Eligibility for allowance

You are eligible for the degree study allowance if you are unemployed or employed and meet at least one of the following requirements:

• you do not have professional or vocational education and you obtained basic or general secondary (upper secondary) education or dropped out of school at least five years ago;
• you have professional or vocational education (including higher education) but you obtained it at least 15 years ago;
• you cannot continue in your current position due to your health status (which must be proved).

If you are employed, you must be between 16 and retirement age, work on the basis of an employment contract or contract under the law of obligations or is in public service and have in your name at least 12 months of unemployment insurance has been paid in the three-year period prior to submitting the application.

You can only obtain the allowance if you submit the application before you commence studies. You are not eligible for the allowance if you are already studying in a vocational educational or higher education institution or if you have suspended your studies in the last year and wish to continue studying.

Example: A 30-year-old woman with vocational education has worked on the basis of an employment contract for the last six years. She cannot continue working due to back problems and must acquire a new profession. Since she cannot continue in her current position due to her health, she meets the requirements for receiving the degree study allowance.

Example: A 45-year-old man with higher education works in public service, studies in a vocational educational institution and applies for the degree study allowance. Even though he obtained higher education more than 20 years ago, he is not eligible for the allowance because it is only paid to those who have newly commenced degree studies, i.e. those who are not studying or have not suspended their studies in the previous 12 months.