Guide to Applying for Government-Subsidized Training and Checking Training Allowance Eligibility Conditions in Advance

Up to 116,000 KRW per Month! Basic Eligible Targets and Qualification Criteria for Training Allowance

When participating in government-subsidized vocational training, the system that provides practical help just as much as tuition support is the ‘training allowance.’ It is an additional allowance supported in the name of transportation and meal expenses to encourage faithful participation in training.

Basically, it is calculated according to the daily training hours (based on 5 hours) and the actual number of attendance days, and up to a maximum of 116,000 KRW per month is deposited directly into your bank account. However, it is not paid across the board to everyone taking government-subsidized classes; both course conditions and participant qualification requirements must be satisfied.

1. Course Requirements: Courses with Total Training Hours of 140 Hours or More

The first condition to check is the ‘total hours’ of the course you are taking.

• Trainees in long-term courses of 140 hours or more: Training allowances are eligible for payment only when participating in courses of 140 hours or more in total that develop professional competencies in earnest, rather than short-term cultural/basic classes.
• Short-term courses under 140 hours: If you take a short-term course lacking total hours (e.g., a 40–80 hour certification preparation class), training allowances are, in principle, not supported.

1. Detailed Qualification Requirements by Participant Status

Even if you take a course of 140 hours or more, whether support is provided depends on your economic activity status or income form.

1. Payment Amount Calculation Standard (Meal Expenses + Transportation Expenses)

The standard payment amount for the training allowance varies depending on daily training hours.

• Daily training hours of 5 hours or more:

• Meal expenses (3,300 KRW per day) + Transportation expenses (2,500 KRW per day) = 5,800 KRW per day
• Upon full attendance of 20 days based on 1 month (unit period): Full receipt of up to 116,000 KRW
• Daily training hours under 5 hours:

• Transportation expenses recognized only = 2,500 KRW per day
• Upon full attendance of 20 days: Up to 50,000 KRW

💡 Core Check Points

The training allowance is not a basic allowance automatically issued every month; it is deposited by calculating daily prorated amounts only for ‘days of actual attendance.’ Furthermore, because the allowance for the relevant unit period is paid in a lump sum only when the attendance rate exceeds 80% or more during the month, strict attendance management is essential.

“Why Didn’t I Receive It?” Checklist of Excluded Targets for Training Allowance

Even after diligently attending classes and exceeding the 80% attendance rate, some people are taken aback, saying, “The allowance has not been deposited.” This is because the training allowance strictly restricts combined receipt with other public subsidies to prevent duplicated benefits and fiscal leakages.

If you are currently taking classes or planning to apply, be sure to verify beforehand whether you fall under the following ‘payment exclusion criteria.’

1. Individuals Receiving Unemployment Benefits (Job-Seeking Benefits): Duplicate Receipt Strictly Prohibited

This is the most common exclusion case that generates inquiries.

• Principle: During the period of receiving job-seeking benefits (unemployment benefits) paid by Employment Insurance, the training allowance is not paid (0 KRW).
• Reason: Unemployment benefits themselves already include the purpose of supporting livelihoods during the job-seeking period, so it is regarded as a duplicate benefit.
• Payment Resumption Date: You can receive the training allowance normally for training unit periods that begin the day after your unemployment benefit receipt period officially ends.

1. Payment Adjustments for Participants in National Employment Support Program Allowances

When taking government-funded classes in connection with an employment support program, payment standards vary depending on your participation type and the specific allowance category.

• National Employment Support Program Type I (Job-Seeking Promotion Allowance Recipients):

• For those receiving the monthly 500,000 KRW (up to higher maximum amounts when household member allowances are included) job-seeking promotion allowance, the basic Tomorrow Learning Card training allowance (up to 116,000 KRW per month) is not paid duplicate and is processed as non-payable.
• National Employment Support Program Type II (Employment Activity Expense Recipients):

• Because the training participation support allowance (up to 284,000 KRW per month) received when Type II participants undergo training and the basic training allowance are partially linked and adjusted according to project guidelines, you must verify the actual combined payout amount in advance through the designated counselor at your local competent employment center.

1. General Employed Workers and Self-Employed Individuals Exceeding Criteria

The training allowance fundamentally bears a strong character of filling the ‘income gap during unhired periods.’

• Employed workers enrolled in Employment Insurance for 15 hours or more per week:

• Regardless of whether they are regular or short-hour workers, employees whose contractual work hours per week are 15 hours or more are classified as generating income and are excluded from allowance eligibility.
• Exception: Low-income employed workers who meet the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) eligibility criteria can receive it upon submitting supporting documents.
• High-income individual business owners:

• Among self-employed individuals holding a business registration certificate, those with annual sales of 150 million KRW or more (48 million KRW or more for real estate leasing businesses) are excluded from support eligibility.

1. Core Summary Table of Excluded Targets from Payment

💡 Check Tips

For those whose unemployment benefit payments end during training, make sure to check the exact expiration date of your job-seeking benefits on the Employment24 portal My Page. For the unit period that includes the expiration date, the allowance is calculated on a daily prorated basis and paid normally only for the days attended starting the day after the expiration date.

Attendance Management Method Without Losing a Single Won! Achieving an 80% Attendance Rate and Prorated Daily Calculation Standards

The training allowance is not a fixed monthly wage, but an actual-expense support allowance paid in proportion to the ‘actual number of days attended.’ Above all, the most critical overriding principle is that you must achieve an attendance rate of 80% or higher within the unit period (1 month) to receive even a single won.

If the attendance rate falls short by even 1%, the training allowance for that month is entirely forfeited (0 KRW), so you must accurately understand the attendance calculation methods and deduction factors to protect your valuable financial support.

1. The Concept of ‘Unit Period’ and the 80% Attendance Rate Requirement

The reference period for settling the training allowance is not from the 1st to the last day of each calendar month, but a ‘unit period’ calculated based on the start date of your training course.

• What is a unit period?

• For example, if the start date is March 15, the 1st unit period runs from March 15 to April 14.
• You must attend 80% or more of the total scheduled training days included in this unit period to become eligible for the allowance payout for that session.
• Example of attendance days (when there are 20 class days in a month):

• 20 days × 80% = minimum of 16 days or more of attendance required
• Attending 16 days or more: The allowance is deposited normally based on a daily prorated calculation for the number of attended days
• Attending 15 days (5 absences): Falls short with a 75% attendance rate → Processed as 0 KRW allowance for the relevant unit period

1. The Formula: 3 Times of Tardiness, Early Departure, or Going Out = 1 Absence

The cause of the most deductions on-site is the accumulation of ‘tardiness and early departures.’

• Rules for aggregating tardiness, early departure, and going out:

• Regardless of the type, every time tardiness, early departure, or going out accumulates 3 times, it is automatically converted into ‘1 absence.’
• Example: If you had 2 instances of tardiness and 1 early departure in a month, it is processed as 1 absence.
• When attending less than 50% of the daily training time:

• If you leave early or arrive late without attending more than half of the class time, beware that the entire day is treated as an absence, not as tardiness/early departure.
• Failure to tag in/out (no QR, beacon, or card authentication):

• Even if you attended the entire class, if you fail to tap your card when leaving or omit the checkout process on the mobile app, it will be reflected as an absence in the system.

1. Daily Prorated Calculation Method for Training Allowance Based on Actual Attendance Days

If you have exceeded the 80% attendance rate for the unit period, the final deposit amount you receive is calculated as ‘actual attendance days × daily payment unit price.’ (In principle, officially excused absence days are not included in the attendance count, and only actual attended days are recognized when calculating the allowance.)

1. Reasons for Officially Excused Absences Recognized as Attendance Even When Absent

When unavoidable reasons occur, you must submit supporting documents rather than taking unexcused absences to prevent drops in your attendance rate.

• Major recognized items for officially excused absences:

• Illness or injury of oneself or immediate family members (submission of medical diagnosis, treatment confirmation, hospitalization confirmation, etc.)
• Family occasions such as one’s own marriage, birth of a child, death of an immediate family member, etc.
• Reserve forces training, civil defense assembly, taking official examinations on public service (submission of mobilization notice and attendance confirmation)
• Precautions for officially excused absences:

• Officially excused absences serve to prevent expulsions or penalties because they are not counted as absence days when calculating the ‘completion attendance rate of 80%.’
• However, when calculating the daily prorated training allowance, the daily allowance (5,800 KRW) for the officially excused dates when classes were not actually taken is excluded, and payments are made based on actual attended days.

💡 Practical Tips to Safeguard Attendance

By utilizing the Employment24 mobile app, you can immediately check the real-time attendance rate and cumulative tardiness/absence days for the current unit period. Be sure to check your attendance rate on My Page 3 to 4 days before the unit period ends to ensure in advance that you are not bordering on the 80% baseline.

Summary of Maximum Monthly Support Amounts When Linked to Special Allowances (KDT·National Strategic Industries)

The basic training allowance (up to 116,000 KRW per month) for general job training courses alone may feel somewhat tight for immersing oneself in long-term full-time classes. However, choosing specialized courses such as K-Digital Training (KDT), which fosters digital new-technology talent, or National Key and Strategic Industry Occupation Training (National Strategic Industries), which is based on manufacturing and root industries, links additional allowances on top of the basic allowance to substantially expand the scale of practical living cost support.

Here is a detailed breakdown of the maximum monthly amounts receivable when combining the government’s specialized training support policies with the National Employment Support Program.

1. Support Structure When Participating in K-Digital Training (KDT)

Most practical project-centered KDT bootcamps, such as AI, big data, cloud, and frontend/backend development, are operated full-time 5 days a week (7–8 hours a day).

• Basic Training Allowance + Special Training Allowance Support:

• When participating in KDT and high-tech industry specialized courses, fulfilling the 80% attendance rate requirement grants an additionally organized special training allowance alongside the basic training allowance.
• As additional allowances (equivalent to 100,000 to 300,000 KRW per month, etc.) are combined differentially depending on the specialized course type and region, a structure is formed where you can receive up to the 300,000 KRW range or more per month purely through government-subsidized training allowances.

1. Support Standards for National Key and Strategic Industry Occupations (National Strategic Industries)

National Strategic Industries, which nurture specialized manpower in national infrastructure fields such as machining, electrical installations, welding, and semiconductor processes, also offer more generous support compared to the general account system.

• Long-Term Intensive Immersion Support:

• Because they are operated as long-term full-time courses of 300 to 600 hours or more in total, training allowances are steadily paid every monthly unit period (when meeting the 80% or higher attendance rate).
• Since the proportion of practical field training is high and classes are conducted for 5 hours or more per day, attending all classes each month without absence allows you to secure the training allowance up to the ceiling limit.

1. Simulation When Linked to the National Employment Support Program

The key strategy to maximize the living stabilization effect during the training period is combining it with the ‘National Employment Support Program.’ However, as duplicate benefit regulations apply as examined earlier, attention must be paid to the actual receipt method.

💡 Core Selection Tips

If you are a pure job seeker considering a full-time intensive bootcamp, it is far more advantageous to undergo eligibility screening for the National Employment Support Program first through the employment center having jurisdiction over your residence before entering training. You must secure a stable allowance base to complete high-intensity curricula that last for several months without dropping out midway.

Procedures for Registering the Training Allowance Deposit Account and Checking Payment Dates on the Employment24 Portal

If you have faithfully fulfilled the 80% attendance rate requirement, you must finally proceed with ‘setting up the deposit account’ and ‘checking the settlement schedule’ to safely receive the training allowance.
Many people think, “It will be deposited automatically into the Tomorrow Learning Card payment account,” but you can receive settlement without omission only when the allowance account where the actual allowance is deposited is separately and properly registered. Here are the practical steps to register and verify an account and check payment status on the Employment24 portal.

1. How to Register and Verify the Training Allowance Receiving Account

The training allowance is deposited only into a deposit/withdrawal account under your own name. (Accounts under another person’s name, accounts protected from seizure, installment savings accounts, etc., cannot be registered)

1. Accessing the Employment24 portal (work24.go.kr) and logging in:

Log in with simple authentication (KakaoTalk, Naver, Toss, etc.) or a financial certificate.

1. Navigating to the account registration menu:

From the top menu, go to [My Page] > [Vocational Competency Development] > [Training Allowance/Allowance Management] or [Account Management].

1. Account verification and saving:

After entering the bank name and account number under your own name, proceed with [Real-Name Authentication/Account Verification].
Once account holder verification is successfully completed, finish the final registration.
Note: You can freely designate a receiving account using an account at another commercial bank different from the payment account designated during card issuance.

1. Settlement and Actual Deposit Lead Time After the Unit Period Closes

There are many questions asking, “The unit period is over, so why hasn’t the money come in the very next day?” Because the training allowance is paid sequentially after administrative reviews by the academy (training institution) and the competent employment center, a certain time lag occurs.
Step 1 – Attendance closing and confirmation by the training institution (2–3 days after closing):
After the unit period (1 month) ends, the academy administration office finalizes the collection of attendance omissions and officially excused absence applications from trainees and submits an attendance closing report to the Employment24 system.
Step 2 – Review and approval by the competent employment center (takes approx. 5–10 business days):
The person in charge at the employment center cross-checks whether the 80% attendance rate is met and whether there are duplicate receipts of other public benefits (unemployment benefits, job-seeking promotion allowance, etc.), and then approves the allowance payment.
Step 3 – Final account deposit:
Usually, it is processed and deposited into the registered personal bank account within about 2 to 3 weeks (around 10 to 15 business days) from the end date of the unit period.

1. How to Check Real-Time Payment History on Employment24

If you are wondering which review stage your allowance is currently in, you can check it in real time on Employment24.
Check path:
[Employment24] > [My Page] > [Vocational Competency Development Training History] > [Training Allowance Payment History]
Meaning by status value:
Pending Settlement/Application Received: The academy has closed attendance and handed over the documents to the employment center
Under Review: The competent employment center is in the stage of reviewing duplicate receipts and attendance eligibility
Payment Approved/Completed: Electronic approval is completed and the remittance request has been forwarded to the bank (deposited into the account within 1 to 2 business days after approval)
💡 What to Do in Case of Settlement Delays
If the status has not changed or no deposit has been made even after 3 weeks have passed since the end of the unit period, contact the academy administration office first to confirm “whether the attendance closing process for the relevant unit period has been completed.” In many cases, settlement for the entire class is delayed due to incomplete attendance documents from one trainee.
Would you also like me to draft the final concluding section, ‘Epilogue: Securing the Full Training Allowance Through Attendance Management and Completing Job Preparation’?
Yes