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Graduating soon

Graduating soon

As a soon-to-be graduate, there are several things you need to keep track of if you wish to stay in Denmark. There are also several places where you can get help with job search, salary negotiation, and much more. We guide you through it all here.

If you are staying in Denmark after graduation

3 important things you should do:

1.

If you are eligible to receive unemployment benefit, apply for membership at an unemployment insurance fund no later than 14 days after graduation. Ask them for specific rules for you as an international citizen.

2.

Get help with salary negotiation and contract before you sign your employment contract. You can, e.g., talk to your trade union - they are specialists in the field.

3.

Register as unemployed at jobnet.dk no later than the 1st day of unemployment if you are a recent graduate and do not have a job. It is one of the requirements if you are eligible to receive unemployment benefit.

Be aware of others things that need to be changed such as:

  • Taxes: Your preliminary income assessment needs to be changed when you go from being a student to an employed person so you don’t get a tax shock. Read about taxes in Denmark
  • Insurance: Make sure that your insurances are in order such as your Personal Accident Insurance which can provide additional coverage for accidents that occur outside of work or are not covered by your employer’s policy. Make sure to contact your insurance to state your job status. Read about insurances in Denmark

If you are entitled unemployment benefit:

Should I quit my student job?

If you are entitled to unemployment benefit but need an extra income or have a relevant student job, it might make sense to keep the job, get a release certificate, and apply for supplementary unemployment benefit.
If you want to resign, you should do so in good time - e.g. in April if you graduate in June.
Ask your unemployment fund about the specific rules. They can help you find out what might be the right solution for you.

Prepaid and postpaid

If you are entitled for unemployment benefit and have received SU, be aware that you will experience a "gap" between the payments when you complete your education, because SU is paid "in advance", while salary and unemployment benefits are paid "backwards".