Germany Blocked Account 2026: Exact Amount and How to Open One

A blocked account (Sperrkonto) is a special German bank account that proves you can support yourself for one year without working. You deposit the money before your visa interview. The bank then releases it to you in monthly instalments once you land in Germany and open your residence registration — you cannot withdraw the full amount in one go.

The German government sets this figure because it wants proof you will not run out of money and end up unable to pay rent or fees. It is separate from tuition. Most public universities in Germany do not charge tuition at Bachelor’s or Master’s level, but you still pay a semester contribution, usually a few hundred euros, and non-EU students in Baden-Württemberg (Stuttgart, Karlsruhe, Freiburg, Mannheim, Tübingen) pay an extra €1,500 per semester tuition fee under a state law that has been in place since 2017.

The exact 2026 amount

The current requirement, confirmed on multiple German embassy pages, is:

• €992 per month
• €11,904 for the full year (this is the number you actually deposit)