Blocked Account (Sperrkonto) for Germany: How Much You Actually Need This Year

Blocked Account (Sperrkonto) for Germany: How Much You Actually Need This Year

Germany is known for low tuition, but the student visa still comes with a money test that surprises many families. Before the embassy will issue a visa, the applicant must prove that a full year of living costs is available. The most common way to do so is a blocked account, called a Sperrkonto in German. The figure sounds simple, yet the amount a student really has to arrange is usually higher than the number on the embassy page.

The official amount is set out first, followed by the costs that sit on top, three worked totals in rupees and the alternatives. All euro figures are converted at an assumed planning rate of ₹100 to the euro, which is not a live rate.

What is a blocked account and why does Germany ask for it?

A blocked account is a bank account in which a fixed sum is deposited in advance and released to the holder in monthly instalments. The Federal Foreign Office page of the German mission in Nairobi says the bank certifies a deposit of €11,904 for one year, equivalent to €992 a month. The account must be opened before applying for the visa.

The embassy accepts only the official bank confirmation that shows the amount paid in and the amount available each month. A transfer receipt on its own is not enough. For the student, a blocked account works as a promise that rent, food and insurance for the first year are covered, because the money is released month by month and cannot be spent in one go.

How much must the blocked account hold?

The German Academic Exchange Service, known as DAAD, states on its requirements page that students must prove funds of €992 a month, or €11,904 a year, since January last year. At the planning rate, the blocked account therefore needs about ₹11.9 lakh.

That figure is the minimum, and it applies to applicants who need a visa to enter Germany. The embassy page adds a rule that changes the arithmetic for some students. If the German university charges tuition, the applicant must either show proof of payment of the first year's tuition fees or increase the blocked account by the tuition amount.

The €992 figure has been in force since January last year. Amounts are adjusted from time to time, so confirm the current number with the embassy that handles your application before you fund the account.

Which other costs come on top?

The deposit covers living costs, not the other bills of the first year. Three items are worth planning for.

The DAAD page on costs of education and living says the semester contribution, which covers student services, the student government and often a local transport ticket, lies between €70 and €430 per semester, depending on the university. It also says that setting up the account costs between €70 and €150 in bank fees.

Tuition is the third item, and it depends on the state and the university. DAAD notes that most state universities charge no tuition for bachelor's courses or most master's courses, that Baden-Württemberg charges non-EU students €1,500 per semester, and that Bavaria may charge non-EU students several thousand euros per semester, set by each institution.

What does Baden-Württemberg charge?

The state ministry's page says the fee is €1,500 per semester for students who are not nationals of an EU or EEA state, with automatic waivers for groups such as doctoral students. The page describes the fee as starting with the winter semester 2017/18 and gives no end date.

For a two-semester first year, tuition in that state adds €3,000. If the tuition is not paid directly to the university before the visa application, the account would need to be raised by the same amount.

Is €992 a month enough to live on?

DAAD's finance page says students in Germany spend an average of €876 a month, according to a 2023 social survey, and that a newcomer should expect to need between €900 and €1,200 a month depending on the city. The monthly release of €992 therefore sits inside that range, but not far above its lower end.

In an expensive city, rent alone can use most of the monthly amount. A student should plan for the gap with savings, a scholarship, part-time earnings where the visa allows them, or a larger loan. The visa test sets a floor, and it is not a budget.

What does the total come to?

The table shows three simple cases for the first year, using the figures above. The semester contribution is taken at its upper bound of €430 for two semesters, and the setup fee at €150, so the totals are cautious. Health insurance is not included, because it is quoted separately.

The last two rows total the same, and the difference is only where the money sits. A deposit that includes tuition is released to the student month by month, and the tuition then still has to be paid out of it.

These are illustrations from published figures, not a quote for any programme. A student should add flights, health insurance, rent deposits and a buffer for the exchange rate on top. Each case also assumes the student's family can fund the whole sum before the visa application, which is the real planning challenge.

What are the alternatives to a blocked account?

The DAAD requirements page lists proof of parental income, a blocked account, a bank guarantee and a recognised scholarship as ways to show funds. The embassy page describes two others in more detail.

• A formal obligation letter, the Verpflichtungserklärung, from a sponsor living in Germany, who must show creditworthiness for the entire stay. The letter must be no more than six months old when you apply.
• A scholarship confirmation that states the duration and the monthly amount, with a minimum of €992 a month. If the scholarship is lower, the missing amount must be made up by a blocked account.

For most Indian students without a sponsor in Germany, a blocked account is the practical choice. The embassy where you apply decides what it accepts, so ask it which proofs it takes before you commit.

How does an education loan work with a blocked account?

Many students fund the account with an education loan. The money has to reach the account before the visa application, so timing matters more than the rate. Ask the lender three questions: will it release the full year's amount in one disbursement for this purpose, how long will the release take, and will it give a sanction letter that can support the university's admission documents.

The sanction letter should also show how the loan treats the money once it is in the account. Interest accrues on the amount disbursed, even though the student can use only €992 a month. Lenders that disburse in stages may cost less in interest, but the embassy's rules on the deposit come first, so ask the lender whether staged release is possible for this purpose.

Do not assume the loan covers every item. Lenders list eligible expenses, so the tuition top-up, bank fees and semester contributions should be named in the sanction.

In what order should the steps run?

Because the embassy wants the official confirmation before it will consider the visa, the account sits early in the timeline.

1. Confirm the admission and check whether the university charges tuition, since that changes the amount.
2. Ask the embassy that will handle the application what it accepts and what amount it expects.
3. Arrange the money, whether from savings, a family transfer or a sanctioned education loan.
4. Open the blocked account and fund it with the full sum.
5. Collect the bank's official confirmation showing the amount paid in and the monthly amount available.
6. Attach that confirmation to the visa application, with any proof of tuition payment.

A blocked account takes time to open and fund, so a student who starts after the admission letter arrives should treat it as a priority task and not leave it for the week of the visa appointment.

What mistakes cost students the most?

• Funding the account after applying for the visa, when the embassy page says to open it first.
• Sending a transfer receipt in place of the official bank confirmation of the blocked account.
• Forgetting that tuition in states that charge it can raise the amount needed.
• Ignoring the setup fee and the semester contribution, which are paid from the family's own pocket.
• Working at a planning exchange rate and not leaving a buffer for the euro moving against the rupee.
• Assuming the figure never changes. Amounts are reviewed, so check on the day you fund the account.

Common questions about proof of funds for Germany

Is €992 a month the same for every student?

It is the figure published by DAAD and the embassy page for students applying for a study visa. Confirm with your embassy, as amounts can be revised.

Can I use a scholarship instead?

Yes, if the confirmation states the duration and a monthly amount of at least €992. A smaller scholarship must be topped up with a blocked account.

When should I open the Sperrkonto?

Before the visa application. The embassy page asks applicants to open it in advance, and it accepts only the official bank confirmation.

Is the money in the account an extra cost?

The €11,904 is the student's own living money, released monthly, so it is funding rather than a fee. Bank fees, semester contributions and tuition are separate costs.

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