If you're applying for a German student visa, the blocked account — the Sperrkonto — is almost certainly the first major financial hurdle you'll hit. It's the proof-of-funds method the German embassy expects from students from most non-EU countries, and without it your visa application goes nowhere. For anyone asking how much money is needed and how to open the account, this guide walks you through the exact amount you need in 2026, how the account works, how to open one with Expatrio, Fintiba or Deutsche Bank, and the mistakes that quietly wreck applications.

At the core of it all is one number: EUR 11,904. That's the amount the German government expects you to lock away before you can get a student visa. Here's what the whole thing means in practice.

Key takeaways

What is a blocked account (Sperrkonto)?

A blocked account is a special German bank account where you deposit your living costs for one year in advance. The catch is in the name: the money is "blocked." The bank locks the full balance and releases only a fixed portion each month, so you can't arrive in Germany and blow a year's worth of savings in the first weekend. Every month the bank automatically releases about one-twelfth of the total — in 2026 that's roughly EUR 992 — into an account you can actually use.

Germany requires this for a simple reason. A student residence permit is meant to cover you for a year at a time, and the authorities want proof that you can truly support yourself for that whole period. A bank statement showing you had a big balance once doesn't prove much — that money could vanish tomorrow. A blocked account proves you've committed the full year's amount and can't get at it in one go.

Most non-EU students need a Sperrkonto for a German student visa. The exceptions are people with a scholarship that covers their living costs, a German national or resident sponsor who signs a formal obligation (Verpflichtungserklärung), or someone who already holds a different residence title that exempts them. For everyone else, the Sperrkonto for German student visa applications is the standard route — and for students from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal and much of Africa, it's effectively mandatory.

If you're still deciding whether Germany is the right destination at all, our complete study in Germany guide covers the wider picture, including universities, costs and the application timeline.

The 2026 amount: EUR 11,904

For 2026 the required amount is EUR 11,904. This is set by the German government and has risen over the years — it was EUR 11,208 for a long stretch, then went up to EUR 11,904 for applications as of October 2023 and has held there into 2026. The figure is calculated simply as 12 months × EUR 992 per month.

Here's how the math lands:

That EUR 992 is what the German authorities consider a reasonable minimum for a single student to live on for a month — covering rent, food, transport, phone and basic necessities. It's not luxurious, and in expensive cities like Munich or Frankfurt it can be tight, but it's the official benchmark and the number the embassy will hold you to.

Two things to note. First, this is the minimum. You can deposit more than EUR 11,904 if you want a higher monthly release or just a safety buffer, and that's fine. Second, the amount can change for later years, so always check the figure current at the time you actually apply — for the latest official numbers, see our proof of funds requirements by country page, where we track these figures across destinations.

How to open a blocked account

You can't just walk into any bank and ask for a Sperrkonto. There are a set of approved providers, and you'll deal with them almost entirely online. For most international students the practical choice is between two fintech platforms — Expatrio and Fintiba — and one traditional German bank, Deutsche Bank. Let's go through each honestly.

Expatrio

Expatrio is one of the most popular choices for students, especially from South Asia. You complete the application online, verify your identity with your passport, and you get your deposit instructions and confirmation letter quickly. You can typically open the account in about 10–20 minutes, and the confirmation letter for your visa arrives within a day or two of verification.

The costs: a one-time setup fee of around EUR 49 (sometimes EUR 89 depending on the package) plus a monthly account fee of roughly EUR 5. Extras optional, but you can bundle travel, health insurance in some German states, and a free bank account with a German partner bank. For students, Expatrio also offers a scholarship prize draw, which is a nice-to-have but not a reason to choose them.

If you're opening from Pakistan or India, Expatrio accepts transfers in local currency and even QR / UPI methods in some partner routes, which can save you a lot on bank-to-bank SWIFT fees. That's a real advantage for open blocked account Germany from Pakistan and similar routes.

Fintiba

Fintiba is Expatrio's main competitor and works in a very similar way. You apply online, verify with your passport, and get your deposit details and an official confirmation letter for the visa. Setup takes minutes and the letter is typically issued within one to three days.

The costs: a one-time setup fee of about EUR 49 (up to EUR 89 with insurance bundles) plus a monthly maintenance fee of around EUR 5.90. Fintiba also offers discounted blocks for longer periods — for instance, depositing for 13 or 14 months — and combines insurance and health packages together.

Both Fintiba and Expatrio are Bundesbank-supervised, which is the important part: their letters are accepted by German embassies worldwide. In the Expatrio vs Fintiba blocked account comparison, the honest answer is that for most students there's no meaningful difference. Fintiba sometimes has slightly lower monthly fees on longer blocks; Expatrio has a broader range of bundled options and a slightly simpler interface. Pick whichever feels right and move on — don't overthink this decision.

Deutsche Bank

Deutsche Bank runs the classic Sperrkonto in person. You walk into a branch (or coordinate one remotely), open the account, and the bank issues the confirmation. It's the route people used before the fintechs existed, and it's still valid and fully accepted.

The honest trade-offs: Deutsche Bank is slower and more paperwork-heavy, typically taking one to two weeks, and you usually can't do everything fully online if you're outside Germany. It also typically costs more for the convenience of a big traditional bank. Its only real advantage is that it's a familiar, long-established name — useful if an embassy official or a university requires something extra, though in practice the fintech letters are accepted everywhere German embassies operate.

For 99% of international students, an online provider beats Deutsche Bank on speed, cost and ease. If you choose Deutsche Bank, start much earlier and prepare for more back-and-forth.

Documents needed

Opening a blocked account is refreshingly light on paperwork. For all the online providers you'll need:

That's essentially it. You don't need bank statements, income proof or a credit history to open a Sperrkonto — the whole point is that you're depositing the money yourself, so the provider just wants to confirm you're a real student with a genuine offer. Your visa application itself will need more documents, and our Germany 2026 complete guide lists the full set for the embassy appointment.

How the monthly release works

The blocked account Germany monthly release is the mechanism that keeps your money sustainable. Once you're in Germany and have opened a normal German bank account, the blocked account provider transfers your money across and the release schedule kicks in. Each month the bank unlocks about EUR 992 and moves it into your everyday account. You then use that for rent, groceries, transport and everything else.

This is the reason you need a regular German bank account to receive the release — a point many students miss. The blocked account doesn't hand you cash or a card directly in most setups; it releases into a second, free account, ideally the one bundled with your provider. Make this your first banking task after arriving, because the first month's release depends on it.

The monthly release amount is fixed at roughly ONE-twelfth of your total. If you deposit the exact EUR 11,904, you get about EUR 992 per month. If you deposit more, you get a slightly higher monthly release — useful if you think the standard amount won't cover your rent in a pricier city. That's the pattern behind the study abroad budget guide figures you'll see for German cities.

Blocked account vs proof of funds

It's worth clearing up the relationship between the blocked account and "proof of funds," because the two get confused a lot. Proof of funds is the general requirement: you must show the German visa authorities that you have enough money to live in Germany for a year. The blocked account is the most common way to prove that money. It's a mechanism, not a separate legal category.

In practice, "proof of funds for a German visa" almost always means "show me your Sperrkonto confirmation letter." There are other acceptable alternatives — a full scholarship confirmation, a sponsor's formal declaration, or (in some cases) a parent's account with a strong balance — but for most students the blocked account is the cleanest, most predictable route. Embassies trust it because the money is verifiably set aside and can't be spent in one go. If you want to compare how this works in Germany against other countries, our proof of funds requirements by country guide breaks it all down.

Common mistakes that delay visas

Thousands of student visa applications get slowed down or refused over the blocked account. Almost all the problems fall into a few predictable buckets.

Get these five right and you've removed most of the risk from the financial side of your application.

Tips for Pakistani, Indian and South Asian students

If you're applying from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal or Sri Lanka, the blocked account involves a few extra practicalities around moving money abroad. Here's what actually matters.

Currency conversion is your biggest variable. The EUR figure is fixed, but how much it costs you in rupees depends on the rate and the fees. Compare the mid-market rate against what your bank actually offers. For students in Pakistan and India, transferring through your home bank can carry high SWIFT charges plus a poor conversion spread. Fintech money-transfer services often beat traditional banks, and Expatrio and Fintiba both support local payment routes and partner transfers that reduce fees.

Transfer fees add real money. Between the sender's fees, the correspondent bank's charges and the conversion spread, moving EUR 11,904 can cost EUR 50–150 on top of the amount itself. Budget for this — it's easy to transfer exactly EUR 11,904 and then discover the receiving bank took a chunk before it arrived, leaving you short. Send slightly more than the minimum, or pay the fees from a separate source, so the blocked amount lands exactly right.

Timing is everything. Currency markets move daily, so watch the rate for a few days and transfer when it's favourable. Sending money from Pakistan or India can take 5–10 working days depending on the route, and Pakistan in particular has its own banking and remittance regulations you need to factor in. Do not leave this to the last week.

Keep your documentation aligned. The name on your bank account, your passport and your blocked account must match exactly, and the source of the transferred funds (usually a parent's or your own account) should be clear. German authorities occasionally ask where the money came from, so hold onto the transfer receipts.

Once you're in, the money is meant to last. Budget the monthly release carefully, especially in cities with high rent. And keep the bigger picture in mind: many students use the earlier months' releases to set themselves up while they look for part-time work — the post-study work visa options after graduation are one of the reason Germany is such a popular destination. For the wider immigration view, our Germany immigration guide ties it all together.

The bottom line

The Germany blocked account for 2026 requires EUR 11,904, released at roughly EUR 992 per month. It's a non-negotiable step for most student visa applicants, but it's also a solved problem: pick a reputable online provider like Expatrio or Fintiba, deposit the full amount in euros a few weeks early, and open a German bank account promptly after arrival. Get those three things right and the Sperrkonto becomes a minor checkbox rather than a source of stress. For everything else you'll need along the way, our study in Germany for free guide and complete Germany guide have you covered.