German Blocked Account for Students: How Much to Freeze, Which Account, and What Happens If You Withdraw
How much has to sit in a German blocked account for a student visa, who may hold it, how the monthly release works, the official situations in which the freeze is lifted, and the alternative proof-of-funds routes. Figures and rules checked against German Federal Foreign Office and German mission pages.
How much has to be frozen, and on what basis
The German Federal Foreign Office's German-language page on the Sperrkonto states that the amount to be blocked varies according to the purpose of the stay and follows the maximum funding rate under the Bundesausbildungsförderungsgesetz (BAföG). The German representations abroad publish the resulting figures. The German representation in France states that at least 992,00 Euro per month, or 11,904,00 Euro per year, must be available for the stay, and that this is the amount BAföG provides per study year. The same page states that prospective students within the meaning of § 17 II AufenthG must, by way of exception, have at least 1,091,00 Euro per month available.
The German mission in Pakistan states that from 1 January 2025 the presumed annual requirement that must be paid into the blocked account when applying for a visa increases to 992,00 Euros monthly or 11,904,00 Euros yearly, and that this increased amount applies to all visa applications submitted from 1 January 2025. That date, not the date of enrolment or travel, is the dividing line published by the mission.
The blocked amount is not the whole cost of getting to Germany. The Federal Foreign Office lists a visa fee of EUR 90 for a Schengen visa and EUR 75 for a national visa, and banking fees are payable on top of the money held in the account. Neither the visa fee nor the banking fee forms part of the sum that has to be frozen.
Which account it is, who opens it, and what the holder does and does not get
The instrument is a blocked account, a Sperrkonto. The Federal Foreign Office states that a blocked account can be opened at a bank or similar provider, that applicants are free to choose where to open it, and that it can usually be opened online. It adds that blocked accounts are offered in Germany and in many other countries with varying conditions, and recommends choosing the provider carefully after detailed research. No provider is recommended by name in that guidance, and no provider is recommended here.
The applicant is the account holder. The Federal Foreign Office states that when you open a blocked account you need to name an account beneficiary: either the mission abroad where you applied for the visa, before the granting and/or use of the visa, or the competent foreigners authority after arrival in the country. The German representation in France states that the account must be opened in good time before the visa application is submitted.
The Federal Foreign Office also states that the blocked account is usually opened for a year, unless the planned stay is shorter, and that in addition to the amount blocked in the account you have to pay the requisite banking fees. What the holder does not get is free access to the balance: access is governed by the monthly release mechanism described below.
The monthly release mechanism and the account at the decision stage
The Federal Foreign Office states that only a certain amount can be withdrawn every month from the blocked account, and explains why: this is to make sure that the minimum amount for each month is available, and that money meant to last for a whole year, for example, cannot be withdrawn right at the start of the stay. The monthly cap is therefore a feature of how the money is released during the stay, not a target the applicant has to spend up to.
The published guidance ties the application stage to a different requirement: the account has to exist, and be opened before the visa application, with the mission abroad named as beneficiary. The monthly limit is described as operating once the stay begins. The block itself does not expire on arrival; the beneficiary changes, from the mission abroad to the competent foreigners authority after arrival in the country, and the arrangement continues until the blocking notice is lifted.
When the freeze is lifted, and who decides
The Federal Foreign Office states that to close the blocked account, the blocking notice has to be lifted, and that this can only be done with the agreement of the account beneficiary, that is, the mission abroad or the foreigners authority. Neither the holder nor the bank can lift it alone.
Where the visa application was rejected, the rejection notice is sufficient to lift the blocking notice. In other situations the mission abroad can issue a consular certificate for the lifting of the blocking notice at the German bank. The Federal Foreign Office lists those situations: the applicant had not applied for a visa to enter the country and therefore did not travel to Germany; the applicant applied for a visa but withdrew the application; the applicant applied for and received a visa but did not use it; or the applicant applied for and received a visa to enter the country but left the Schengen area before being issued with a residence permit by the foreigners authority.
If the applicant is in Germany, the Federal Foreign Office directs them to contact the foreigners authority so that the blocking notice can be lifted. The deciding party is therefore whichever body is the beneficiary at that point in time: the mission abroad while the file is with it, and the foreigners authority after arrival.
Study routes and intensive language courses are distinct purposes
The Federal Foreign Office's page on longer-term stays for study, school attendance, language courses and training draws a line that matters for the blocked amount, because that amount varies with the purpose of the stay. It states that admission to a degree programme at a university can also be combined with a preparatory language course or with attendance at a Studienkolleg. A separate case is described for applicants who do not want to study, or who first want to acquire German language skills for a degree: such a person can obtain a residence permit for participation in an isolated German intensive course.
Because the two are treated as different purposes, a move from one to the other is not a change inside a single file. The release of the frozen money in either case remains subject to the lifting rules set out above and to the agreement of the account beneficiary.
Other official ways to prove funding
A blocked account is one route, not the only one. The German mission in Pakistan describes a deed of obligation, a Verpflichtungserklärung or declaration of liability, under §§ 66-68 of the German Resident's Act. It is entered into by a sponsor residing in Germany. The sponsor has to appear before a Migration Office in Germany to make the declaration and must prove sufficient financial means, for example through payslips and bank statements covering at least 6 months.
Scholarships are addressed in mission-specific terms. The German mission in Pakistan states that a scholarship awarded by a Pakistani university is not sufficient, and that only a scholarship awarded by HEC can be accepted.
Frequently asked questions
Can the mission require more than one year of funding?
Yes. The German mission in Pakistan states that the Embassy and Consulate General reserve the right to request a blocked amount for up to two years in particular cases. The one-year figure is the usual period for which the account is opened, not a ceiling on what can be requested.
What exactly must the bank's opening confirmation show?
The German representation in France states that at the visa application only the official opening confirmation is accepted, and that it must state the total amount paid in and the amount available each month. A confirmation that does not name these amounts is not sufficient.
How recent must a sponsor's declaration of liability be?
The German representation in France states that the declaration of liability must not be older than six months and must carry the note "Bonität nachgewiesen". The underlying obligation itself is the one under §§ 66-68 of the German Resident's Act, made by a sponsor residing in Germany before a Migration Office.
If my visa application is refused, do I need a consular certificate as well?
No. The Federal Foreign Office states that where the visa application was rejected, the rejection notice is itself sufficient to lift the blocking notice. The consular certificate is the instrument issued by the mission abroad for the other situations, such as a withdrawn application, an unused visa, or departure from the Schengen area before a residence permit was issued.
Can the account beneficiary withdraw money from my account?
No. The Federal Foreign Office states that the account beneficiary is not able to withdraw the account holder's money. The beneficiary's role is to hold the blocking notice and to agree to its being lifted, which is what allows the account to be closed.
Ask about tuition, English-taught programmes, visas or living costs in any European country. Atlas answers from the guides on this site and tells you when something needs official confirmation.
Informational only — not legal or immigration advice. Confirm with official sources.
Related guides
HTMi Hotel and Tourism Management Institute Switzerland (瑞士HTMi国际酒店旅游管理学院) | Study Guide: 2026 Programs, Entry Requirements and Costs — Ranking, Fees, Admission, Application
If you are researching hotel and tourism management education in Europe, this HTMi Hotel and Tourism Management Institute Switzerland study guide brings togeth.
ICOT College (The International College of Technology) (ICOT学院) | Study Guide: 2026 Programs, Entry Requirements and Costs — Ranking, Fees, Admission, Application
If you are looking for a practical ICOT College (The International College of Technology) study guide that covers what the college actually offers, how its pro.
Institut Franco-Chinois de Management（法中管理学院）European Study Guide: Programs, Entry Requirements, Costs and Student Planning
A planning guide to Institut Franco-Chinois de Management (法中管理学院, IFCM) in Paris: four preparatory tracks in French, English and management, entry requirements, published fees, application deadlines and how the pathway into Groupe ESG and PSB works. All facts from the official website as of August 5, 2026.