Membership
The Unemployment Fund for Education and Science used to be known as the Teachers’ Unemployment Fund. We are an unemployment fund not only for teachers and educational professionals, but also for researchers, psychologists, and other higher education graduates. We have approximately 105,000 members.
The fund provides advice and services related to unemployment security and job alternation allowance and pays these benefits to its eligible members. Unemployment benefit based on wage income, i.e. earnings-related allowance, can only be paid to members of the unemployment fund.
You can join theUnemployment Fund for Education and Science directly or through a trade union. Although we cooperate with trade unions, we are an independent organisation.
The majority of our members (96%) belongs to the fund through a union. We share members with the Trade Union of Education in Finland, OAJ (including its member organisations), the Finnish Union of University Researchers and Teachers, the Finnish Psychological Association, the Finnish Union of University Professors and Suomen ammattikoulutuksen johtajat SAJO ry (association for vocational education leaders).
A paid employee who has completed a higher education degree, or who works in the field of education, teaching, psychology, or research, or is engaged in development or advocacy work in these fields may become a member of the Unemployment Fund for Education and Science. A student who has been admitted to higher education degree studies and is simultaneously engaged in paid employment relating to their field of study may also become a member. You can join us either directly or through a trade union.
Use electronic forms to notify us of changes affecting your membership, such as resignation, joining a trade union, business activities and moving abroad. Check and update your contact information in Openetti to get messages sent by the Unemployment Fund for Education and Science to the correct address.
The monthly membership fee amount in euros is confirmed every year by the Financial Supervisory Authority. In 2024, the membership fee for the Unemployment Fund for Education and Science is EUR 4.50 per month (EUR 54.00 per year). In 2025, the membership fee is EUR 5.00 per month (EUR 60.00 per year). Our membership fee is the same for all members.
The Finnish unemployment security system consists of an earnings-related allowance system for employees and an earnings-related allowance system for entrepreneurs and the self-employed. As the Unemployment Fund for Education and Science insures paid employees, we are not the right unemployment fund for you if you are a full-time entrepreneur or self-employed person. If you are self-employed, you can insure yourself against unemployment by joining the Entrepreneur Fund (Yrittäjäkassa).
If you move abroad, you should inform the Unemployment Fund for Education and Science and ask us for advice on continuing your membership and on transferring your periods of insurance and employment.
You can resign from the unemployment fund by submitting a written resignation notification. The unemployment fund can also expel its members, for example, on the basis of unpaid membership fees or fraud. The union cannot expel members from the unemployment fund.