€11,904
required deposit for 2026 (12 × €992)
€992/mo
released monthly after activation in Germany
1 year
the deposit covers — extensions re-prove funds later
3
active online providers (Fintiba, Expatrio, Studely)
Guide by
Abdullah
Creator of Ankommo · Based in Germany
I moved to Germany and built Ankommo to help others navigate the same process I went through. I offer 1-on-1 video consultations on visas, Ausbildung applications, citizenship requirements, and German language — in English, Urdu, or German.
Book a 1-on-1 consultationDo you even need one?
Two funding situations replace the blocked account entirely — thousands of students deposit €11,904 they never had to lock up. Answer one question, then compare what each provider actually costs.
Deciding between the two main providers? See the full Fintiba vs Expatrio comparison.
How will you fund your stay?
Check this first — two of the three answers mean you don't need a blocked account at all.
You need €11.904 for the first year
The deposit covers ONE year of the €992/month reference rate — even for a 1-year programme you never deposit more than a year upfront. For longer stays you prove funds again at each residence-permit extension in Germany.
Deposit is identical everywhere — providers differ only in fees and bundles. Both below are accepted by German missions worldwide.
Fintiba
€277,8 fees, year 1
€159 setup + €9,9/month · on top of your €11.904 deposit
Fully online, accepted by German missions worldwide. Optional health-insurance bundle.
Open with FintibaExpatrio
Cheapest year 1€227 fees, year 1
€119 setup + €9/month · on top of your €11.904 deposit
Fully online. Value Package bundles the blocked account with health insurance.
Open with ExpatrioAfter arrival the account releases €992/month. Fees checked July 2026 on each provider's own site.
Provider fees compared (2026)
The deposit is identical everywhere — German missions accept all three. You are only comparing fees, opening speed, and whether you want health insurance bundled into the same application.
| Provider | Setup | Monthly | Year-1 fees | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Fintiba Longest-running online provider, fully digital, accepted by German missions worldwide. Bundle: Optional health-insurance bundle | €159 | €9.90/mo | €277.80 | Visit site |
Expatrio Cheapest of the two main providers in year one; bundle-oriented. Bundle: Value Package: blocked account + health insurance | €119 | €9/mo | €227 | Visit site |
Studely Active provider, popular with applicants from francophone countries — pricing depends on your country of origin, so check their current tariff. Bundle: Blocked account + support services | varies | varies | varies by country | Visit site |
Fintiba and Expatrio fees read from each provider's own site, July 2026. Studely prices per country of origin — verify on their tariff page before applying.
No longer available
Deutsche Bank discontinued blocked accounts for international students in July 2022 — guides still recommending it are out of date. Coracle paused new account openings in August 2025. If you hold an old account with either, existing accounts continue to run; only new openings stopped.
How to open one — 5 steps
Start 4–6 weeks before your visa appointment. The application is fast — the international transfer and the blocking confirmation are what take time.
Pick a provider and apply online
You need your passport and your university admission (or equivalent purpose document). The application itself takes minutes — approval usually follows within a few working days.
Transfer the deposit + setup fee
Send €11,904 plus the provider’s setup fee by international bank transfer from an account in your (or your parents’) name. Transfers from third parties can be rejected — the sender name matters.
Receive the blocking confirmation (Sperrbestätigung)
Once the money arrives, the provider issues the official confirmation. This document goes into your visa application file — it is what the embassy actually checks.
Attend your visa appointment
The blocked account is one piece of the file alongside admission, health insurance, and your passport. The money stays locked until you are in Germany.
Activate after arrival
In Germany you open a normal current account (Girokonto), complete your Anmeldung, and send both to the provider. Activation starts the €992 monthly payouts to your current account.
After you arrive
Activation needs two things
A German current account (Girokonto) to receive the payouts, and your Anmeldung (address registration). Send both to your provider — payouts of €992/month start after activation.
€992/month is the ceiling, not a budget plan
One-off arrival costs — flat deposit (up to 3 cold rents), semester fee, furniture — hit in month one and exceed €992. Budget them from separate savings: calculate your real first-month costs.
Working doesn't reduce the deposit — but it does fund your life
Students may work 140 full days per year alongside their studies. The embassy still wants the full deposit upfront, but from month one your job income stacks on top of the €992 release — most students live on the combination, not the release alone.
If your visa is refused, the money comes back
- Request account cancellation from your provider and attach the embassy's refusal confirmation.
- The provider unblocks the account and transfers the full deposit back to the source account — usually within a few weeks.
- Setup and service fees already charged are generally not refunded — that is the real cost of an unsuccessful application (€119–€159 plus any monthly fees).
The same cancellation route works if you change plans before applying. Money never disappears into a refused visa — the blocked account exists to protect the deposit, in both directions.
Frequently asked questions
- How much money do I need in a blocked account in 2026?
- €11,904 for 2026 — twelve months at the €992/month reference rate set by the Federal Foreign Office. The deposit covers ONE year, even for a 3-year degree: for longer stays you prove funds again at each residence-permit extension inside Germany, never all upfront.
- Who does NOT need a blocked account?
- EU/EEA citizens never need one. Everyone else can replace it with: a scholarship of at least €992/month from public funds or a recognised organisation (the award letter is the proof), a Verpflichtungserklärung (formal declaration of commitment, §§66–68 AufenthG) signed by a sponsor living in Germany, proof of parents’ income, or an annually renewable bank guarantee.
- Which blocked account providers still exist in 2026?
- Three online providers actively open accounts: Fintiba (€159 setup + €9.90/month), Expatrio (€119 setup + €9/month), and Studely (pricing varies by country of origin). Deutsche Bank discontinued blocked accounts in July 2022, and Coracle paused new openings in August 2025.
- How long does opening a blocked account take?
- The online application itself usually takes minutes to a few working days with a passport and university admission letter. The slow part is the international transfer of the deposit plus issuing the blocking confirmation (Sperrbestätigung) for your visa file — start 4–6 weeks before your visa appointment to be safe.
- What happens to my money if the visa is refused?
- You get the deposit back. You request cancellation from the provider with confirmation of the refusal from the embassy, and the deposit is transferred back to the source account — typically within a few weeks. Setup and service fees already paid are generally not refunded.
- Can I withdraw more than €992 per month?
- No — the blocked amount releases at €992/month after activation. If you deposited more than the required €11,904, the excess is typically paid out when the account is activated (provider practice varies — check before transferring extra). Plan one-off arrival costs like a flat deposit from separate savings.
- Do I earn interest on a blocked account?
- No. Blocked accounts pay no interest — you pay fees instead (setup plus a monthly service fee). The providers are regulated intermediaries and deposits are held at German partner banks.
Money sorted — now the language
The visa file gets you in. German gets you through the Bürgeramt, the flat viewing, and the first lecture. Ankommo takes you from A1 to B1 — free to start.
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