What this page is. Germany is the destination where “study for free” is closest to literally true, and also the destination where the phrase misleads people most. This page separates the part that is free from the part that is not, and traces every figure to the law that sets it. We take no commission from any university and we link no blocked-account provider, no agent and no recruiter. See our editorial policy.
What is actually free, and what is not
Tuition at public universities is set by each federal state’s higher education law, not federally, and most states charge no tuition for a first degree, to domestic and international students alike. That is the real and unusual thing about Germany. What is never free:
- The semester contribution charged by every institution, which funds the student union, administration and usually a local transport pass. It is set per institution, per semester, and there is no national figure.
- Health insurance, which is compulsory and is a condition of enrolment.
- Living costs, which are the whole of the money question, and which the visa makes you prove in advance.
- Tuition in the states that charge it, and in some non-consecutive or second masters programmes anywhere.
“Free” therefore means “no tuition invoice at most public universities for a first degree”. It does not mean the year is free. The number that decides whether you can go is the one below.
The blocked account figure, traced to the statute
This is the part almost every page on the internet gets vague about, so here is the chain in full, read at the publisher on 5 August 2026.
The Federal Foreign Office’s own page on opening a blocked account, dated 21 October 2024, explains the mechanism and names no amount at all. It also states that it makes no recommendations and accepts no liability if a provider fails, and that the list of providers it used to publish was deleted in 2022 and not replaced. That is worth knowing before you take a blocked-account recommendation from anybody, including a site that is paid to make it.
The amount itself comes from the federal student support act, which sets the monthly need a student is assumed to have. Read at § 13 BAfoeG and § 13a BAfoeG on 5 August 2026:
| Component | Monthly | Provision |
|---|---|---|
| Base need, student at a university or higher technical school | 475 euros | § 13(1) no. 2 |
| Accommodation supplement, not living with parents | 380 euros | § 13(2) no. 2 |
| Health insurance supplement | 102 euros | § 13a(1) |
| Long-term care insurance supplement | 35 euros | § 13a(1) |
| Total | 992 euros | |
| Twelve months | 11,904 euros |
That is where the widely quoted blocked-account figure comes from. It is not a rounded estimate and it is not a bank’s marketing number: it is twelve times a monthly total assembled from four statutory line items. If the statute changes, the figure changes with it, which is why this page shows you the arithmetic rather than only the answer.
The same figure sits, with its sources, in our proof of funds table and our costs by country table.
How a blocked account actually works
- You open the account before you apply for the visa, from your home country.
- You transfer the full amount into it. The money is then blocked, meaning you cannot withdraw it in a lump.
- The provider issues a confirmation. That confirmation is what the mission wants to see.
- After you arrive and register, the block is converted into a monthly release, one twelfth at a time.
- To close the account you need proof that you have left, or that you no longer need it.
Two practical warnings that follow from the Federal Foreign Office’s own wording. First, the office does not vet providers and says so, so a provider being “accepted” is not a safety guarantee. Second, providers charge fees, and those fees are on top of the blocked amount, not inside it. We name no provider, because we would be paid nothing for it and would still be steering you.
Alternatives to a blocked account
A blocked account is the common route, not the only one. A formal declaration of commitment by a sponsor resident in Germany, a recognised scholarship, or a bank guarantee can serve the same purpose. Which of these the mission will accept depends on the mission. The general mechanics of the three shapes a funds test can take are in proof of funds, explained.
Printable Germany money file
Print this and work down it before you book anything.
What we could not source
- A federal page stating the blocked-account amount. There is none. The Federal Foreign Office’s blocked account page carries no figure. The amount is derived from the student support act, and this page shows that derivation rather than asserting a number.
- A national tuition figure. Tuition is a state competence. There is no federal number, and any single “German tuition fee” you read is either wrong or is one state’s rule presented as all of them.
- Tuition in the states that do charge non-EU students. We could not read the current amount at the responsible state ministry on 5 August 2026, so this page gives none. Check the ministry for your state, and the institution’s own fee page.
- A national semester contribution. Set per institution. No authority publishes an average worth using.
- Cost of living by city. Moves constantly and is not published by any authority for students. Not on this page for that reason.
FAQ
Is studying in Germany really free for international students?
Tuition at most public universities for a first degree, yes, for domestic and international students alike. Everything else, no. The semester contribution, health insurance and living costs are all payable, and the visa requires you to prove twelve months of living costs before you arrive.
How much do I need in a blocked account?
992 euros a month, which is 11,904 euros for twelve months, derived from § 13 and § 13a of the federal student support act as read on 5 August 2026. Provider fees are additional.
Can I work while studying?
Work rights attach to the residence permit, not to the university place, and the conditions are printed on the permit itself. Read the condition on your own document rather than a summary of somebody else’s.
Next steps
- Germany compared with the Netherlands
- Proof of funds by country
- Proof of funds, explained
- Student visa requirements and costs by country
- Student visa processing times
- How to choose a study destination
- The application document checklist
- The no-agent roadmap
- How scholarships actually get won
- Arriving abroad: the first 30 days
