How to fund a German blocked account (Sperrkonto) from abroad

A German student visa has one requirement that stops more applicants than any other: proof that you can pay for a year of living costs up front. The usual way to prove it is a blocked account, or Sperrkonto. This guide explains what a blocked account is, how much you need in 2026, which provider to pick, and the part that worries people most: how the money actually reaches the account.

What a blocked account is, and why the visa needs it

A Sperrkonto is an ordinary German bank account with an IBAN, with one difference: the balance is blocked. You cannot take it out all at once. After you arrive in Germany and activate the account, a fixed amount is released to your everyday German account each month to cover rent, food, and transport.

The account exists to reassure the embassy that you can support yourself without working illegally. It can only be unblocked with the agreement of the German mission or the immigration office. If your visa is refused, the rejection letter is enough to unblock the account and get your money back.

How much you need in 2026

The figure is set by the German Federal Foreign Office and changes every year or two. For 2025/2026:

You can deposit more than the minimum, and the extra raises your monthly release or is paid out after activation. You cannot deposit less. Always confirm the current figure on your German embassy page before you transfer, since it is reviewed regularly.

Choosing a provider

Most students open the account online in minutes through a specialised provider. The German Foreign Office does not endorse any of them, so compare on fees, speed, and whether the confirmation document is accepted by your embassy.

• Fintiba and Expatrio: the two most common choices, fully online, widely accepted, often bundled with health insurance.
• Coracle: another online provider, popular with students who already hold the funds abroad.
• Deutsche Bank: a traditional bank option, slower and more paperwork, but a real branch account.

Opening fees run from about €0 to €150, with a small monthly service fee (roughly €0 to €9). Each provider gives you an IBAN and transfer instructions once the account is opened.

How the money actually reaches the account

This is the step that causes the most anxiety, and it is simpler than it looks. Once your account is open you receive an IBAN. You then send the required euros to that IBAN. There are two routes:

1. The provider's own transfer rail (for example Fintiba Transfer, or Expatrio via Flywire). Convenient, but the exchange rate and fee are set by them.
2. A standard bank transfer to the IBAN by SEPA (inside Europe) or SWIFT (from outside). This works with any account that can send euros, so you control the rate and fees.

International transfers usually take three to five business days, occasionally up to two weeks. Once the funds clear, the provider issues the official blocked-account confirmation you attach to your visa file.

Using Hawala to send the euros

If you hold euros with Hawala, you can send them straight to the blocked-account IBAN by SEPA or SWIFT, the same as any euro transfer. You hold the money in euros with no rate markup, so the figure you send is the figure that arrives, and you add your buffer with confidence rather than guessing at a conversion.

Hawala is built for students and families moving money across borders. See the students abroad overview for holding dollars and euros, paying fees, and spending day to day once you land.

After you arrive: activation and the monthly release

The blocked account is not your spending account. To receive the monthly amount you also open a normal German current account (Girokonto) at any bank once you are in the country. You link it to the blocked account, activate the release, and from then on the fixed monthly sum lands in your current account automatically.

• Register your German address (Anmeldung) soon after arrival.
• Open a current account (N26, DKB, Sparkasse, or similar).
• Activate the blocked account and link your current-account IBAN.
• The first release can take a couple of weeks, so keep some cash for the first days.

Alternatives to a blocked account

A Sperrkonto is the most common proof of funds, but not the only one:

• A scholarship from a recognised body (for example DAAD, or an Egyptian government grant) can replace the blocked account if it covers the required amount.
• A formal sponsorship (Verpflichtungserklärung) signed by someone resident in Germany who undertakes to cover your costs.

Timeline and common mistakes

• Start three to six months ahead. Embassy and TLScontact appointment slots fill fast.
• Open the blocked account three to four weeks before your visa appointment.
• Do not transfer at the last minute. Build in time for the funds to clear and the confirmation to issue.
• Do not send just the minimum. Pad for fees so the balance does not arrive short.
• Keep the confirmation document and the transfer receipt for your appointment.