Graduating soon?

MA accepts graduates in the humanities, the natural sciences, the social sciences, computer science and the health & medical sciences. People with other educational backgrounds who work within these fields are also eligible to join.

You can become a graduate member if you have finished an education programme lasting at least 3 full-time semesters and which has entitled you to a Danish student grant (S.U.). To qualify for membership of MA as a graduate, you must have been a resident in Denmark immediately before you started your education and no later than 14 days after completion.

To apply as a graduate, you need to submit your application no later than 14 days after you have graduated – go to our website, ma-kasse.dk. You are also welcome to apply for membership 2-3 months before you graduate to ensure membership from your date of graduation. Once you have been accepted into MA as a graduate, you are entitled to unemployment benefits one month after graduation.

Language requirement 

A special language requirement applies to all new graduates who become unemployed and apply for unemployment benefit from 1 May 2023.

This means that you can only get unemployment benefit as a recent graduate if you meet the language requirement.

You can meet the language requirement if you:

• Have completed at least the 6th grade in Danish primary school
• or have completed a higher education in the Danish language
• or have passed a test in Danish 2 (prøve i dansk 2) or a Danish test at a similar or higher level (see further down for an overview).

If you cannot meet the language requirement, you may still be entitled to unemployment benefits as a recent graduate if you meet an “attachment requirement” through work in Denmark.

The following courses can be used to fulfill the language requirement:

• Passed test in Danish 2.
• Completed primary school courses in Danish in the Faroe Islands and Greenland and at the Danish schools in South Schleswig, as well as similar courses for children in expatriate families.
• Completed dyslexia education for adults.
• Passed Exam in Danish 3 with a grade average of at least 6 (according to the 13-scale) or 02 (according to the 7-step scale) or the “Study Test” (Studieprøven) passed with at least a grade of 6 (according to the 13-scale) or 02 (according to the 7-step scale) in each of the four disciplines.
• Primary school final exams 9th or 10th grade passed with a grade average of at least 6 (according to the 13-scale) or 02 (according to the 7-step scale) in the Danish disciplines except for ”neatness” (ordenskarakter).
• Proof of a passing grade in Higher General Examination Programme (stx), Higher Preparatory Examination Programme (hf), Higher Commercial Examination Programme (hhx) or Higher Technical Examination Programme (htx) as well as for the exam giving student competence in connection with vocational education (eux).
• Certificate of the general preparatory examination (avu).
• Proof of passing a single subject in Danish or Danish as a second language with a grade average of at least 6 (according to the 13-scale) or 02 (according to the 7-step scale) at one of the levels G-A from one of the following programmes: stx, hf, hhx, htx, eux, eud or avu.
• Passed FVU-reading steps 2-4.
• Certificate of International Baccalaureate (IB) with Danish at A or B level.
• Passed Danish test 3 from Studieskolen in Copenhagen.
• Certificate of a higher education, e.g., from universities, vocational schools, business schools, nursing schools, seminars, etc., unless it is a foreign language course of study.

Attachment requirement

If you are a recent graduate and apply for unemployment benefit from 1 May 2023 solely based on your education, you must meet a special language requirement.

If you cannot meet the language requirement, you may still be entitled to unemployment benefits as a newly graduate via work in Denmark – this is called an attachment requirement.

You meet the attachment requirement if, during the last 24 months, you have had at least 12 months of work with at least 600 paid hours in Denmark.

You must have had paid hours in each of 12 months. But the 12 months do not have to be consecutive, nor do they have to be during a period of membership.

Work in another EEA country, Switzerland and Great Britain also count if you have subsequently had at least 150 hours of work in Denmark.

If you can neither meet the language nor attachment requirement, you are welcome to contact us for further information.

If you do not apply as a graduate, you can still join MA as a wage earner, regardless of whether or not you have a master’s degree.

However, you must be resident and work in Denmark. Furthermore, if you have joined as a wage earner and want to collect unemployment benefits, you need to meet the requirements listed above for either income or hours of work within the last year(s) as a member.

If your main occupation is your own business, you can still join MA as self-employed. You can become a member as soon as you have started your business. As a member of MA, you are only guaranteed unemployment benefits once you have closed your business completely. Furthermore, you must fulfill the employment requirements.

As a member of MA you are entitled to unemployment benefits if you are unemployed. The alternative to unemployment benefits in Denmark is cash benefits (‘kontanthjælp’). Cash benefits are usually much less than unemployment benefits and also dependent on a total assessment of your financial and personal circumstances.

MA accepts membership applications from people with any type of educational background. However, we have traditionally specialized in servicing people that are highly educated. We have an in-depth understanding of the labor market, and specifically where to find work if you are highly educated, regardless of whether you have a background in the humanities, the natural sciences, the social sciences, computer science, or any other academic field.

At MA, we prioritize job seeking activities. We are one of the unemployment insurance funds in Denmark that spends the most time and resources on helping our unemployed members find a meaningful job. Our services here are outstanding, yet our membership fee remains competitive.

Unemployment benefits are taxable (figures on this site are gross numbers) but the membership fee is tax deductible on your tax returns. Please note that it is voluntary to contribute to the early retirement pension fund.

As a graduate member you are entitled to receive unemployment insurance at a special graduate rate one month after the completion of your education.

… and help to find the right job

It takes time for most new graduates to get a foothold in the labor market. Often they start with part-time jobs, freelance work or project contracts. MA can help you be better prepared to find the most suitable job. We hold information meetings, job seeking courses and specialized theme events. At the information meetings you are given an introduction to job seeking, and guidance on the rules and options in the unemployment benefit system that you should be especially aware of. Job seeking workshops explore job research and networks and provide good advice on how to write job applications. You can role play job interviews or join a network of unemployed who have a background similar to yours. At MA’s specialized theme events you can find out more about the labor market of the future, hear about other graduates’ job experiences and learn about what employers are looking for in the recruitment process.

If you have written your CV, but are still unsure about whether you have presented your skills convincingly, MA can help. We offer individual and personal feedback on your application and CV both in Copenhagen and in our regional offices in Odense, Aarhus and Aalborg.

If you have questions or are unsure about something, you are always welcome to call or visit us, both at our head office in Copenhagen and at our regional offices in Odense, Aarhus and Aalborg. At all of our offices you will find a range of facilities for members. These include PCs with internet access, printers, photocopiers, reference works and meeting rooms for member networks.