Blocked account (Sperrkonto) for a German student visa

How it works, step by step

1. Open the account online with a provider recognised by the Federal Foreign Office. You need your passport, and usually your letter of admission or application confirmation.
2. Transfer the full amount from your own or your sponsor’s bank account. Send extra to cover transfer fees — the balance must not fall below the required figure.
3. Download the blocking confirmation (Sperrbestätigung). This is the document the embassy wants, not a screenshot of the balance.
4. Take it to the visa appointment with the rest of your file.
5. After you arrive, register your address, then activate the payout — the provider transfers about €992 into your German current account every month.

What it costs

The €11,904 is your money — you get it back at €992 a month. What you actually pay is the provider’s fee: typically a one-off setup fee plus a small monthly administration fee. Compare providers on the total of both, not just the headline setup price, and check whether health insurance is bundled.

Alternatives to a blocked account

• A scholarship from a recognised funder (DAAD, Erasmus+, a political foundation) covering at least the monthly rate — the award letter replaces the blocked account.
• Verpflichtungserklärung — a formal declaration of commitment signed by a sponsor living in Germany at their local Ausländerbehörde.
• A German bank guarantee from a resident guarantor. Rarer, and slower than opening a blocked account online.

Mistakes that cost people their visa slot

• Depositing the exact amount and letting transfer charges eat into it — always send a buffer.
• Opening the account too late: money can take a week to clear internationally, and appointment slots are already the bottleneck.
• Using a provider your embassy does not recognise — check the mission’s own list for your country first.
• Assuming last year’s figure still applies. The required amount is raised periodically; confirm the current rate before you transfer.