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!