Siirry sisältöön
Find
Login to Otenetti (siirryt toiseen palveluun) Login

I am studying or participating in a TE service

Studying while receiving unemployment benefit often raises many questions. It is possible to study in several different ways while receiving unemployment benefits, but all studies and training must always be reported to the employment authorities in advance.

Can you study while unemployed?

It is often assumed that you cannot study while receiving earnings‑related allowance, or that studying is not allowed during unemployment. In reality, full‑time studies usually prevent the payment of daily allowance, while you may receive earnings‑related daily allowance during part‑time studies. What matters most is that the employment authorities have issued a statement confirming that your studies can be supported with unemployment benefits. Always report your studies to the employment authorities. This applies also to unfinished studies.

In some situations, even full‑time studies can be supported with unemployment benefits. For example, independent studies fall into this category. These studies must always be agreed upon in advance with the employment authorities.

Full-time studies

If you are studying for a degree — for example, a degree at a university of applied sciences, a higher university of applied sciences degree, or a bachelor’s or master’s degree at a university — your studies are generally considered full‑time under unemployment security. The employment authorities will always assess whether your studies are full‑time or part‑time.

Part-time studies

Part‑time studies are studies that do not prevent you from seeking or accepting full‑time work. Your job search must remain active at all times. Part‑time studies may also include studies pursued as a hobby or for personal interest.

Short-term studies

If you are over 25 years old and want to finish your degree or update your skills, you may pursue short‑term studies while receiving earnings‑related daily allowance. Short‑term studies may last up to six months.

What kinds of Te services can there be?

The employment authorities will first assess your situation and may direct you to an employment‑promoting service designed to improve your chances of finding work. Participation in a service can also be agreed upon at the jobseeker’s own initiative. The unemployment fund can pay earnings‑related daily allowance during participation in employment‑promoting services.

Employment promotion measures include:

  • job search training
  • career coaching
  • work trials
  • labour market training
  • independent studies supported by unemployment benefit
  • rehabilitative work

The employment authorities will always send the unemployment fund a statement indicating which service you are participating in and the duration of the service. The fund pays you earnings‑related daily allowance and any possible expense allowance based on this statement. Please note that participation in an employment‑promoting service is not an automatic right — it must be agreed upon with the employment authorities.

For more information about TE services, you can contact the employment authorities via the Työmarkkinatori.fi website.

Työmarkkinatori.fi

Amount of allowance and expense allowance

During a TE service, you will receive the same earnings‑related daily allowance that you would receive if you were fully unemployed.

In addition, most TE services include an expense allowance. The amount of the expense allowance is:

The expense allowance is tax‑free income.

How long can I receive an allowance?

The maximum period can usually be reset (“restarted”) during participation in a TE service if your employment condition is met again while you are in the service. However, if you are participating in independent studies or labour market training, the maximum duration can be reset only after the study or training period has ended. Likewise, the amount of the daily allowance will be recalculated only after the study or training period has finished, even if the employment condition is fulfilled in the middle of the programme.

If the employment condition is met during labour market training or independent studies, the maximum calculator is reset after the end of the training or study period.

Absences

If you are absent from a TE service, you must report this in your application. Mark the days as “Absent from TE service” and state the reason for your absence.

Exceptions apply when you are participating in independent studies or labour market training – absences from these do not need to be reported to the unemployment fund.

No expense allowance is paid for days of absence. However, earnings‑related daily allowance may be paid if there is an acceptable reason for the absence:

The employment authorities receive information about your absences directly from the service provider. If absences accumulate excessively, the service may be interrupted either from the date of interruption or retroactively from the beginning of the service.

A retroactive interruption may result in the recovery of earnings‑related daily allowance and expense allowance that have already been paid.

How to apply for an allowance?

Below are instructions for applying for daily allowance during a TE service.

Labour market training and independent study

When you apply for earnings‑related daily allowance for a period during which you are participating in labour market training or self‑motivated studies, fill in your application as follows:

  • Mark “In training” for every day. In independent studies and labour market training, you are considered to be in the service on every weekday — regardless of whether you have in‑person classes on that day or not. Therefore, enter “In training” for all days in the application, including weekends.
  • You do not need to report absences separately
  • If you become ill and apply for sickness allowance from Kela, mark “Sick” on the application starting from the first day for which you are applying for sickness allowance.
  • If you work during the service, mark the day as “Working” and enter the number of hours worked.

Good to remember!

If you are frequently absent from your studies — for example, because of work — it is advisable to contact the employment authorities. They monitor the progress of your studies, and in some cases it may be necessary to consider interrupting the studies and continuing them at a later time.

Training in job seeking, career coaching, trials

During these services, the benefit is paid only for the days on which you actually participate.

This means that earnings‑related daily allowance and the expense allowance are paid only for the days you take part in the service according to the agreed plan. For the other days of the same week, the daily allowance is paid on the basis of unemployment.

How to fill in your application:

  • Mark “In a TE service” for the days you are participating in the service.
  • Mark “Unemployed” for all other days.

Reporting an Absence

If you are unable to participate in the service on a scheduled or planned day, always report the absence in your application.

Illness absence:

  • Mark the day as “Sick”.”
  • In the additional information section of the application (or in an Otenetti message), state whether the illness absence is due to your own illness or the illness of a child under 10 years old.
  • If your own illness lasts more than three days, attach a medical certificate (from a doctor or nurse).

Job Interview

Mark the day as “Absent from TE service”.In the additional information section, explain that the absence is due to a job interview.

Working on a day that was scheduled as a TE service day

If you are absent from the TE service because you were working:

  • Mark the day as “Working”.
  • Enter your working hours for that day.
  • In the additional information section, explain that the workday was originally planned to be a TE service da

Muuta tässä osiossa