For study in Germany, a student who needs a visa must show 11,904 euros a year before the visa, as DAAD states the figure since January 2025, while tuition at most state universities is free. When parents help decide, and often help pay, the money question comes down to three things: the funds the visa asks you to show, the fees the university charges, and what a month of living actually costs. This page puts those figures, the usual timeline and the honest risks in one place, so a student and their family can read it together.

The money shown before the visa

A student who needs a visa must prove they can pay for their living costs. DAAD, the German Academic Exchange Service, states that students are expected to show 992 euros per month, or 11,904 euros per year, since January 2025. One accepted way is a blocked account (Sperrkonto), a German bank account from which only a fixed amount can be withdrawn each month.

The Federal Foreign Office explains that the amount depends on the purpose of the stay and that the account is usually opened for a year. The money stays the student’s: the mission or foreigners authority named on the account cannot withdraw it, and it is paid out in fixed monthly amounts for living costs. It is not a fee. Check the current amount for study on the website of the German mission responsible for your state before transferring money.

The national visa fee, as the German Missions in India state it, is 75 euros (8,300 rupees) for applicants over 18. The missions note that this fee is not refunded if the visa is refused or the application withdrawn.

Tuition and the semester contribution

DAAD states that there are generally no tuition fees for Bachelor’s courses or most Master’s courses at state universities. There are exceptions families should know about:

  • Baden-Württemberg charges non-EU students 1,500 euros per semester.
  • In Bavaria, the universities decide themselves whether to charge non-EU students, and DAAD says fees can reach several thousand euros per semester.
  • Some continuing-education Master’s programmes charge fees.

Every student pays a semester contribution at enrolment and before each new semester. DAAD gives a range of 70 to 430 euros, depending on the university. It covers student services and student government, and at some universities a public-transport ticket.

What a month in Germany costs

DAAD says students need between 900 and 1,200 euros per month, depending on the city; the page does not give a year for that range. It also cites the 2023 social survey, where students spent an average of 876 euros per month, with rent including utilities the largest item at 410 euros.

Health insurance is compulsory. DAAD says proof of cover is needed for enrolment and, depending on the country, for the visa. Statutory insurers offer a student rate of about 120 to 130 euros per month for students under 30. After 30, the standard contribution applies, which DAAD notes is often much more expensive.

A realistic timeline

Applications start many months before the course. For a Master’s starting in winter 2027, the Winter Semester 2027 timeline runs from research in late 2026 through APS, uni-assist and admissions to the visa in summer 2027. For vocational training, the Ausbildung 2027 timeline shows why German language and the training contract set the pace. Money rules for Ausbildung differ from study, so check them for that route.

Proof of funds is part of the visa application, so the blocked-account money has to be in place before the visa appointment, not after arrival.

The risks to discuss honestly

  • No step guarantees the next one. Universities decide admission. The German mission decides the visa. Employers decide jobs. A complete file improves the application; it does not decide it.
  • Fees already paid may not come back. The visa fee is not refunded on refusal. uni-assist charges 75 euros per semester for the first course choice and 30 euros for each additional one.
  • Part-time work can help, but it is not a plan for paying living costs. DAAD says international students do not have unlimited permission to work, and that a side job can increase the budget but it is very hard to fund all living costs this way. Plan the full budget before departure.
  • Costs vary by city. DAAD links its range to where you study, so treat it as a guide for the city you choose, not a promise.

What parents can check themselves

Parents do not need to rely on anyone’s word, including ours. They can:

  1. Open the university’s own programme page for fees, language requirements and deadlines.
  2. Check the blocked-account amount for study on the German mission’s website for your state.
  3. Confirm where each fee is paid. uni-assist states that its payment requests come only from uni-assist and are processed only through its own portal.
  4. Keep every receipt, account confirmation and email from a university or authority in one folder.

Questions to settle as a family

  • Which route and intake: Master’s in winter 2027, Ausbildung, or something else?
  • How will the blocked-account amount be funded, and by when?
  • What is the budget for fees before arrival: applications, visa, insurance, flights?
  • Which cities fit the budget, given that rent is the largest monthly cost?
  • What happens if admission or the visa does not come through this year?
  • Who will keep the documents and track deadlines?

Where it depends

Tuition depends on the state and the university. The blocked-account amount can change and is published by the missions. Insurance cost depends on age and insurer. DAAD’s living-cost range does not state a year, so treat it as a guide and recheck it.

Limits

SGC does not decide admission, visas, insurance or jobs, and does not hold or collect money for any of them. Universities, German missions, insurers and employers make those decisions. If you want help planning the route and organising the documents, see the Master’s route.

The next step is to open the German mission’s student-visa checklist for your state together and note the current blocked-account amount and visa fee.

Official resources

What we cannot promise

German authorities, universities and employers make every decision on visas, admissions, recognition and jobs. SGC explains the process and helps you prepare; it cannot promise an outcome.