How a German Blocked Account Works (Step by Step)
A German blocked account (Sperrkonto) holds €11,904 — the required amount as of 2026 — in a specially structured account, which the German embassy accepts as evidence that you can fund your own living costs. The money is released back to you at €992 per month after you arrive. Alternatives exist, and one scenario removes the requirement entirely.
What a Blocked Account Is — and Is Not
A German blocked account (Sperrkonto) is a bank account held in your name with a restriction on withdrawals: you can only take out a fixed amount per month, and you cannot close the account or transfer the full balance freely until the restriction is lifted.
It is not a fee. The €11,904 remains your money throughout. Once you are in Germany and enrolled, the restriction releases €992 per month into your regular German bank account. By the end of the year, you have received the full amount back.
It is not proof of wealth. You do not need to show that you have €11,904 lying around as savings on top of your tuition and other costs. You simply need to be able to fund the account before the visa appointment and keep the required minimum in it.
The requirement is set by the German Residence Act and confirmed on the Make it in Germany official government portal. The specific amount — €11,904 per year (€992 per month) for an enrolled-student visa — is tied to the maximum BAföG rate (Germany’s domestic student support system) and is volatile. It has increased in recent years; verify the current figure on the Make it in Germany website or your relevant German embassy’s visa checklist at the time you apply.
For a prospective-student visa (§17(2)) — used when you are coming to Germany to complete a Studienkolleg, sit an entrance exam, or find a programme — the requirement is slightly higher: €1,091 per month. This visa is valid for up to nine months.
Step 1 — Check the Current Required Amount
Before anything else, confirm the current figure. As of June 2026, the official sources state:
| Visa Type | Required Amount | Per Month Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| §16b Enrolled-student visa | €11,904 per year | €992/month |
| §17(2) Prospective-student visa | €1,091/month × visa duration | €1,091/month |
Source: Make it in Germany official portal and Auswärtiges Amt (German Foreign Office), confirmed June 2026. VOLATILE — re-check before you apply.
The German embassy in your country may publish its own checklist with the current figure. For Nigeria, the checklist is on the German Embassy Abuja website; for Ghana, it is on the German Embassy Accra website. Always cross-reference both sources.
Step 2 — Choose a Blocked Account Provider
You do not open a blocked account at a regular commercial bank in your home country. The account must meet specific German legal requirements, which effectively means using one of a small number of specialist providers that cater to international students.
Two providers are frequently referenced in independent German student-finance guides (Fintiba and Expatrio) and were verified in independent cross-checks as of February–April 2026 as not requiring APS for African applicants. We do not recommend one provider over another — compare their fees, opening timelines, and refund policies directly on their official websites before committing.
Key things to compare between providers:
- Setup fee: typically €30–80 depending on the provider and account type
- Monthly fee: some providers charge ongoing monthly fees; others do not
- Opening timeline: allow at least four to six weeks before your visa appointment
- Account currency: funds must be held in euros; factor in the FX conversion from your home currency
- Refund policy: if your visa is rejected, understand what happens to your deposit and fee
Transfers from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, and other African countries to euro-denominated accounts can take longer than standard European transfers and may involve intermediary bank charges. Build this into your timeline and budget.
Step 3 — Fund the Account in Euros
Once your account is open, you transfer €11,904 (or the current required amount) from your home bank. This is a euro-denominated transfer; your bank will convert your local currency to euros at the prevailing exchange rate.
Euro conversion at June 2026 mid-market rates (volatile — re-check before you transfer):
| Country | Amount needed | Approximate local equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Nigeria (NGN, ₦1,575/€) | €11,904 | ~₦18.75M |
| Ghana (GHS, ₵13.6/€) | €11,904 | ~₵162K |
| Kenya (KES, KSh 148/€) | €11,904 | ~KSh 1.76M |
| South Africa (ZAR, R18.8/€) | €11,904 | ~R224K |
| Uganda (UGX, 4,190/€) | €11,904 | ~UGX 49.9M |
| Egypt (EGP, E£56.4/€) | €11,904 | ~E£671K |
FX rates as of June 2026 from World Study Africa verified figures, June 2026. African currencies are highly volatile. Re-check at time of transfer. “Re-check before you pay” applies particularly to NGN and GHS.
Banks in some African countries impose daily limits on international transfers. You may need to transfer in tranches or obtain a special forex approval. Start this process early — some families report waiting two to four weeks to complete the transfer, even before the account is opened.
Step 4 — Obtain the Confirmation Letter
Once the full amount is in the blocked account and the restriction is active, the provider generates a confirmation letter (Sperrkonto-Bestätigung). This is the document you submit as part of your visa application. It confirms:
- Your name and the account number
- That the account holds at least the required amount
- That the funds are blocked and will be released at €992 per month
- The account’s validity period
This letter must be current — typically issued within the past few months. Check the German embassy’s checklist for the acceptable age of the document.
Step 5 — Submit as Part of Your Visa Application
The blocked account confirmation is one item on the German student visa checklist. For Nigeria, the confirmed required documents (German Embassy Abuja, as of June 2026) include:
- VIDEX application form
- Valid passport (at least six months’ validity beyond intended stay)
- Admission letter from a recognised German university
- Proof of academic qualifications (WASSCE/NECO/degree certificates and transcripts)
- Blocked account confirmation (€11,904)
- Language-proficiency certificate (IELTS/TOEFL or German TestDaF/DSH)
- Health insurance cover note
- Biometric photo
- Visa fee: €75 (waived for DAAD scholarship holders)
For Ghana, the procedure includes an additional embassy document verification step at a cost of €350 (Zone 1) or €550 (Zone 2) — this is a separate requirement specific to Ghana applicants and is not the same as APS (which is not required for any African applicant to Germany).
Apply via the Consular Services Portal (digital.diplo.de) to book your in-person appointment at the German mission. Appointment availability varies by country; Lagos and Nairobi particularly can have long wait times. Book as early as possible once your admission is confirmed.
Step 6 — After You Arrive: Convert to a §16b Residence Permit
Your D-visa is valid for initial entry. After arriving in Germany, you must convert it to a §16b Aufenthaltserlaubnis (residence permit for study purposes) at your local Ausländerbehörde (foreigners’ authority). This is typically done within the first few weeks of arrival.
Once the residence permit is issued and your enrolment is confirmed, the blocked account begins releasing €992 per month to your linked German bank account. To receive these releases, you will need a German bank account — open one promptly after arrival. Many universities facilitate this through partnerships with German banks; student accounts are often free of monthly fees.
The Alternatives to a Blocked Account
Germany formally accepts four types of financial proof for the student visa. A blocked account is simply the most commonly used by African applicants because it does not require pre-existing connections in Germany. The other three are:
1. Scholarship Award Letter
If you hold a recognised scholarship — including DAAD Study Scholarships, DAAD EPOS (both pay €934/month to Master’s students), Erasmus Mundus, or a government scholarship from your home country — the scholarship letter substitutes for the blocked account, provided the scholarship amount is sufficient to cover your living costs.
DAAD scholarship holders additionally have their €75 visa fee waived.
2. Verpflichtungserklärung (Sponsor’s Formal Declaration)
A German resident or citizen can formally commit to covering your costs by lodging a Verpflichtungserklärung with a German Ausländerbehörde. This is typically used when a family member or employer in Germany will support you. The sponsor must demonstrate they have sufficient income to fund your stay and accepts legal liability for any public costs you might incur.
For most African applicants without German-resident contacts, this route is not available.
3. Proven Income of ≥€992/Month
If you already have documented income in Germany — for example, from a student-assistant contract — and it equals or exceeds €992 per month, this can serve as financial proof. This applies primarily to students already in Germany converting from one permit type to another; it is generally not available at the initial visa stage.
How the Blocked Account Fits into Total Costs
Understanding where the blocked account sits in your overall cost picture prevents a common mistake: assuming the €11,904 is the full cost of Germany for the year.
| Cost Item | Annual EUR | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Blocked account (your money, returned monthly) | €11,904 | This is living-cost funding, not a fee |
| Semester contribution | ~€500 | 2 semesters × ~€250 |
| Health insurance (statutory student rate) | ~€1,694–1,755 | €141–146/month from 01.01.2026 (TK rate) |
| Tuition | €0 (most states) / €3,000/yr (BW) / up to €12,000/yr (TUM) | Depends on university location |
| One-off: visa fee | €75 | Waived for DAAD scholars |
| One-off: accommodation deposit | ~€500–1,500 | 2–3 months’ rent |
All as of June 2026. Re-check volatile items before payment.
The official study-in-germany.de portal sets a typical monthly student budget at €849 per month (approximately €10,188 per year), with rent and utilities at €323 per month and food at €168 per month. This is the official planning figure. In Munich or Hamburg, real costs are higher; in Leipzig or Dresden, they may be lower.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Starting the blocked account process too late. Between transferring funds from Africa, waiting for them to clear, the provider generating the confirmation letter, and the visa appointment lead time, allow at least eight to ten weeks before you expect your visa appointment. In cities with long appointment queues, you may need to book the appointment before you even fund the account — read the embassy’s guidance carefully.
Confusing the blocked account amount with the living cost. €11,904 is the visa requirement, not a guarantee of comfortable living. The official benchmark is €849/month; the blocked account releases €992/month, which is slightly above this benchmark but does not account for higher rents in expensive cities or one-off costs.
Using an unreliable provider. Only use providers that offer a formal Sperrkonto recognised under German Residence Act requirements. A regular savings account or a letter from a local bank does not meet the visa requirement.
Forgetting the prospective-student visa amount. If you are applying before you have an admission letter — for example, to do a Studienkolleg or language prep course — the required amount is €1,091 per month, not €992. This is confirmed on the Make it in Germany portal.
How World Study Helps
We explain the blocked account requirement in the context of your full application, connect you with scholarship options that can eliminate the need for one (such as DAAD), and help you plan the timeline from admission to visa appointment. Our core service is free. Premium visa support carries a flat fee. Message us on WhatsApp.
For the full German student visa process, see our Germany visa guide. Use the eligibility checker to confirm whether Germany is the right destination for your profile.
Frequently asked questions
For an enrolled-student visa (§16b), the required amount is €11,904 per year as of 2026 — equivalent to €992 per month. This figure is based on the maximum BAföG (German student support) rate. It changes when the BAföG rate changes; always verify on the Make it in Germany website or the relevant German embassy page at the time of your application, as the figure is volatile.
The providers that offer blocked accounts for visa purposes (such as Fintiba and Expatrio) typically have different fee structures and refund policies. The deposit itself — the €11,904 — is generally refundable if the account is closed before funds are disbursed, but provider fees may not be. Read the specific terms and conditions of the provider you use before transferring money.
An enrolled-student visa (§16b Aufenthaltserlaubnis) is for applicants who already have an admission letter. It requires €992 per month (€11,904 per year) in the blocked account. A prospective-student visa (§17(2)) — for those coming to find a programme, sit an entrance exam, or complete a Studienkolleg — requires a slightly higher amount: €1,091 per month. The prospective visa is valid for up to nine months.
Yes. The German Residence Act accepts four types of financial proof: (1) a blocked bank account; (2) a scholarship award letter (e.g. DAAD); (3) a Verpflichtungserklärung — a sponsor's formal declaration of financial commitment lodged with a German Ausländerbehörde; and (4) documented student-assistant income of at least €992 per month. The blocked account is the most straightforward option for most African applicants because scholarships are competitive and the Verpflichtungserklärung requires a German resident sponsor.
No. DAAD scholarship holders — whether on the EPOS, Study Scholarships, or other DAAD-funded awards — are exempt from the blocked-account requirement because the scholarship itself constitutes proof of financial support. The €75 national visa fee is also waived for DAAD holders. If you hold another publicly funded scholarship from your home government or an international body, confirm with the German embassy whether it qualifies for the same exemption.