A-kasse and dagpenge guide 2026

Education that entitles you to unemployment benefits

  • Vocational education that is standardized to last at least 18 months (can be considered completed no earlier than 18 months after the start of the education).
  • SVU-eligible education programs that are standardized to last at least 18 months
  • A full EUX education program (both the upper secondary school part and the vocational education part must be completed)
  • EGU track at FGU (completes 3rd level)
  • Basic Integration Education - IGU (trial scheme until 31 December 2027)
  • An academic postgraduate education (in danish: akademisk overbygningsuddannelse), including an academic vocational postgraduate education, cf. the Universities Act.
  • A master's degree program or a vocational candidate's degree program (in danish: erhvervskandidatuddannelse) that is standardized to last at least 12 months according to the Universities Act. (can be considered completed no earlier than 12 months after the start of the education)
  • Foreign education programs that can be equated with a vocational education program (requirement of SU eligibility). Read about foreign education assessment in the A-kasse.

Optional supplement to A-kasse membership

You can often get a discount if, in addition to unemployment insurance (A-kasse), you also buy wage insurance, trade union, or both as a package deal.

Here are some of the best deals right now (checked 20/03/2026):

Det Faglige Hus

In "Det Faglige Hus" you get free union membership for 12 months if you become a member of A-kasse and choose wage insurance with coverage of at least DKK 2,000 per month in addition to unemployment benefits for up to 3 months. It costs DKK 590/month for the first 12 months. Then DKK 659/month.

You can get up to DKK 6,000 in wage insurance coverage and still get 12 months of free union membership. The price increases by approx. DKK 30 per DKK 1,000 extra in wage insurance. So the price for A-kasse + union membership + DKK 3,000 in wage insurance is DKK 620/month for the first 12 months. Then DKK 689/month.

A&Til A-kasse

In A&Til you can get a package consisting of A-kasse and wage insurance with payments for up to 6 months. If you have been a member for 9 months, you can get up to DKK 3,000 in addition to unemployment benefits for 6 months. If you have been a member for more than 15 months, the coverage from wage insurance increases to DKK 4,000 per month. If you have been a member for at least 22 months, the coverage from wage insurance increases to DKK 5,000 per month. After 28 months of membership, the coverage from wage insurance increases to DKK 7,500 per month.

You pay DKK 150 per month for wage insurance. The total cost of the package is therefore DKK 671 per month.

ASE A-kasse

In ASE you can get a package consisting of A-kasse, trade union and wage insurance with payment for up to 6 months. If you have been a member for 6 months, you can get up to DKK 3,000 in addition to unemployment benefits for 6 months. When you have been a member for 12 months, you can get up to DKK 6,000 in addition to unemployment benefits for 6 months. The 6,000 from wage insurance assumes that you earn at least DKK 33,865 per month. The entire package costs DKK 699/month.


Main topics about A-kasse

Transferring periods of work and insurance from another EEA CountryAs an EU citizen you can transfer acquired rights from Unemployment Insurance between EU contries. Be aware that there are some requirements and deadlines that are important to meet. And you have to use a PD U1 Form. Read more here..
Transferring unemployment benefitsUnder certain conditions you can go to another EU country to look for work and continue to receive your unemployment benefits from the country where you became unemployed. And you have to use a PD U2 Form. Read more here..
Unemployment benefits ("dagpenge")Remember you have to be member of an A-kasse for 1 year before you can claim Unemployment benefits ("dagpenge"). And you must meet the income-requirement. Read more here..
International graduatesGraduates in Denmark can get Unemployment benefits from the first day after graduation, if they have been member as student of an A-kasse for at least 1 year. Read more...
Residence CardIf you are a non-EU citizen you must have a residence Card which allows you to take any job with one day notice. This is because you must be available for the labor market for being eligible for unemployment benefits ("dagpenge").
Membership fee and taxYou will automatically get a deduction in your tax for your fee to the A-kasse and trade union. There is no ceiling on the amount you can get a deduction for when it comes to contributions to A-kasse, whereas you can get a maximum deduction of DKK 7,000 for a trade union.