Important update! German authorities have increased the BAföG rate – the national standard that defines the absolute minimum of expenses that a student needs to cover for a comfortable living. This change is justified by the continuous growth of costs related to accommodation, electricity, food, etc.
This news is of significant importance to international students who want to study in Germany since the required blocked amount for a student visa application is entirely dependent on the BAföG rate.
This means that as of the 1st of September, international students will be required to block € 853,00 per month for their stay in Germany instead of the current amount of €720,00.
We advise all students that have their visa appointments planned in September to pay extra attention to this change. It is highly recommended to get in touch with the local embassy in your home country to see if those changes were accepted. If this is the case, please contact us for special instructions on how to proceed with the Blocked Account opening process.
We understand that many students need to apply changes to their Blocking Agreements now. Thus, we will make sure that every one of you has the opportunity to transfer additional funds to your accounts. We kindly ask you to take care of that topic in advance and keep in mind that it might take some time for clarification in individual cases. You can contact us here.
Here is a short FAQ that we have prepared for you on that topic:
My visa appointment is before September. Do I need to increase my Blocked Amount?
The official website for the blocked account states that “This increased amount applies to all visa applications submitted from 1 September 2019.” As far as we know, this does not apply to visa agreements that take place before this date. Anyway, we would highly recommend checking with your visa-processing authority directly if the increased amount is required for your account as well, as they are the only ones who can provide you with binding information on that subject.
My appointment is in September/the embassy asked me to increase the amount. How do I do that?
Do not worry, that is not a problem! Just get in touch with us (emails must always be sent from the account with which you’ve registered for Fintiba) ? We’re always here to help and will do our best to support you with this process.
I already made the first transfer with the lower amount. When I send the money again now, will I be charged with the opening fee one more time?
No, there are no additional charges from our side. All you need to do is transfer the difference in the amount required and we will issue a new Blocking Confirmation for you.
I already have my blocking confirmation. Can I get a document for my bank that just states the gap amount that I have to transfer?
Yes, we’ll provide you with a document that accurately states the missing amount in your account to get a new blocking confirmation for the increased monthly amount. You can download this document from the “Documents” in your Fintiba account and give it to your bank in case they ask for proof to execute the transfer. The calculations are always based on your current blocked account balance, not on your old blocked amount. So if you have already transferred more money, the remaining transfer amount will be lower.
Increase in Health Insurance premiums
Additionally, the BAföG increase has led to a change in premiums of governmental health insurance providers. Please note that starting with September the student tariff is going to be raised. For DAK specifically, the monthly fee is going to be €109,89 for everyone younger than 23 years old and €111,75 for everyone over 23 years of age. This applies to all students, both German and international, across the whole country. If you want to learn more about the German healthcare system and the benefits of governmental health insurance, you can read about it here.
