circumstances in which short-term study qualifies you for unemployment benefits is available from the TE Office. You cannot be paid an earnings-related increment or an expense allowance while engaged in short-term study.  

Part-time study

Part-time study does not prevent the payment of an earnings-related allowance. The TE Office can conclude that you are studying part-time if, for example, you have little coursework or you keep working throughout your studies. You cannot be paid an earnings-related increment or an expense allowance while studying part-time.  

Earnings-related increment

If you have agreed with the TE Office to include independent study or labour market training in your employment plan, we can add an earnings-related increment to your earnings-related allowance for the duration of your studies. You can receive the earnings-related increment for a maximum period of 200 days. The earnings-related increment can also be paid for periods between studies, if the gap is no more than seven calendar days. You can learn more about the earnings-related increment under Amount of the earnings-related allowance and length of the allowance period. You can use our daily allowance calculator to estimate the amount of your earnings-related allowance.  

Expense allowance for periods of study

In addition to your earnings-related allowance, you can also receive an allowance towards your expenses while engaged in labour market training. Expense allowances cannot be paid for

• periods during which labour market training classes are not run due to holidays
• periods of independent study
• periods of short-term study and
• periods of part-time study.

The allowance is EUR 9 per day and can be paid for up to five days a week. No tax is payable on expense allowances. You may also qualify for a higher expense allowance, which is EUR 18 per day. We can pay you the higher amount if you attend labour market training outside of your working area. You can also qualify for the higher expense allowance if you attend labour market training outside of the municipality in which you live and if you incur expenses from having to stay overnight. The TE Office will let your unemployment fund know in its statement whether you should be paid the standard expense allowance or the higher amount.