If you’re a non-EU student heading to Germany for a Master in Management — and Germany is one of the most popular MiM destinations in Europe, partly because its public universities charge little or no tuition — there’s one piece of visa paperwork that catches almost everyone out: the blocked account, or Sperrkonto. It’s not hard, but it costs real money upfront, takes time to set up, and sits on the critical path to your visa. This guide explains what it is, how much it holds, how it actually works, and the timing trap to avoid.
A note on honesty first: the required amount and the rules are set by the German authorities and updated periodically, and individual consulates can apply them differently. So we describe the mechanism and give the current reference figure, but the number that binds you is the one on the website of the German mission handling your application — confirm it there before you transfer anything.
What a blocked account actually is
A Sperrkonto is a special bank account that exists for one purpose: to prove you can fund your living costs while you study in Germany. German immigration law requires non-EU/EEA students to show they can support themselves for the first year, and the blocked account is the standard way to satisfy that proof-of-funds requirement.
The word “blocked” is the key to how it works. You deposit a full year’s living expenses into the account before your visa appointment. Once you arrive in Germany, the money is released to you in fixed monthly instalments — you can’t withdraw the whole balance at once. That cap is the entire design: it demonstrates you can live across the year, not just arrive with a lump sum and run out.
Who needs one? Non-EU/EEA students applying for a German student visa or study residence permit. EU/EEA and Swiss citizens don’t — freedom of movement means they don’t go through the visa-and-proof-of-funds process at all (see who needs a student visa).
How much money you need
The required sum is tied to the maximum financial support a German student receives — the BAföG rate — and is set by the Federal Foreign Office, which is why it changes periodically rather than staying fixed.
As of 2025–2026, the figure is widely set at around €11,904 for one year, which works out to about €992 per month. That’s the amount you deposit upfront, and roughly what’s released to you each month after you arrive.
Two caveats that matter:
- It can change year to year. Because it tracks the BAföG support rate, the amount is reviewed and has risen over time. Treat €11,904 / €992 as the current reference point, not a permanent rule.
- Your mission may ask for a different sum. A German embassy or consulate can require a different amount depending on your circumstances — for example, if you hold a scholarship or another approved funding source that covers part of your costs, the blocked amount you need may be reduced accordingly.
For where this sits in the wider budget — tuition (often near-zero at German public universities), living costs and the one-off setup fees — see how much a MiM in Europe costs.
How to open one
You open a blocked account before your visa appointment, because the confirmation that the funds are deposited and blocked is one of the documents the consulate wants to see. In outline:
- Choose a provider. Several specialist fintech providers and some traditional banks offer blocked accounts designed for student-visa applicants; they handle the paperwork the German missions expect. Providers charge a setup fee and/or a monthly maintenance fee, so factor that in.
- Open the account and transfer the funds. You’ll complete an identity check and then wire the full required amount (plus any fee). International transfers and verification can take days to a couple of weeks, so don’t leave it to the last minute.
- Receive your blocking confirmation. Once the money lands and is blocked, the provider issues a confirmation document — this is what you submit with your visa application.
We don’t endorse a specific provider; compare fees, processing speed, and whether they’re recognised by the German mission for your country before you commit.
How it works once you’re in Germany
Arriving doesn’t unlock the whole balance — it starts the monthly drip. The usual sequence is:
- Register your address (Anmeldung) at the local registration office shortly after you move in — a step you’ll need for almost everything in Germany.
- Open a regular German current account (a traditional bank or one of the app-based banks) to receive your living money.
- Activate the release with your blocked-account provider, which then transfers the fixed monthly amount (around €992 under the current figure) into your current account.
From there you draw on that monthly sum to live. You still can’t access the full balance at once — the monthly cap runs for the whole year. Get your everyday banking and accommodation sorted early, and budget for the fact that part-time work during term is limited and shouldn’t be your primary funding plan.
Alternatives to a blocked account
The Sperrkonto is the most common route, but it isn’t always the only one. Depending on the consulate and your situation, German missions can accept other proof of funds, such as:
- a scholarship that covers your living costs (which may also reduce the blocked amount required);
- a formal declaration of commitment (Verpflichtungserklärung) from a sponsor resident in Germany, who takes on financial responsibility for you;
- in some cases, parental income or asset documentation, where the mission allows it.
What counts as acceptable varies by mission and changes, so check the official list for the embassy or consulate handling your visa rather than assuming the blocked account is mandatory.
The timing trap
The blocked account sits on the critical path to your visa, and it has two slow steps stacked together: setting up the account and transferring a large sum internationally, then booking and attending a visa appointment that can itself have a long backlog. Each can take weeks.
So the rule is the same as for the visa itself: start the moment your place is confirmed. Open the blocked account as soon as you’ve accepted your offer, transfer the funds early, and get the blocking confirmation in hand before you sit down to book the visa appointment. A blocked-account delay can push back your whole visa timeline — and a visa delay can cost you the intake even when everything else is ready.
The bottom line
A blocked account is a logistical hurdle, not a barrier — thousands of international students clear it every year. If you’re a non-EU student heading to Germany: expect to need a Sperrkonto, budget around €11,904 for the year (confirm the current figure with your German mission), open it early with a recognised provider, and remember the money comes back to you in monthly instalments once you’ve arrived and registered. Map the whole sequence — offer → blocked account → visa → arrival admin — on your application timeline, and weigh Germany against the field on the best MiM in Germany shortlist and the deadline tracker.
Sources & how to confirm
This guide describes the mechanism of Germany’s blocked account (Sperrkonto) for a student visa — its purpose as proof of funds, the upfront deposit and fixed monthly release, who needs one (non-EU/EEA students), and the common alternatives (scholarship, Verpflichtungserklärung). The required amount is set by the German Federal Foreign Office and tied to the BAföG maximum support rate, and it is updated periodically; the €11,904 per year / €992 per month figure cited is the widely-reported 2025–2026 reference, not a permanent or guaranteed number, and a given mission may require a different sum for your circumstances. No figure here is invented, and we don’t assert a fixed provider, fee or consulate rule — confirm the current required amount and accepted proof of funds on the website of the German mission handling your application (or the Consular Services Portal) before you transfer money. Last checked June 2026.