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The low cost of universities in Germany is one of the biggest incentives for international students who choose the country as their study destination.

Knowing this, many students are surprised to find out they need to prove that they have €992 per month or €11,904 total for the first year of studies in Germany. This is a requirement for the student visa and residence permit (as of September 1, 2024). 

The reason for this requirement is to make sure students don’t struggle financially during their studies. While public universities charge minimal fees, you must have enough money for expenses such as accommodation, food, health insurance, transportation, and other essentials.

Keep reading to find out if you need to provide proof of financial resources to study in Germany, how to do this, and other important details.

Who Needs to Provide Proof of Financial Resources?

You need to show that you have enough money to support yourself in Germany if you need a student visa or residence permit to study here. This proof is known as the “Finanzierungsnachweis”.

Therefore, whether or not you need to provide proof of financial resources for studies in Germany depends on your nationality:

Country of origin	Proof of Financial Resources
Citizens of European Union (EU) countries, Liechtenstein, Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland	Not required.
Citizens of non-EU countries that need a visa to come to Germany	Required when applying for a student visa.
Citizens of Andorra, Australia, Brazil, Canada, El Salvador, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Monaco, San Marino, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom, and the USA	Required when applying for a residence permit.

How to Prove Financial Resources for ����Ⱥ��?

There are many ways you can demonstrate proof of funds for the German student visa or residence permit:

• Depositing money into a German blocked account.
• Providing proof of your parents’ income and financial assets.
• Presenting confirmation that you’ve been awarded a scholarship from a recognized provider.
• Presenting a bank guarantee.
• Having a permanent resident in Germany guarantee to cover your expenses.

Blocked Bank Account

The blocked account is one of the most reliable ways that international students in Germany can show they have enough money to support themselves.

A blocked account (Sperrkonto in German) is a type of bank account that “blocks” a specific amount of money that you deposit upfront. You will only be able to access it in monthly installments of max. €992 when you arrive in Germany.

There are several providers of blocked accounts, but we highly recommend Expatrio. It’s accepted by all German authorities globally, and the online application process takes only a couple of minutes.

Proof of Parental Income

If your parents have adequate income/financial assets to support you financially, you can use this as proof of finances for the German student visa or residence permit.

Whether this proof is accepted sometimes depends on the embassy/consulate in your country or the respective Foreigner’s Office (Ausländerbehörde) in Germany. We recommend reading their instructions to confirm and to find detailed information on the documents you need to submit.

In most cases, you have to send your parent’s bank statements for the last three months and/or their payslips.

Scholarships

If you won a scholarship to study in Germany, this can also count as proof of your financial resources. You should submit the award certificate of a recognized scholarship provider stating the amount of funds/specific expenses covered and the duration of support.

If the scholarship amount is less than €992 per month or only partly covers your expenses, you can provide bank statements as supporting documents that you have the required remaining amount.

If you make a good candidate, here are some fully-funded scholarships to consider:

• DAAD Scholarships
• Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Scholarship
• Heinrich Böll Foundation Scholarships
• Erasmus+ Scholarships

A Bank Guarantee

Some students use bank loans as proof of funds for the student visa/residence permit. Banks often offer low interest rates for student loans in countries with high numbers of students who want to study abroad.

Depending on the bank, you can also look into a bank guarantee, referred to as a “Bankbürgschaft.” This is a guarantee that the bank agrees to cover your financial liability for the period of study in Germany. The bank steps in and pays if necessary and receives commission for taking the risk. 

Guarantee from a Permanent Resident in Germany

If a German resident (usually a close family member or relative) is willing to cover your study & living expenses, they can be your guarantor. They should apply to get a Declaration of Commitment (Verpflichtungserklärung) from their local immigration authority (Ausländerbehörde).

To get this, they need to submit a form ( along with documents such as their last three payslips and confirmation of employment, proof of address, and an issuance fee. They should submit their request no earlier than six months before your visa appointment.

This guarantee is serious—if they promise financial support while you’re studying in Germany and you receive support from government agencies instead, the guarantor must reimburse them within five years.

Providing the Source of Funds and Additional Proof

Sometimes, the German authority where you apply for the student visa or residence permit may need to see evidence for the source of your funds. Here are some possible scenarios:

A Contract with a Commercial Business

If a business in your home country is going to sponsor your studies in Germany, you’ll likely be asked to provide more information about said business.

In most cases, you need documents verifying the company’s legitimacy and the contract you have with them specifying the terms and conditions of the sponsorship.

Scholarship Received in Your Country

If you win a scholarship to study in Germany from an organization in your country, you may be asked to send proof that the scholarship is credible. Such proof can include an official contract, certificates, or any other communication with the provider confirming that the scholarship is legitimate.

Source of the Funds in Your Bank Account

If you deposit a significant amount of money at once into your bank account, German officials will likely ask about the source of funds. For example, if you have been working for some years and deposited your savings, you can provide evidence through your work contract or bank deposit statements.

This is why the blocked account is more reliable—with the funds being blocked, it’s easier for German authorities to confirm that they are genuinely available for you to have in Germany, rather than someone transferring the money temporarily only for the sake of you getting the visa.

Proof of Finances for Extending Student Residence Permit in Germany

If your residence permit is about to expire and you haven’t finished your studies in Germany yet, you need to apply for an extension of the permit at the local Foreigner’s Office (Ausländerbehörde). Apart from submitting documents that confirm your academic status, you also need to provide proof of financial resources. 

The Foreigner’s Office is usually more lenient on this requirement in cases of extensions in comparison to initial issuances of a study visa or permit. With this in mind, proof of finances requirements can vary from one office to another. 

Apart from foolproof evidence such as the blocked account, scholarships, and guarantees, they may accept the following:

• Savings in your bank account. You must submit statements for the last six months.
• Work contract. If you’re financing your studies through part-time work, you can submit your employment contract as proof of financial resources. If your income is less than €992 per month, you should prove you have the remaining funds in savings.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Let’s answer some more questions you may have about proving financial resources as a student in Germany:

When to Submit Proof of Financial Resources for Germany?

You need to show proof of financial resources during your student visa or residence permit appointment for Germany. This means that you don’t need this proof to apply to a German university.

However, since €11,904 is a considerable amount of money, the time it takes for students to set it aside can vary. You should keep this in mind so that you have enough time to save up, apply for a loan, or gather documents for your parent’s financial statements.

How To Demonstrate Financial Resources if I Plan to Work Part-Time While ����Ⱥ��?

Unfortunately, solely planning to work part-time while studying in Germany is not considered sufficient proof of finances. German authorities require concrete evidence that you can support yourself from day one.

Finding work can take time and there are a lot of expenses that you need to take care of immediately upon arriving in Germany—such as the semester fee, health insurance, and accommodation.

So, unless you’ve already got a job and savings you can send as proof, you have to explore other options. Consider scholarships or a financial guarantee from sponsors to strengthen your application.

What if I Can’t Prove I Have Enough Money to ����Ⱥ��?

It’s very difficult to get a German student visa or residence permit if you can’t show that you have enough funds. And this is not just a pointless bureaucratic requirement—it’s a regulation created to make sure that won’t struggle if you live and study in Germany.

Without enough funds, you won’t be able to cover basic expenses like housing and food, which in turn affects your quality of life and leaves you unable to focus on your studies. If you’re set on studying in Germany, we suggest postponing your studies until you find a good solution to show proof of funds.

Where Can I Find More Information?

If you have more specific questions throughout the process, your first addresses should be the 

• The German embassy or consulate in your home country (.
• The Immigration Office (Ausländerbehörde) in the German city where you settle in (.