Nursing student confused about CTB unemployment eligibility - can I claim while in school?

Hi there! The program you're referring to is likely the California Training Benefits (CTB) program, which allows eligible individuals to receive unemployment benefits while attending approved training. However, there are specific requirements: 1. You need to have established a valid unemployment claim first, meaning you must have lost a job through no fault of your own 2. Your nursing program must be on the state-approved training list 3. You still need to be able to certify regularly Since you worked as a CNA for 2 years before school, you might qualify if you left that job involuntarily (laid off, hours reduced, etc.). If you quit voluntarily to attend school, it gets more complicated, though there are exceptions. You'll need to apply for regular unemployment first, then request CTB status by submitting the DE 3100 form. You'll also need documentation from your nursing school.

i did this last yr when i started my LVN program!! u def can get benefits if u lost ur job n ur going to nursing school. just make sure u tell them ur in approved training when u apply. they might make u do a phone interview but dont worry about it

The California Training Benefits (CTB) program is indeed what you're looking for, but there are several important points to understand: 1. You must have established a valid UI claim first based on qualifying previous employment 2. You must have been laid off or lost your job through no fault of your own 3. Your nursing program must be on the State Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL) 4. You need to submit the DE 3100 form to request CTB status 5. With CTB approval, you're exempt from the usual work search requirements while in school The advantage is that you can focus on your nursing studies without having to look for work, but you'll still need to certify every two weeks. Your previous CNA experience should provide sufficient earnings history if you were laid off. Contact your school's financial aid office - they often have experience helping students navigate this process.

You CAN'T get unemployment while in school because you're NOT AVAILABLE FOR WORK!!! The whole point of UI is that you have to be ready and able to accept work. If you're in nursing school full-time, you clearly aren't available for full-time work. EDD will deny you and possibly hit you with an overpayment if you try to claim without disclosing your school status. Trust me, they WILL find out and it's not worth the hassle.

I went through this exact process in 2025 when I started my RN program after working as a medical assistant. The CTB program is legit and designed specifically for situations like yours. Here's what I learned from my experience: Getting through to EDD to apply and handle the CTB request was the most frustrating part. I spent WEEKS trying to reach someone who understood the program. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an EDD representative who helped process my CTB request properly. Saved me countless hours of busy signals and dropped calls. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km Once I got through to the right person, the process was straightforward. Just make sure you have documentation from your nursing program that confirms your enrollment, program length, and expected completion date. The EDD rep will transfer you to someone who handles CTB requests specifically.

My roommates cousin did this last year and EDD denied her claim eventually even tho she got payments for like 3 months. Then they said she had to pay it ALL back! Be careful with this stuff, EDD is super picky about the rules.

I just finished the CTB program while in my vocational nursing program!! Make sure your school is on that eligible list thing. My friend was in a different nursing program and hers wasn't approved so she couldn't get benefits. Also when you certify every 2 weeks, there's a question about school or training. ALWAYS answer YES to that and indicate you're in CTB approved training!!!!! If you say No they can hit you with fraud later even if you have CTB approval.

Based on all the comments, here's a simplified roadmap for you: 1. Apply for regular unemployment benefits first (based on your CNA job loss) 2. During the application, indicate you're attending school/training 3. Once your regular UI claim is established, submit the DE 3100 form to request CTB status 4. Provide documentation from your nursing program including enrollment verification and program details 5. Continue certifying for benefits while your CTB request is processed 6. Answer "Yes" to the school/training question during certification 7. When approved for CTB, you'll be exempt from work search requirements Your 6-week timeframe since job loss is well within the acceptable range for filing. Good luck with your nursing program!

Hey Sergio! Just wanted to add one more tip from my experience - make sure you keep detailed records of everything throughout this process. Save copies of your DE 3100 form, all correspondence with EDD, and any documentation from your nursing school. I also kept a log of phone calls and reference numbers from when I spoke with EDD representatives. The CTB program can be a lifesaver for nursing students, but EDD's systems can be glitchy and sometimes lose paperwork. Having your own complete file saved me when there was confusion about my CTB status renewal midway through my program. Also, don't panic if your first few certifications show as "pending" - that's normal while they process your CTB request. The payments will be backdated once approved. Good luck with your studies! Nursing school is tough but so worth it. The financial stress relief from CTB benefits really helped me focus on my coursework instead of worrying about bills.

This is exactly the kind of detailed info I needed! I'm definitely going to start my application today and make sure I have all my documentation ready. Quick question though - when you mention keeping records of phone calls and reference numbers, should I be asking for specific reference numbers when I talk to EDD reps? I want to make sure I'm documenting everything properly from the start. Also, did you have any issues with your nursing school providing the required documentation quickly, or should I give them a heads up that I'll need certain forms?

Welcome to the community, Sergio! I just went through this exact process last year when I started my LPN program after being laid off from my hospital job. The CTB program is definitely real and can be a huge help for nursing students. A few things that weren't mentioned yet that might help you: 1. Make sure you file your initial UI claim ASAP - there's typically a one-week waiting period before benefits start, and you want to get that clock ticking 2. When you're gathering school documentation, ask specifically for a letter that states your program is "approved for California Training Benefits" if possible. Some schools will include this language which can speed up the CTB approval 3. Your nursing program likely has other students who've done this - ask around in your cohort or check if there's a student Facebook group where people share experiences Since you were laid off from your CNA position (not a voluntary quit), you should definitely qualify for regular UI first, then CTB. The timing at 6 weeks out is totally fine - you have up to a year from when you became unemployed to file. One heads up: the whole process from filing to getting your first CTB payment can take 4-6 weeks sometimes, so if you're tight on money, you might want to look into your school's emergency financial aid options as a backup while you wait. Most nursing programs understand students are often in tough financial spots and have resources available. You've got this! Nursing school is hard enough without financial stress hanging over you.

Just wanted to chime in as someone who successfully went through the CTB program during my ADN program! All the advice here is spot on. One thing I'd add is to be prepared for some confusion on EDD's end initially - not all reps are familiar with CTB, so you might get transferred around a few times. Don't get discouraged if the first person you talk to doesn't know what you're talking about. Also, once you get CTB approved, keep that approval letter somewhere safe! I had to reference it multiple times when I had issues with my certifications later on. The system would sometimes flag me for not doing work searches, and I'd have to remind them I was CTB approved. Your CNA background actually puts you in a great position for this - healthcare worker layoffs are pretty straightforward for EDD to process, and nursing education is definitely seen as job training that benefits the state. You should be golden once you get through the initial application process!

Hey Sergio! I'm a current nursing student who just got approved for CTB benefits last month, so this is all really fresh for me. One thing that really helped me was calling EDD early in the morning (like right at 8am when they open) - I had way better luck getting through than calling later in the day. Also, when you're filling out your initial UI application online, there's a section where it asks about your reason for unemployment. Make sure you select "lack of work" or "layoff" since you mentioned your facility downsized. Don't overthink it - just be straightforward about what happened with your CNA job. One more tip: if your nursing program has a student services coordinator or academic advisor, definitely let them know you're applying for CTB benefits. Mine actually helped me get the right paperwork together and knew exactly what EDD needed. They deal with this stuff all the time and can be super helpful. The whole process took about 5 weeks for me from start to finish, but once it kicked in, it was such a relief to not have to stress about money while focusing on clinicals and studying. You've got this!

Hey Sergio! Welcome to the community! I'm currently in my second semester of nursing school and successfully got CTB benefits approved last fall. Reading through all these responses brings back memories of how overwhelming this whole process felt at first! A few additional things that helped me that I don't think anyone mentioned yet: 1. When you call EDD, have your Social Security number, previous employer info (your CNA job), and nursing school details all written down and ready. They'll ask for all of this during the call and having it organized speeds things up. 2. Don't be surprised if your first certification gets held up for a few weeks while they process your CTB request. Mine was "pending" for almost 3 weeks but then all the back payments came through at once. 3. If you haven't already, check if your nursing program qualifies for any additional financial aid specifically for healthcare students. I discovered my school had emergency grants for nursing students that I didn't even know existed. The combination of CTB benefits and being able to focus on school without worrying about work search requirements was honestly a game-changer for me. It let me really concentrate on learning instead of stressing about bills. Your CNA experience definitely puts you in a strong position - EDD understands that healthcare workers often face layoffs and that nursing education is valuable workforce development. You're going to do great! Feel free to ask if you have any other questions as you go through the process.

Hey Sergio! I just wanted to add one more perspective as someone who went through this process about 18 months ago. All the advice here is really solid, but I wanted to mention something that caught me off guard - make sure you understand the difference between your benefit year and your program length. My nursing program was 18 months, but my UI benefit year was only 12 months from when I first filed. I had to reapply for a new benefit year partway through school, which meant going through some of the CTB approval process again. It wasn't a huge deal, but I wish someone had warned me about it! Also, once you get everything set up, the biweekly certifications become pretty routine. I used to do mine every Sunday morning with my coffee - it literally takes like 3 minutes once you get the hang of it. Just remember to always answer honestly about your school attendance when they ask. The financial relief really does make such a difference in nursing school. I was able to focus on my studies instead of picking up random shifts that would have interfered with clinicals. You're making a smart move by looking into this early rather than trying to figure it out mid-semester when you're already stressed with coursework. Best of luck with both the CTB application and nursing school! Healthcare needs more dedicated people like you who are willing to go through all this bureaucracy just to better serve patients.

Hi Sergio! Just wanted to jump in with some additional support and a couple of practical tips that helped me when I went through this process during my RN program. One thing I learned the hard way is to screenshot or print every single page of your online UI application before you submit it. The EDD website can be glitchy and sometimes applications don't go through properly, so having those screenshots saved me when I had to re-submit portions later. Also, when you're gathering your employment history for the application, make sure you have exact dates (month/day/year) for when you started and ended your CNA position, plus your gross wages for each quarter. EDD is very particular about this information matching what employers reported. Here's something that really helped me stay organized: I created a simple folder (physical and digital) labeled "EDD CTB" and put EVERYTHING related to this process in there - application confirmations, correspondence, school letters, payment records, etc. It was a lifesaver when I needed to reference things later. The fact that you're being proactive about this now instead of waiting until you're struggling financially shows you're already thinking like a nurse - planning ahead and being prepared! That mindset will serve you well throughout your program. You've got this, and don't hesitate to come back here with questions as you go through the process. This community is great at helping each other navigate these bureaucratic challenges!

Hey Sergio! I'm actually a nursing school graduate who used CTB benefits throughout my entire program, and I can confirm it's absolutely worth pursuing! One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that you should also check if your state has any additional resources for healthcare students. California sometimes has specific grants or loan forgiveness programs for nursing students that you can stack on top of your CTB benefits. Also, a heads up - once you start receiving CTB benefits, make sure you notify EDD immediately if anything about your program changes (schedule modifications, clinical site changes, etc.). I had a classmate who didn't report a schedule change and it caused issues with her benefits later. The process can feel overwhelming at first, but honestly, once you get through the initial application and CTB approval, it becomes pretty routine. The peace of mind it provides is incredible - I was able to focus completely on learning instead of stressing about rent money. Your CNA background is going to be such an asset in nursing school too, not just for the CTB eligibility! You already understand patient care basics, which puts you ahead of students coming in with no healthcare experience. Feel free to reach out if you run into any snags during the application process. This community is really good about helping each other through these bureaucratic mazes!

Hey Sergio! Welcome to the community! I'm currently in my final semester of nursing school and went through the CTB process about a year and a half ago. All the advice you've gotten here is really excellent - this community is amazing for helping each other navigate these challenges! I wanted to add one thing that really helped me during the application process: keep a simple log or timeline of everything you do related to your CTB application. Write down when you submitted your UI application, when you called EDD, when you submitted your DE 3100 form, etc. I found this super helpful because EDD representatives would often ask "when did you submit this" or "what's the status of that" and having those dates readily available made conversations much smoother. Plus, if there are any delays or issues, you'll have a clear record of your timeline to reference. Also, don't be discouraged if the process takes longer than expected. Mine took about 7 weeks from start to finish, but every week of benefits was backdated once approved. The key is just staying persistent and following up when needed. Your proactive approach to this is really smart - getting this sorted out early in your program will let you focus on what's most important: becoming an excellent nurse! The clinical rotations and intensive coursework are challenging enough without financial stress on top of it. Best of luck with both your CTB application and your nursing studies! You're going to do great. 😊

Hey Sergio! Welcome to the community! I'm a current nursing student who just got my CTB benefits approved a few months ago after being laid off from my job as a pharmacy technician. I wanted to add a couple of things that really helped me during the process: First, when you call EDD, try to call from a landline if you have access to one - I noticed I got through faster and had fewer dropped calls compared to using my cell phone. Not sure if it's just coincidence, but it seemed to make a difference! Second, if your nursing school has a Facebook group or Discord server for your cohort, definitely ask there too. I found out that several of my classmates had gone through the CTB process and they were super helpful with sharing their experiences and even letting me know which EDD reps were most knowledgeable about the program. One more thing - make sure when you're calculating your expected benefit amount that you factor in taxes. The CTB benefits are taxable income, so you might want to have them withhold taxes or set aside some money for tax season. I learned this the hard way! The whole process was definitely worth it though. Being able to focus on studying for NCLEX prep and clinical rotations without worrying about rent money made such a huge difference in my stress levels and academic performance. You've gotten amazing advice here already - this community really knows their stuff! Good luck with everything!