Studying and membership of an unemployment fund

Topics

• Income security
• Studies

Membership of the YTK is also worth keeping during your studies. This way, you will maintain your income security and secure your next turnaround.

As a member of the YTK, you have the opportunity to support your studies with a daily allowance. You can read more about these options here. Studying can also prevent you from receiving an earnings-related allowance.

Even if you are not entitled to an earnings-related allowance because you are a student, it is still useful to keep your membership. It allows you to keep the employment record you have already accumulated and to claim income support after you finish your studies if you don’t find a suitable job straight away. In this case, you will be entitled to earnings-related pay based on the working conditions you accumulated before your studies. It is possible to claim up to seven years of working conditions before your studies.

If you remain a member of the fund, you can also accumulate new working conditions by working during your studies. It is very common for students to work, for example during study holidays. You can take advantage of these by becoming a member of the YTK.

You can only join the unemployment fund if you are working. So if you work while studying, you should join at the latest on your first day of work. Moreover, once you have joined, your studies are no obstacle to maintaining your membership.

There are no exemptions from the YTK membership fee. Membership fees are used to jointly and severally finance the benefits paid by the Fund and therefore, for example, studying is not a reason for an exemption from membership fees. If the membership fee is too high for your personal circumstances, you can ask us for an extension or the possibility to pay in installments. Such arrangements are flexible.