Preuve financière pour le visa d'étudiant allemand

Many European countries adopted this common requirement, and it helps the authorities to ensure that visa applicants will be able to maintain an acceptable standard of living, allowing them to fulfil their desired purpose of stay.

In this section, you will find extensive information about the proof of financial resources required for a German visa (in German, “Finanzierungsnachweis”).

What Counts as Financial Proof for a German Student Visa

Before you can get your German student visa, you must prove that you can cover your living expenses during your studies. This is called proof of financial resources (Finanzierungsnachweis), and it’s one of the most important parts of your application.

Main Proof Types (Blocked Account, Verpflichtungserklärung, Scholarships, Loans)

To prove you have enough money to support yourself in Germany, you can have the following:

• Blocked Account (Sperrkonto): This is the most common option for international students. You deposit a set annual amount (currently the minimum is €11,904) into a German Blocked Account, which you can only access in fixed monthly amounts after arrival.
• Declaration of Commitment (Verpflichtungserklärung): This is a formal document signed by a sponsor or host that is already living in Germany, who agrees to cover all your expenses during your stay.
• Scholarships: If you have a full scholarship from an organisation like DAAD, your award letter can serve as financial proof. Partial scholarships can be subtracted from the total amount of €11,904, but you still need to top up a Blocked Account with funds up until the minimum.
• Student loans and bank guarantees: By offering a bank guarantee ("Bankbürgschaft"), the bank you loaned money from guarantees that it will pay the obligations of its customer to third parties. However, student loan options for international students are limited.

When and Why You Need to Show Proof

You need to show proof of finances if you are a non-EU international, before your visa is issued. Without it, your application will be rejected.

This is because German authorities want to make sure you can support yourself without relying on public funds.

This applies to most visa types, including visas for international students, job-seekers, au-pairs, those pursuing training or apprenticeships, language, and applicants for a Germany Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte).

Required Amount of Funds for a German Student Visa

The German government establishes a minimum financial requirement that you must meet to cover your living expenses while studying.

This amount is periodically updated to account for inflation, ensuring you can afford necessities such as rent, food, health insurance, and study materials without you becoming reliant on public assistance.

Annual and Monthly Requirements

As of 2025, you must show funds of €11,904 per year, which equals €992 per month. This figure is based on average living costs for students in Germany and is the standard for most visa applications, except for the Opportunity Card (€1,091 per month) and vocational training visa (€959 per month, if you do not receive a salary during the training).

Blocked Account (Sperrkonto)

Usually, a German Blocked Account is the most widely accepted and easiest way to prove you have enough finances for a German visa.

A Blocked Account is essentially a special bank account in Germany where your funds are locked and released in monthly installments once you arrive.

Why the Blocked Account is the Most Common Proof Method

German embassies and consulates generally recognize the Blocked Account as the most secure way to demonstrate that you have enough money to cover your living expenses once you move to Germany.

Although the Declaration of Commitment is an alternative for funding your living expenses, not everyone has a financially secure friend or relative who can vouch for them and support them with the expenses associated to moving to Germany.

How It Works and Why Authorities Require It

Before you apply for a visa, you must deposit the required amount into the Blocked Account. The funds will be locked, and you cannot access them until you arrive in Germany. And even then, you cannot withdraw the entire amount at once. The money will be paid out in fixed monthly installments, usually into a current account you open after arriving in Germany.

Open Your Blocked Account with Fintiba — Fast and Fully Online

With Fintiba, opening a Blocked Account takes less than 10 minutes and can be done entirely online.

You receive an instant blocking confirmation, which you can submit with your visa application. Funds are fully protected (up to €100,000), and once you arrive, you can manage your account via the Fintiba app.

This hassle-free process is accepted by all German authorities worldwide, making it one of the easiest ways to meet the visa’s financial proof requirement.

Declaration of Commitment (Verpflichtungserklärung) as Financial Proof

A Declaration of Commitment is a good alternative to a Blocked Account for proving that you have the financial means necessary when applying for a German student visa.

With this, someone already living in Germany agrees to cover your living expenses for the entire duration of your stay.

Who Can Act as a Sponsor

Your sponsor can be a family member, a friend, or even an employer based in Germany, as long as they meet certain criteria:

• They have stable and sufficient income to cover both their own living expenses and yours.
• They have a valid residence status in Germany, such as German or EU citizenship, or a qualifying residence permit.
• They can provide proof of accommodation if you will be living with them.
• They have no significant debt with public authorities.

Where to Apply and Needed Documents

The sponsor will need to apply for the Declaration of Commitment at their local Ausländerbehörde in Germany.

They must make an appointment in advance and present the required documents:

• Formulaire de demande de déclaration d'engagement dûment rempli
• Pièce d'identité valide ou permis de séjour
• Preuve de revenus (fiches de paie récentes, avis d'imposition ou relevés bancaires)
• Preuve d'hébergement
• Paiement des frais de dossier de 29 euros

Once approved, the sponsor sends the original document to you so you can include it in your visa application.

Scholarships as Financial Proof

Scholarships can also serve as valid proof of financial means for a German student visa if they meet the minimum requirements of €992 per month set by the German authorities.

Which Scholarships Qualify

To qualify as financial proof, a scholarship must:

• Cover at least €992 per month for the required duration.
• Be issued by a recognized institution such as the DAAD, the admitting German university, or an established private foundation.
• Specify the time period the funding covers in the official award letter.

If your scholarship is less than the required amount, you will need to combine it with another proof method, such as a Blocked Account or declaration of commitment.

Combining Scholarships with Other Methods

If your scholarship does not meet the €992 per month requirement, it is fine to combine the scholarship funding with another method. For example:

• You can mix a scholarship with a Blocked Account, if your scholarship only covers part of your monthly costs, you can deposit the remaining amount in the Blocked Account.
• You can also combine a scholarship with a Declaration of Commitment, which works well if your sponsor can cover the shortfall between your scholarship and the rest of the required amount.

Student Loans as Financial Proof

If you don’t have enough savings or scholarship funding, you can also use a student loan to meet the financial proof requirement for a German student visa.

Loan Acceptance Criteria

The criteria differs from one loan provider to another, and can be quite out-of-reach for international, non-EU students. For instance, the BAföG requires that you:

• Vous êtes résident permanent en Allemagne
• Vous avez vécu en Allemagne pendant au moins 5 ans avant le début de vos études.
• Vous êtes marié(e) à un(e) citoyen(ne) allemand(e) ou européen (ne) et vous répondez à des critères supplémentaires
• You are a recognized refugee or asylum seeker

Other loan providers can be more lenient, but the amounts fall short of the €11,904 required. In this case, you will need a Blocked Account for the rest of the amount, or a Declaration of Commitment.

Required Documents for Financial Proof at your Visa Appointment

When you attend your visa interview, you’ll need to present clear, official proof that you can support yourself financially during your stay in Germany. The exact documents depend on the proof method you choose.

• Blocked Account (Sperrkonto): Official blocking confirmation from your bank or provider (e.g., Fintiba), showing the total deposit and monthly withdrawal limit.
• Declaration of Commitment: Original document issued by the local Ausländerbehörde in Germany.
• Scholarships: Official award letter with details of the funding amount and payment schedule.
• Student Loan: Loan approval letter stating the total amount, disbursement method, and confirmation that the funds are available for use in Germany.

Common Mistakes when Providing Financial Proof

Making a mistake when providing financial proof for a visa in Germany can result in a rejection, and as a consequence a delay in obtaining your visa. Here are the things you should be looking out for.

Insufficient Amount

Submitting proof that is below the official minimum (€992/month or €11,904/year) is one of the most common reasons for rejection.

You should always check the latest requirement for your visa type before applying.

Missing or Incorrect Documents

Forgetting to submit the original document (instead of a copy), leaving out translations, or providing proof that does not clearly state the total available amount can all result in your application being put on hold.