Starting from September 2024, students wishing to apply for a German study visa will need to have more money in their bank accounts, in order to qualify for such a visa.
According to Studying-in-Germany.org, the German authorities have decided to increase the required monetary amount for a blocked bank account by 6.2 percent, from €11,208 to €11,904, from September, and several of its representative missions abroad have warned student visa applicants of the change.
DAAD – the German Academic Exchange Service – has also warned students that soon they’ll need more money in order to be able to study in Germany, VisaGuide.World reports.
Since January 2023 you are expected to demonstrate funds of €934 per month / €11,208 per year. From September 2024, the amount is expected to increase to €992 per month or €11,904 for a year.DAAD
The German authorities require every student applying for a student visa to show proof of having the financial means to study in Germany, either by showing proof of scholarship, or having a set amount of money in a blocked bank account.
The latter is a bank account in which students deposit the required money, and then are permitted to draw a maximum per month, which currently is €934 and will increase to €992 after a month.
Many Unhappy With the Increase
The increase in the amount of money students need to prove they have for a German visa has sparked reactions from many across the social media.
Marcus Batora, a user of social media X – former Twitter – has criticized the increase, asserting that it makes the German culture hostile towards foreign students.
Foreign students must pay their living expenses for the duration of their residence permit into a blocked account in advance, even if they can prove that they have a regular income as a working student. Many do not have €12,000 to pay in advance. So much for the welcoming culture.X user Marcus Batora
Many others have noted that they are displeased that they need to have a blocked bank account, in spite of the fact that they have a regular income that enables them to cover their expenses.
Experts Say the Increase Corresponds to Inflation Rate
To Gent Ukehajdaraj from Studying-in-Germany.org, the increase in the amount required for a blocked bank account is not surprising at all, and in fact, expected to happen.
Most students are very much aware that the amount they need to block in a bank account increases time after time, sometimes every year, and other times every other year. This happens due to inflation rates, as Germany wants foreign students coming to study into its universities and colleges to be properly secured in financial terms.Gent Ukehajdaraj from Studying-in-Germany.org
Germany remains one of the top favorite study destinations for international students. In the academic year 2022/2023, 458,210 students from abroad were studying in this country.
