Studying while unemployed

Educational Counselling - The National TE Services Counselling Service
tel. 0295 020 702
Mon-Fri 9–16.15

Submit a contact request to your personal coach through the E-services.
Download form KK623 and form KK621 to support independent studies.

What opportunities for studying exist during unemployment?

As an unemployed job seeker, you can study in many ways.
Contact your personal coach in good time before your studies begin. You need to find out from your personal coach if you can study and receive unemployment benefit at the same time.
You can also ask your personal coach for advice on finding a suitable place to study.

Vocational labour market training

There are many different types of labour market training. There are trainings that last only one day. There are also long-term trainings that enable you to study an entire profession. During the training, you will receive unemployment benefit.

You can also complete, for example, a licence card training as labour market training. This way you can for example get a hygiene passport or a first aid card free of charge.

Here you can see the courses you can apply for.

If you cannot visit the website, you can also apply for trainings by filling in a form. You can download and print the form from this link. (The application for labour market training form. )

You can come and print out the form free of charge at the International House Jyväskylä.

Self-motivated study subsidised with unemployment benefit

In some cases, you can study full-time and receive unemployment benefit.
You must apply to the educational institute and program yourself. Contact your personal coach before starting your studies. The personal coach will find out if you can get unemployment benefit during your studies.

You can receive unemployment benefit for independent studies for up to 24 months per study module.
If you receive unemployment benefit during your studies, the personal coach will monitor how your studies are progressing.

More information for self-motivated study at Job Market Finland

Contact your personal coach before starting your studies to find out if your studies can be supported by unemployment benefit. Deliver the following two forms to your personal coach:
KK623 and KK621.

Self-motivated study subsidised with unemployment benefit during integration period

You can also study on your own initiative during the integration period. You can ask your personal coach for more information about studying and any potential conditions related to it during the integration period.

Part-time study supported by unemployment benefit

Part-time study means that you can study as well as apply for and accept full-time work.
For part-time studies, the granting of unemployment benefit depends on how much time the studies take up.

While studying part-time, you will normally receive unemployment benefit.
Contact your personal coach in good time before the start of your studies, so that they can investigate whether the studies count as part-time studying and whether you can get unemployment benefit during the studies.

More information for part-time study at Job Market Finland

Short-time study supported by unemployment benefit

You may also have the possibility to study short study modules under certain conditions. Short-term studies may last up to six months. You can ask your personal coach for more information about the conditions of short-term education. You can contact your personal coach by submitting a contact request via the E-services.

More information for short-time sudy at Job Market Finland

Apprenticeship training

An apprenticeship means that you are paid to work and study at the same time. If you want to get a new profession or new skills, an apprenticeship may be a good option.

The apprenticeship agreement always includes an employment contract. The student is paid a salary.
Usually you have to find an apprenticeship place yourself. The City of Jyväskylä offers apprenticeships in various fields. Ask your personal coach for more information.

Most of the studies take place at the Gradia Vocational College or at the Jyväskylä Christian College.

More information about apprenticeship training at Job Market Finland

More information about apprenticeship trainig at Gradia (information only in Finnish)

An apprenticeship agreement at a City of Jyväskylä work place

Every year, the City of Jyväskylä offers 15 to 20 apprenticeships in various units of the city.
You can work with an apprenticeship agreement for example in senior care, sports services, food services, guidance for children and young people, cleaning positions, forest work, and real estate and environmental care.

Apprenticeships are primarily offered to young people who have been unemployed for a long time and who do not have a vocational qualification.

An apprenticeship in the City of Jyväskylä can also be offered to young people whose studies are not completed or for whom studying is difficult. Everyone can apply for an apprenticeship.

The apprenticeship agreement is first started without paying a salary, in a work trial or in rehabilitative work activities.

During a work trial or rehabilitative activity a person gets acquainted with a new profession.
At the same time, the employer of the workplace gets to know the future employee better and monitor how well suited the person is for the job.

If the person is suitable for the work, the studying of the profession through an apprenticeship agreement may be commenced.

The aim of the apprenticeship agreement may be completing either the entire educational degree (new occupation) or parts of the degree.

Labour force coaching

As an unemployed jobseeker, you can participate in short-term coaching sessions. Job search coaching and career coaching are offered. You can also get a work coach to support you in applying for a job and starting a new job. Most of the coaching sessions are carried out in Finnish.

Training sessions in the TE Office's event calendar

You can also ask your personal coach about any current coaching sessions.