How much money does a student need per month in Germany? Is EUR 992 enough?
Short answer
The German Missions in Nigeria and the Accra embassy ask you to prove EUR 992 a month for a student visa. DAAD says applicants "must prove that they have 992 euros available per month." It also says that, depending on where you study, you will need between EUR 900 and EUR 1,200 a month. 123
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What is the EUR 992 for?
The German Missions in Nigeria list EUR 992 net per month for university studies, including preparatory language courses. The Accra embassy asks for at least EUR 11,904 for the first year, which is EUR 992 a month.
DAAD (the German Academic Exchange Service) says that as of 1 January 2025 you must prove you have EUR 992 a month at your disposal. You show this proof when you apply for the visa.
DAAD also gives a living range. Depending on where in Germany you want to study, it says you will need between EUR 900 and EUR 1,200 a month.
What do students in Germany actually spend?
DAAD quotes a social survey from 2023 (the 22nd Social Survey by DZHW, a German higher education research centre). It says students have expenses totalling an average of EUR 876 a month. DAAD sets this next to the EUR 992 that visa applicants must prove.
The survey covers students already living in Germany. DAAD calls it the latest social survey and gives an average, so your own costs may differ.
DAAD breaks the average German student's costs down like this:
- Rent, including utility costs: EUR 410 a month
- Food: EUR 198 a month
- Health insurance, doctor's fees and medicines: EUR 100 a month
Sources for this part3
What does a room cost?
DAAD says rent is the main part of a student's costs, and it varies a lot with where you live. Its Renting a Room page gives two figures:
- Student residence run by student services: a room costs on average EUR 280 a month.
- Room in a shared flat: between EUR 266 and EUR 790 a month, depending on the city.
What other costs come on top?
The semester contribution has to be paid and is not a tuition fee. It covers student services and the student government, and at many universities a local transport ticket. DAAD says it is between EUR 70 and EUR 430 and must be paid at enrolment and before every new semester.
Banks charge between EUR 70 and EUR 150 to set up a blocked account (Sperrkonto, the German blocked account that many international students use to fund their studies).
DAAD says there are generally no fees for Bachelor's courses or most Master's courses at state higher education institutions. Baden-Württemberg charges non-EU students EUR 1,500 per semester, and Bavarian universities decide their own fees. Check your own university's fee page.
Sources for this part3
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Is EUR 992 a month enough to live on as a student in Germany?
DAAD says you will need between EUR 900 and EUR 1,200 a month, depending on where you study. It also says the main cost is rent, which varies a lot by place. Check the rent where your university is before you decide. 3
Why is the visa amount higher than the survey average?
DAAD puts the two side by side: the 2023 survey average is EUR 876 a month, and visa applicants must prove EUR 992. DAAD does not explain the gap. 3
Do I need to show the semester contribution and bank fee on top of EUR 992?
The mission pages we checked do not mention the semester contribution or the bank fee. They give EUR 992 a month, EUR 11,904 for the first year. DAAD lists the semester contribution (EUR 70 to EUR 430) and the blocked account fee (EUR 70 to EUR 150) separately. 123
Sources
- 1Financial meansOfficialGerman Missions in Nigeria · checked 29 Oct 2026
- 2Visa for StudentsOfficialGerman Embassy Accra · checked 29 Oct 2026
- 3Costs of education and livingOfficialDAAD · checked 29 Oct 2026
- 4Renting a RoomOfficialDAAD · checked 29 Oct 2026
Official is the embassy or a German government page. Applicant reports are what applicants say happened at their appointment. Secondary is everything else we checked.
General information, not legal advice. VisaRoom isn't connected to any embassy or government, and only the embassy decides on your visa. Something out of date? Tell us.