Germany requires proof that you can support yourself before it issues a National Visa, and it does this through the Sperrkonto (blocked account) rather than a bank statement review. Nigerian applicants routinely underestimate this figure, and getting it wrong delays a visa appointment by weeks.
Current requirement (mid-2026):
- Standard student visa: €11,904 per year, released at a maximum of €992 per month
- Chancenkarte (Opportunity Card), job-seeker, and language-course visas: €13,092 per year, or €1,091 per month, since the state treats these applicants as a slightly higher financial risk
- A formal sponsor declaration (Verpflichtungserklärung) from a German resident is legally valid but slower and harder for most Nigerian families to arrange in time
The amount is reviewed periodically against Germany’s BAföG student support rate, so it moves most years rather than staying fixed. It has held at €992 a month since the 2024 BAföG update, but applying with an outdated figure is still one of the most common causes of rejected blocking confirmation letters (Sperrbescheinigung), so confirm the live number before you transfer anything.
The blocked account is not the only route. A recognised scholarship certificate, such as one from DAAD, can replace it entirely if the award covers at least the monthly minimum, and a signed part-time job contract paying €1,091 or more a month can substitute for the Chancenkarte specifically. For most self-funded applicants, though, a Sperrkonto remains the fastest and most predictable option. Of the online providers, Coracle paused new applications in August 2025 for a system upgrade with no confirmed reopening date, which leaves Fintiba and Expatrio as the two realistic choices for Nigerian applicants right now.
Start the account-opening process 6 to 8 weeks ahead of your visa appointment, since international transfers from Nigeria can take longer than the provider’s own processing time suggests. If your visa is refused, the blocked deposit itself is refunded in full, though what happens to the provider’s own fees differs between Fintiba and Expatrio, covered in the comparison below. See Fintiba vs Expatrio: Best Blocked Account for Nigerians for the full cost breakdown, and if you’re coming through a DAAD scholarship rather than self-funding, see DAAD Scholarships for Postgraduate Studies in Germany.