For years, Italy’s financial requirement was noticeably lower than Germany’s, sitting around €7,000/year. That gap has now mostly closed. Italian consulates, for the 2026/2027 and 2027/2028 academic years, raised the required proof of subsistence funds to €10,179.85/year, following a Ministry of University and Research update. Germany’s blocked account requirement, meanwhile, has held at €11,904/year since September 2024. If you were choosing Italy specifically because it needed less proof of funds, re-check that assumption — the numbers are only about €1,700 apart now, not the several-thousand-euro gap older articles describe.
Insurance: this is where Italy is genuinely cheaper
See our full breakdown of student health insurance costs in Germany and Italy for the exact monthly figures.