Germany can be less expensive than destinations with high international tuition, but studying here is not free. Your real budget depends on three separate figures:
Confusing those figures can lead to double-counting or, worse, arriving without enough accessible money.
Last reviewed: 6 June 2026. Fees, insurance contributions, exchange rates, transport prices, and university rules can change. Recheck every amount before transferring funds.
As of 6 June 2026, the German Missions in India state that a student can use a blocked account containing EUR 11,904, released at up to EUR 992 per month, as proof of living funds for the first year.
That EUR 11,904 is your living money, not a government fee and not an extra amount to add on top of twelve months of living expenses.
You must normally budget separately for:
DAAD currently advises planning roughly EUR 900 to EUR 1,200 per month for living costs. Expensive housing can push the total above that range.
Use the Cost Calculator to build a personal estimate, but verify the university and visa figures directly before paying.
The blocked account demonstrates that you can support yourself. The money remains yours and is released in monthly amounts after the account is activated in Germany.
Accepted alternatives may include:
A normal education loan does not automatically replace the blocked-account requirement. Follow the current checklist for your visa category.
Your actual spending includes rent, food, insurance, transport, study materials, and personal expenses. These are paid from the blocked-account releases and any other lawful funds available to you.
Do not calculate:
EUR 11,904 blocked account + EUR 11,904 living expenses
That counts the same living money twice.
The blocked account does not solve every arrival expense. The German Missions in India explicitly warn that students may need more than EUR 992 at the beginning, particularly for a rent deposit.
Keep separately accessible funds for:
There is no official universal buffer amount. Calculate it from your actual housing offer and arrival plan.
| Item | Current planning basis |
|---|---|
| Blocked account | EUR 11,904, with up to EUR 992 monthly withdrawal |
| Tuition | EUR 0 at many state universities, but programme and applicant exceptions apply |
| Semester contribution | DAAD states approximately EUR 70 to EUR 430 per semester |
| APS procedure | INR 18,000 for the standard individual procedure |
| National student visa | EUR 75, paid in INR at the mission's applicable rate |
| First residence permit | Normally EUR 100 |
| Statutory student insurance example | TK: EUR 141.16 or EUR 146.29 monthly in 2026, depending on age and parental status |
| Deutschlandticket | EUR 63 monthly in 2026, unless a different student arrangement applies |
| Broadcasting contribution | EUR 18.36 monthly per dwelling, not per resident |
| Rent deposit | Up to three months of cold rent for a standard residential lease |
Swipe horizontally to see more
This table is a starting point, not a quote. Your university, insurer, landlord, airline, bank, and blocked-account provider determine the payable amounts.
There are generally no tuition fees for Bachelor's programmes and many consecutive Master's programmes at state higher education institutions. Students still pay the semester contribution.
Do not assume that every public-university programme is tuition-free. Continuing-education programmes, selected Master's programmes, second degrees, long study periods, and state or university-specific rules can create fees.
The state generally charges non-EU international students EUR 1,500 per semester at its state universities. Statutory exemptions exist, and the university decides whether an exemption applies.
An Indian applicant should therefore check both:
TUM charges tuition to many newly enrolled students from third countries. Its published general ranges are:
Some programmes have a different amount or no international tuition. Exemptions and waiver scholarships may also apply. Use TUM's fee navigator and the page for the exact degree.
Bavarian higher education institutions can decide whether to charge tuition to students from outside the EU/EEA. TUM's policy must not be treated as a universal Bavaria-wide fee table.
Private universities and continuing-education Master's programmes set their own prices. A broad national range is not reliable enough for budgeting.
Before accepting an offer, obtain:
The German Missions in India require separate proof of financing for the first two semesters of tuition when tuition is charged. The visa checklist describes accepted evidence.
The semester contribution is not tuition. It normally funds student services and student representation, and it may include or subsidise local transport.
DAAD gives a current national range of approximately EUR 70 to EUR 430 per semester.
Check the university's current semester page for:
Do not assume transport is free. If no suitable student ticket is included, the regular Deutschlandticket costs EUR 63 per month in 2026 and covers local and regional public transport, not long-distance ICE or IC trains.
The current German Missions in India student-visa checklist states:
The EUR 992 figure has applied since 1 September 2024 and remains on the current checklist. It should not be described as a newly introduced 2026 amount.
If your university charges tuition, the mission asks for proof covering the first two semesters in addition to the living-funds evidence.
Provider setup, monthly, closure, and transfer fees vary. Compare the current contractual price and refund process rather than relying on an old provider table.
For provider-specific checks, use Blocked Account Comparison: Expatrio vs Fintiba vs Coracle and then confirm the current terms on the provider's own website.
For the complete document sequence, read the German Student Visa Application Guide.
DAAD currently recommends allowing EUR 900 to EUR 1,200 per month, depending mainly on location and rent.
Use this structure:
| Category | How to budget it |
|---|---|
| Housing | Use an actual room or dormitory quote, including utilities |
| Health and care insurance | Use a written quote from the insurer |
| Food | Track a personal grocery and Mensa allowance |
| Transport | Check the semester ticket first; otherwise price the required local ticket |
| Phone and internet | Confirm what is included in the rent |
| Broadcasting contribution | Share one household contribution where applicable |
| Study materials | Check programme-specific software, laboratory, printing, and equipment needs |
| Personal expenses | Include clothing, medicines, recreation, and trips |
| Contingency | Keep a monthly amount for price changes and unexpected costs |
Swipe horizontally to see more
Housing is normally the largest variable. Deutsches Studierendenwerk reports an average rent of about EUR 318 per month including utilities in Studierendenwerk residences, but these places are limited and waiting lists are common.
That national residence average is not a promise for your city. Private rooms and apartments can cost much more, especially in high-demand locations.
Before signing, identify:
Use A City-Wise Comparison of Living Costs in Germany for location research and the German Housing Hunt Guide for contracts and scam checks.
For a normal residential lease, Section 551 of the German Civil Code limits a cash deposit to three months of cold rent. A tenant is entitled to pay a cash deposit in three equal monthly instalments.
This legal ceiling is more useful than a fixed national deposit estimate. A deposit based on a EUR 350 cold rent is different from one based on a EUR 800 cold rent.
The broadcasting contribution is currently EUR 18.36 per month per dwelling. One person normally registers and pays for the household.
In a shared flat, residents can divide the cost privately. A room in a student residence can count as a separate dwelling depending on its layout and access.
There is no dependable nationwide grocery basket for every student. Diet, city, Mensa use, and eating out make large differences.
Build a weekly amount for:
Then multiply it by 4.3 for a monthly planning figure.
Health insurance is required for enrolment and residence purposes, but the correct product depends on age, course status, and previous insurance history.
TK publishes the following total monthly contributions from 1 January 2026:
Parents can have a different long-term-care contribution. Other statutory funds set their own supplementary contribution, so request the exact total from the insurer you choose.
The standard compulsory student tariff normally ends around age 30, although statutory exceptions can extend it.
Using TK only as an example, a voluntarily insured student with no income pays a substantially higher minimum contribution than the student tariff. The 2026 TK totals are approximately:
Do not use an old EUR 35 to EUR 80 private-insurance estimate as the default budget for every student over 30. Private premiums, exclusions, deductibles, long-term consequences, and university or visa acceptance vary by policy.
Obtain written confirmation from both the insurer and, where necessary, the university before choosing private coverage.
APS India's individual-procedure checklist states a non-refundable INR 18,000 procedure fee for applicants with Indian academic documents.
APS is not required in every case. Check the current APS and German mission exemptions before paying. The APS Eligibility Quiz can help you identify the likely route, but the official checklist controls.
The national student visa fee is EUR 75, payable in INR at the exchange rate and payment method stated by the German mission.
Do not rely on a fixed INR conversion in an article. The payable rupee amount changes with the mission's rate.
The visa checklist requires suitable travel health insurance for the period before German student insurance begins.
Flight and insurance prices are quote-based. Compare them for your actual dates, baggage requirement, refund rules, and coverage rather than using a national average.
Common arrival expenses include:
The standard fee for issuing a temporary residence permit is EUR 100. Extensions are normally EUR 93 or EUR 96 depending on the extension period.
Registering an address late is not a sensible budget item. Complete the Anmeldung within the required period instead of assuming a small fixed fine.
For the first administrative steps, use Your First Week in Germany.
Part-time income can reduce pressure after arrival, but it should not be the basis of your visa or first-semester budget.
Under the current student-employment rules, third-country students can generally work:
Student assistant work closely connected to the university can be treated differently. Always check the wording on your residence title and ask the foreigners authority if the job does not fit the standard pattern.
The statutory minimum wage is EUR 13.90 gross per hour in 2026. The 2026 minijob earnings limit is EUR 603 per month on annual average.
These figures do not guarantee:
Arrive with sufficient financing even if you intend to work.
Do not use one fixed EUR/INR rate months before payment.
For each transfer:
Use this formula:
INR required = EUR amount x remittance exchange rate + all transfer fees
Keep APS and other INR-denominated charges separate from EUR conversions.
The correct first-year number is therefore:
living funds + tuition + semester contributions + pre-departure fees + travel + arrival costs
The blocked account sits inside the living-funds component; it is not added to it again.
Scholarships can reduce the amount you must finance personally, but each award has its own coverage and visa treatment.
Check:
Use the DAAD and Scholarships Guide for Indian Students and verify each programme in the official scholarship database.
Practical savings include:
Many state-university Bachelor's and consecutive Master's programmes do not charge tuition, but semester contributions still apply. Baden-Wuerttemberg, TUM, other university policies, continuing-education programmes, and individual fee rules create important exceptions.
It is the amount currently stated on the German Missions in India student-visa checklist as of 6 June 2026. The checklist says up to EUR 992 can be withdrawn monthly.
No. It is your money for living costs, released after arrival subject to the account rules.
Not necessarily. DAAD recommends planning EUR 900 to EUR 1,200 monthly, and high rent can push spending higher. Arrival months can also cost more because of the deposit and setup expenses.
For one current statutory example, TK charges EUR 141.16 or EUR 146.29 monthly under the 2026 student tariff, depending on age and parental status. Obtain a personal quote because fund, age, children, employment, and insurance category affect the total.
Sometimes. Coverage varies by university and semester. Check the exact contribution breakdown before purchasing another ticket.
For a cash deposit under a standard residential lease, Section 551 BGB allows payment in three equal monthly instalments and caps the deposit at three months of cold rent.
No. Work can supplement your budget, but job availability and income are uncertain, and the visa requires financing before you start working.
Convert the verified EUR obligations using the actual remittance rate on the payment date, then add provider and bank fees. A fixed article conversion can become wrong quickly.
This article provides general planning information, not financial, immigration, insurance, or legal advice. The university, German mission, insurer, landlord, and local authority determine the amounts and rules in an individual case.
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