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Free A-kasse membership for students
Will you soon graduate or have just graduated? See special rule for new graduates.
As a student you can become member of an A-kasse, regardless of whether you have a student job or not.
If you have been a member for at least one year before graduation, you can avoid the normal waiting period of 1 month and receive unemployment benefits ("dagpenge") from the first day, if you don't get a job right after graduation. This means that you will earn DKK 14,557 equivalent to 1 months dagpenge.
As a student, you can get up to 5 years of free membership of an A-kasse. All A-kasser shown on this page offer free student membership.
Conditions for free student membership
You must be under 30 years of age and..
(NB! If you turn 30 while still studying, or are 30 when you start, see the special section below)
- You must follow an education of a duration of at least 1½ year duration (90 ECTS points).
- You had a permanent address in Denmark no later than one day before the start of your education.
- You must be able to take any job with one day notice after graduation.
- The free membership ends when you finish your education, if you end the education or when you turn 30 years old.
- Free membership is conditional on your gross income from employment, SU, SVU or similar does not exceed 120.67% of the maximum unemployment benefit (DKK 294,806 annually in 2024 figures) for the year you have received free study membership.
- You may not receive other public support (pension, rehabilitation, cash benefits, etc.)
The first 3 requirements are the same you have to meet to be eligible for Unemployment benefits as a newly graduate.
For non-EU citizens with a study residence permit you will not be able to receive Unemployment benefits after graduation (because you are not allowed to work in Denmark), and therefore you can also not get free Student membership.
REMEMBER when you finish your education, if you have been a free study member, to re-enroll (apply for status change) as a recent graduate within the 14-day deadline. Otherwise you lose the right to unemployment benefits.
When should you sign Up as a student?
Generally we recommend the following:
If you will graduate in less than 6 months you should apply for the membership type for graduates.
There is some difference among the A-kasser how early before graduation you can apply but the most A-kasser will register you as member. It will be free for you until you graduate and you will also have fulfilled the 2-week deadline. Se more about that 2-week deadline under our section for graduates.
If you have more than six months but less than 1 year left before graduation you can apply for free study-membership. And it is a good thing to do, especially if you of some reason have to postpone your study and therefor maybe can ending up to have been member for one year (=earning DKK 14,557).
If you have from 1 year to 5 year left of your study we will recommend you to apply for free study-membership.
How to apply for free study-membership?
Everything is done online. Use links shown below or just click on links/logos around our site, and you will be directed to online application form at the A-kasse's website.
If you are not directed directly to online application form, then at the A-kasse website choose menu often called "Bliv medlem" or "Tilmeld dig her".
If possible choose membership type only for students (in danish "medlem som studerende" or "GRATIS studiemedlemskab"). If not possible to choose, just remember to mention in your application form that you are applying for FREE study-membership.
After have filled out the online application form you will receive mail-confirmation from the A-kasse.
Which A-kasse should you choose?
You can get up to 5 years free membership regardless of which A-kasse you decide to join.
Your rights are laid down in legislation, and the payment of your unemployment benefits (after graduation) is guaranteed by the Danish state, so your choice of A-kasse is not that important.
You can always switch to another A-kasse, both during your studies and when you graduate. When changing A-kasse, you retain accrued seniority.
In the table below you can see the A-kasser/unions we recommend.
| A-kasse | Membership benefits | You get this for free | Recommended for | Has an office in these cities | Members dev. in 2023/ Members as of 01/01/24 | Sign Up online/ Read more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTF A-kasse | few complaints, interdisciplinary, best A-kasse, tools for study techniques, advice regarding student job | Free A-kasse for 5 years | Medium-term higher education | Copenhagen, Aarhus, Odense, Aalborg, Herning, Kolding and Næstved | 0.7% 136,890 | (ad link) Sign Up online about FTFa |
| Min A-kasse | Free lectures and workshops, free professional photo of yourself, interdisciplinary, access to Online- kurser.dk. | Free A-kasse for 5 years | IT students and sales/marketing | Aalborg, Aarhus, Middelfart, København, Rødovre, Næstved and Valby | -2.6% 79,883 | (ad link) Sign Up online about Min A-kasse |
| DFH A-kasse | Holiday offers, tickets for sports. Interdisciplinary | Free A-kasse and trade union. Note only free help for student jobs if you do not work more than 15 hours/week. | Students with student jobs | Esbjerg, Kolding, Herning, Aarhus, Aalborg, Odense, Ringsted, Copenhagen and Hillerød | 6.9% 183,186 | (ad link) Sign Up online about DFH |
| Ase A-kasse | Empower yourself in relation to business and entrepreneurship. Interdisciplinary | Free A-kasse for 5 years Trade Union DKK 74/mdr. Free Union the first 6 months (seen 19/10). | Education aimed at the business world, including entrepreneurship | Copenhagen + meeting places by appointment | 1.0% 135,976 | (ad link) Sign Up online about ASE |
Many students can get both A-kasse and Trade Union for free
You only need A-kasse membership to ensure your right to unemployment benefits (after graduation). And as mentioned before it will be a good idea jo become member of A-kasse at least 1 year before graduation.
However, it can also give some advantages to join a trade union during your studies, especially if membership is free.
If you have a student job, you can e.g. get help with the employment contract and other legal questions about your job. Even if you do not have a student job, union membership can give you a number of member benefits in the form of discounts, free tickets to sporting events etc.
Examples of how you can get both free A-kasse and trade union as a student:
If you are studying on an IT education, regardless of whether it is at a university, university college or business academy, you can get free A-kasse (Min A-kasse) and free trade union (PROSA) and thus also free access to a number of attractive member benefits.
Become a student member of Min A-kasse:
If you are studying sales/marketing at minimum short higher education level (KVU), you can get free A-kasse (Min A-kasse) and free trade union (Business Denmark) and thus also free access to a number of attractive member benefits.
Become a student member of Min A-kasse:
All students can get free A-kasse and trade union through "Det Faglige Hus". Det Faglige Hus provides free help with student jobs, as long as you do not work more than 15 hours/week. In addition, Det Faglige Hus offers a number of member benefits in the form of discounts etc.
Become a student member of "Det Faglige Hus":
Are you turned 30 and started/not finished with your education?
If you are 30 years or older you can still get free membership of an A-kasse, BUT there are som extra restrictions/conditions.
In this case, we recommend that you contact your chosen A-kasse, OR apply for part-time insured membership (paid, not free).
Apply for part-time insured membership and earn DKK 11,000.
If you are student and over 30 years old, you can instead of apply for free membership apply for paid part-time insured membership.
In this case you have to apply at latest when you have one year left of your study.
Your membership as part-time insured will cost 253 DKK/month. Or for one year DKK 3,036 (The amount is tax deductible). This price is offered by FTF A-kasse, which is open for all students regardless of study.
If you get unemployed/not get a job right after finishing your study, then you will be eligible for unemployment benefits from DAY 1, and you will not have to wait one month to get your first payment of unemployment benefits.
This way you get DKK 14,557 (if you have dependent children DKK 16,694), but since you only have paid DKK 3,036 you will have earned DKK 11,521 if you dont have children and DKK 13,658 if you have children.
This method is full legal and is also recommended by the A-kasser themselves on their websites.
- A-kasse overview (frontpage) →
A-kasse for students in Denmark
You might also be interested in:
⇒Switch to another A-kasse
⇒Cheap Trade union with A-kasse
⇒Find an interdisciplinary A-kasse
