Blocked Bank Account in Germany for Students (2026)

A blocked bank account in Germany is the account that decides whether your student visa is approved. You put a year of living costs into it, the money is frozen, and the German mission accepts that as proof you can support yourself.

For 2026 the amount is 11,904 euros. Getting that number wrong is the most common mistake on this topic, because outdated figures are still published on bank forms and even on some official pages.

The second most common mistake costs real money. Almost nobody warns you that moving 11,904 euros into Germany in one transfer can cost 200 to 350 euros in exchange rate margin alone, which is a third of a month's living costs lost in the transaction that proves you have them.

This guide covers what a blocked account is, the 2026 amount, what each provider charges, how to open one, and how to fund it without giving away hundreds of euros on the way in.

See What Funding the Account Will Cost You

The blocked amount is fixed. What you lose moving it into Germany is not. Enter roughly 11,904 euros and your own currency to see what each provider actually delivers.

Then read on for the 2026 amount, what each blocked account provider charges, and how long the whole thing takes.

What Is a Blocked Bank Account in Germany?

A blocked bank account in Germany, called a Sperrkonto, is a German account you cannot freely access. You deposit a fixed sum before your visa appointment, and once you arrive the account releases a set amount to you each month rather than the whole balance at once.

How the Block Actually Works

The account has to satisfy three conditions. It must hold enough for the planned stay, it must permit only limited monthly withdrawals, and it must not be closable without the consent of the German mission or the responsible foreigners authority.

Those conditions are functional, not about who holds the money. That is why a French payment institution can back a German blocked account and a large German bank can decline to offer one. What matters is the blocking mechanism, not the licence.

The Federal Foreign Office puts it plainly: only a certain amount can be withdrawn each month, so that the minimum for each month stays available. The block is there to stop you spending the year's money in the first term.

Who Needs One

Most non-EU students applying for a German student visa, plus applicants for a language course visa, a job seeker visa and a qualification recognition visa. EU citizens do not need a visa and therefore do not need a blocked account at all.

If you are applying for a study visa from outside the EU and have no other proof of funding, assume you need one and start it three to four weeks before your appointment.

When You Do Not Need One

A blocked bank account in Germany is the usual proof, not the only one. The Federal Foreign Office lists five accepted routes to prove your financing is secure, and the blocked account is only the third of them.

Your parents' income and assets. Documented, and assessed by the mission.
A declaration of commitment. A Verpflichtungserklaerung from someone in Germany with sufficient income, under sections 66 to 68 of the Residence Act.
A blocked account. The route this guide covers.
A bank guarantee. Annually renewable, lodged with a German bank.
A scholarship. From public funds, a recognised German organisation, or a publicly funded award in your home country arranged through the Foreign Office or the DAAD.

If one of the other four applies to you, take it. They are cheaper, and a declaration of commitment in particular costs a fraction of what a blocked account costs to run for a year.

How Much Money Does a Blocked Account in Germany Need in 2026?

The figure is 11,904 euros for a year, released at 992 euros a month. That is set by the German Federal Foreign Office and it is the number your consulate applies. Deposit less and the confirmation will not be issued.

Check the Amount Against Your Own Mission, Not a Blog

The German government publishes no single authoritative page with this number on it. The central Foreign Office page gives no figure at all and tells you to contact the mission you are applying to, which is precisely why outdated amounts circulate for years.

Three wrong figures still live on official and bank websites today: 861 euros a month on one Foreign Office mission page dated 2024, 10,332 euros on a major bank's own blocked account form, and 934 euros a month with 11,208 euros for the year on a German savings bank guide. Verify the current amount with your consulate before you send a single euro, because a student who funds to an old figure gets no confirmation and no visa appointment.

The Current Amount

A Sperrkonto for a full academic year is twelve months at 992 euros, and it tracks the maximum student support rate in Germany rather than any bank's policy. For a stay shorter than a year the requirement is the monthly figure multiplied by the number of months you are applying for.

Some applicant categories carry a higher monthly figure. Language course students, job seekers and people applying to have a qualification recognised are commonly assessed at roughly 1,092 euros a month, about ten percent above the student rate.

How to Check the Figure Yourself

Go to the website of the German embassy or consulate handling your application and find its financing requirements page, then check the date on it. Missions publish their own figures and they update at different speeds, so the one that governs your case is the one your mission publishes.

Treat any source that quotes an amount without a date as unusable, including this one if you are reading it in a later year. The amount has moved three times in recent years and it will move again, always upward, because it is pegged to the student support rate rather than to inflation directly.

If in doubt, fund slightly above the requirement rather than exactly to it. Money above the blocked sum is not blocked, most providers release the surplus with your first monthly payout, and it protects you from a transfer that arrives a few euros short.

The Blocked Account Providers Compared

There is no official list of approved providers. The Foreign Office deleted its list in 2022 and now states that it makes no recommendations and accepts no liability, so you are free to choose any provider that offers a compliant account. Four are worth considering.

Provider	Setup fee	Monthly fee	First year total	Who holds the money
Coracle	99 EUR	None	99 EUR	Lemonway, a French payment institution
VietinBank	50 EUR plus 10 EUR management	4.90 EUR	about 119 EUR	VietinBank branch in Germany, a licensed bank
Expatrio	119 EUR	9 EUR	227 EUR	UniCredit, formerly Aion Bank
Fintiba	159 EUR	9.90 EUR	277.80 EUR	Sutor Bank, a German bank

Coracle

The cheapest of the specialists at 99 euros for up to twelve months with no monthly fee at all, or 59 euros with its PRIME package. It also takes an 80 euro buffer deposit that is paid back to you with the first monthly payout.

Two caveats. Your money sits with Lemonway, a French payment institution, rather than a German bank, and Coracle's own pricing table currently shows the opening fee as coming soon rather than a number. Confirm the price on the day you apply.

VietinBank

The overlooked option, and the only one on this list that is a licensed bank branch in Germany with deposit protection to 100,000 euros. Opening is 50 euros for adults plus a 10 euro management fee, then 4.90 euros a month, so about 119 euros for the first year.

It is also the only provider that publishes a currency conversion tariff rather than hiding it, at 0.25 per mille with a 3 euro minimum, and incoming euro SEPA payments are free. Accounts typically open within 24 hours.

Expatrio

119 euros to set up and 9 euros a month, which Expatrio itself totals at 12,131 euros including the blocked sum. Applications are reviewed within one business day and the confirmation is issued as soon as the funds land.

The refund policy is the best of the group: if your visa is refused, Expatrio returns the blocked amount and the service fees. You can also overfund the account up to 25,000 euros, with anything above the required sum paid out in full with your first monthly payout.

Fintiba

The most expensive at 159 euros plus 9.90 euros a month, and the most established. Opening can take as little as ten minutes with document scanning, and the money is held at Sutor Bank, a German bank.

If your visa is refused, Fintiba refunds the blocked amount but keeps the account opening fee. It also deducts its 9.90 euro monthly fee from each payout, so you receive about 982 euros rather than 992.

Deutsche Bank Has Closed the Door

Deutsche Bank used to be the default answer and no longer is. Its own page states that new blocked account openings are no longer possible and that nothing changes for existing accounts.

Existing holders pay 6.90 euros a month plus a 150 euro fee for the block itself, charged again for every extension. Any guide still recommending Deutsche Bank for a new blocked bank account in Germany has not been updated. The bank's normal accounts are covered in our guide to opening a bank account in Germany.

Choose the Provider on Fees, Choose the Transfer on Rate

The spread between the cheapest and dearest provider is about 180 euros over a year. The spread on the exchange rate for one 11,904 euro transfer can be larger than that on its own.

Mid-market rate, the fee shown as a separate line
Around 0.5 percent on a large transfer, against 2 to 3 percent at a bank
The full amount arrives, no correspondent bank deductions in transit
Opens before you fly, from your home country with a passport
Holds euros afterwards, for rent and money from home

Check the Cost of Your Transfer

What a Blocked Bank Account in Germany Costs, All In

A blocked bank account in Germany costs a student between 99 and 278 euros in provider fees for the first year. That is the visible cost. The invisible one is the exchange rate margin on getting 11,904 euros into the account, and it is usually larger than every provider fee combined.

The Fee You See

Coracle at 99 euros, VietinBank at about 119 euros, Expatrio at 227 euros and Fintiba at 277.80 euros. The spread across a year is about 180 euros, which is real but not decisive on its own.

What separates them is what happens when things go wrong. Expatrio refunds its fees on a visa refusal, Fintiba keeps the opening fee, and Coracle requires an official refusal document from the embassy or the foreigners authority before it returns anything.

The Fee You Do Not See

Fintiba deducts its monthly fee from the monthly payout, so the 992 euros you are entitled to arrives as roughly 982 euros. Over a year that is another 119 euros out of your living costs rather than out of your setup budget.

Then there is the transfer, which is covered in its own section below because it dwarfs everything here.

How to Open a Blocked Bank Account in Germany

Opening the account is fast. Funding it and getting the confirmation issued is what takes time, and it is the step to start early because your visa appointment depends on it.

Step by Step

Pick a provider and apply online. Ten minutes to one business day for approval at any of the four above.
Send the money. One transfer of the full amount. Partial deposits are not confirmed.
Wait for the funds to clear. One to five business days for an international transfer.
Download the blocked amount confirmation. Issued within 24 hours of the money arriving, or instantly at some providers.
Take it to your visa appointment. With the rest of your application documents.
After arrival, activate the payouts. Link a German current account and the monthly release begins.

The confirmation is only issued once the full amount has landed. This is the detail that catches people out, because a transfer that arrives short by twenty euros of correspondent bank charges will not be confirmed.

How Long It Takes

Realistically two to six business days from application to confirmation in hand. Card funding at some providers can make it same day. Applicants from countries flagged as high risk should add one to two weeks for source of funds checks.

The advice from the providers themselves is to open three to four weeks before your visa appointment. Nothing about the process is slow, but a rejected transfer or a document query eats a week easily. Transfer timing is covered in how long an international money transfer takes.

The Confirmation Only Comes When the Full Amount Lands

A transfer that arrives twenty euros short because a correspondent bank took a cut does not get confirmed, and your visa appointment moves. Getting the whole sum there first time is worth more than saving a few euros.

The amount you send is the amount that arrives, no deductions in the middle
Rate held before you confirm, so the euro figure is known
Track it end to end, rather than waiting on a SWIFT reference
Usually 1 to 2 days, against up to 5 for a bank wire
Around 0.5 percent, on a payment where 2 percent is 238 euros

Compare Before You Send

Funding a Blocked Account in Germany Without Losing Hundreds

This is the part almost nobody writes about. You are sending roughly 11,904 euros in one payment, usually from a currency that is not the euro, and the exchange rate margin applies to the entire amount.

The Transfer Is the Biggest Single Cost

At a 2 percent margin, moving 11,904 euros costs about 238 euros. At 3 percent it is about 357 euros. Compare that to the 99 to 278 euros of provider fees and the ranking of what matters becomes obvious.

Most high street banks sit in that 2 to 3 percent range once you account for the margin they build into the rate, and many of them also add a flat transfer fee of 10 to 25 euros on top. That is a third of a month's living costs gone in one payment, and it is entirely avoidable. The mechanics are in our guide to what banks really charge for money transfers.

There is a second trap. A traditional SWIFT transfer can arrive short, because correspondent banks in the middle deduct their own charges from the amount in transit. Fintiba's own site concedes this, noting that with its transfer partner you no longer need to add a 100 euro buffer to cover the shortfall. That buffer requirement existed because plain bank transfers were arriving short of the blocked amount.

What the Providers Do About It

Fintiba and Expatrio both route non-euro funding through payment partners, Flywire and TransferMate, and describe the service as free with good rates. Neither publishes the exchange rate margin those partners apply, so free refers to the fee, not to the total cost.

Wise transfer calculator showing the fee and exchange rate on a 1,000 GBP transfer

Coracle converts at what it calls the daily market rate and disclaims responsibility for rate movements. VietinBank is the only one of the four that publishes an actual conversion tariff. If a provider will not show you the margin before you send, treat the quote you are given as the number to compare, not the word free.

Compare What the Transfer Actually Costs

Put in the amount you need to send and your own currency. What matters is the euros that land in the blocked account, not the fee on the receipt, because the confirmation depends on the full amount arriving.

If you are sending from the United States, the US to Germany corridor page carries live rates for that route, and the general mechanics are in transferring money to an international bank account.

Using a Multi Currency Account to Send It

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A specialist account is the usual answer for a payment this size. Conversions run at the mid-market rate with the fee shown as a separate line, which on roughly 12,000 euros is the difference between paying around 60 euros and paying 238 euros.

It also solves the day to day problem waiting on the other side. Once you land you will be paid from home, paying rent and sending money back, and you can hold euros and your home currency in the same account from the day you apply. The product is covered in the Wise review and the mechanics in the guide to using Wise.

Use It for the Transfer, Not for the Block

Two different jobs, and only one of them a multi currency account can do. It cannot be your blocked account. It can be how you get the money there without losing a month of living costs on the way.

Mid-market rate: the fee is a separate line, not hidden in the rate
Around 0.5 percent on a large transfer: against 2 to 3 percent at a typical bank
The full amount arrives: no correspondent bank deductions in the middle
Euro account details in your name: useful long after the visa is granted
Opens from your home country: no Anmeldung, no German address

Compare the Cost of Your Transfer

Why Wise Cannot Be the Blocked Account Itself

Because it has no blocking mechanism. A Sperrkonto must release only a set amount each month and must not be closable without the consent of the German mission or the foreigners authority, and a normal multi currency account does neither.

It is worth correcting the explanation you will read elsewhere, that only a German licensed bank can hold a blocked account. That is not the rule. Coracle holds student money at a French payment institution and Studely runs on a French e-money institution, and both are accepted. The test is how the account behaves, not where it is licensed.

After You Arrive: How the Monthly Payout Works

Once you are in Germany the blocked account starts releasing money. How much, how quickly and where it lands depends on the provider, and none of them hand you a clean 992 euros without conditions.

The Monthly Payout

The cap is 992 euros a month. At the specialists the money is transferred automatically into a German current account you link, so the blocked account simply empties over the year rather than converting into anything.

Fintiba takes its 9.90 euro fee out of each payout. Expatrio and Coracle include a free German current account for the money to land in. Coracle also returns its 80 euro buffer with the first payout, and Expatrio pays out any amount you deposited above the required sum in full with the first release.

You will need a German current account for this, which is its own hurdle for a new arrival, and it is the thing to sort out in your first fortnight rather than your first month.

Getting More Than the Monthly Amount

You cannot simply withdraw more. Releasing money above the monthly cap requires a Sperrfreigabe, a written release from the foreigners authority for the district where you live, submitted as an original document.

What will not work: a deregistration certificate, a border crossing certificate, a marriage certificate, a German ID card after naturalisation, or a letter you write yourself. Only documents from a German foreigners authority, embassy or consulate count.

What Happens at the End

At a bank the account usually continues as an ordinary current account once the block expires, after the foreigners authority lifts the blocking notice. At the specialists there is nothing to convert, because the balance has already been paid out month by month.

If you leave Germany, close the account. Closure takes about a week, or up to two weeks if the remaining balance has to be sent abroad, and that final transfer carries the same exchange rate margin as the first one did.

The Bottom Line

For most students the Sperrkonto itself is close to a commodity. All four providers do the same job, the confirmation looks the same to the consulate, and the spread between the cheapest and the most expensive is about 180 euros over a year.

On price, Coracle at 99 euros with no monthly fee and VietinBank at about 119 euros are the value picks, and VietinBank is the only one of the four that is a licensed bank. On safety net, Expatrio refunds its fees if your visa is refused, which is worth the extra hundred euros to some applicants.

The decision that actually costs money is the transfer. Provider fees differ by 180 euros over a year. The exchange rate margin on a single 11,904 euro payment differs by more than that on its own, and unlike the provider fee it is invisible unless you go looking for it.

Blocked Bank Account in Germany FAQs

What is a blocked bank account in Germany?

A blocked bank account in Germany, known as a Sperrkonto, is a German account whose balance you cannot freely access. You deposit a year of living costs before your visa appointment, and after you arrive the account releases a capped amount to you each month instead of the whole sum. The German mission accepts it as proof that your stay is financed. To qualify, the account must hold enough for the planned stay, allow only limited monthly withdrawals, and not be closable without the consent of the mission or the foreigners authority.

How much do I need in a blocked account in Germany in 2026?

11,904 euros for a full year, released at 992 euros a month, as set by the German Federal Foreign Office. For a shorter stay it is the monthly figure multiplied by the number of months you are applying for. Some categories are assessed higher, with language course students, job seekers and qualification recognition applicants commonly at around 1,092 euros a month. Be careful with older sources: 10,332 euros and 861 euros a month were the previous figures and they still appear on bank forms and even on some official mission pages.

Which blocked account provider is cheapest?

Coracle at 99 euros for up to twelve months with no monthly fee, though its published price is currently shown as coming soon rather than a number, so confirm it on the day. VietinBank's German branch is next at about 119 euros for the first year, made up of a 50 euro opening fee, a 10 euro management fee and 4.90 euros a month. Expatrio is 227 euros for the year and Fintiba 277.80 euros. Fintiba also deducts its monthly fee from your payout, so you receive about 982 euros rather than 992.

Can I open a blocked account with Deutsche Bank?

Not any more. Deutsche Bank's own page states that new blocked account openings are no longer possible and that existing accounts are unaffected. Existing holders pay 6.90 euros a month for the account plus a 150 euro fee for the block itself, charged again on every extension. Any guide still listing Deutsche Bank as an option for a new blocked bank account in Germany is out of date. The realistic routes now are Coracle, VietinBank, Expatrio and Fintiba.

Can I use Wise as a blocked account in Germany?

No. A blocked account has to release only a set amount each month and must not be closable without the consent of the German mission or the foreigners authority, and a normal multi currency account does neither. The common explanation, that only a German licensed bank qualifies, is not the actual rule: Coracle holds student funds at a French payment institution and both are accepted. Where a multi currency account genuinely helps is funding the blocked account, because the margin on moving nearly 12,000 euros is the largest single cost in the whole process.

How long does it take to open a blocked bank account in Germany?

Two to six business days from application to holding the confirmation, in most cases. The account itself opens in ten minutes to one business day, the transfer takes one to five business days to clear, and the confirmation is issued within 24 hours of the full amount arriving. Card funding at some providers can compress this to the same day. Applicants from countries flagged as higher risk should allow one to two extra weeks for source of funds checks, and every provider recommends starting three to four weeks before your visa appointment.

Do I have to have a blocked account for a German student visa?

No, it is one of five accepted ways to prove your financing is secure. The German Federal Foreign Office also accepts your parents' documented income and assets, a declaration of commitment from someone in Germany under sections 66 to 68 of the Residence Act, an annually renewable bank guarantee lodged with a German bank, or a recognised scholarship. The blocked account is simply the route most international students end up using because the alternatives require someone in Germany or an award you already hold.

Can I withdraw more than 992 euros a month?

Only with permission. Releasing more than the monthly cap requires a Sperrfreigabe, a written release from the foreigners authority for the district where you live, submitted as an original document. Providers reject anything else, including deregistration certificates, border crossing certificates, marriage certificates and self written letters. Money you deposited above the required blocked amount is different: that surplus is not blocked and is usually paid out in full with your first monthly release.

What happens to the blocked account after a year?

At a bank the account normally carries on as an ordinary current account once the foreigners authority lifts the blocking notice. At the specialist providers there is nothing to convert, because the balance has been paid out month by month into a German current account you linked at the start. If you are leaving Germany, close the account. Closure takes about a week, or up to two weeks if the remaining balance has to be transferred abroad, and that final transfer carries an exchange rate margin of its own.

What is the cheapest way to send money to a blocked account in Germany?

Compare on the amount that arrives, not the fee. A high street bank typically builds 2 to 3 percent into the exchange rate, which on 11,904 euros is 238 to 357 euros, often plus a flat fee of 10 to 25 euros. A specialist using the mid-market rate is usually around 0.5 percent on a transfer that size. There is a second reason to avoid a plain SWIFT transfer: correspondent banks can deduct their charges in transit, so the amount arrives short and the confirmation is not issued until the full sum is there.