Enrollment for PhD Students
7. German bank account / German language course
A German bank account is usually necessary for students who are staying in Germany for a longer period of time.
Please note that you need to have registered in Hamburg before being able to open a bank account.
It is recommended for PhD students to open a German account at a bank because with a bank account you can make transfers to other accounts with no additional charge. If you need to transfer an amount without a bank account (pay in cash at a local bank), an extra charge of up to 6 EUR needs to be paid.
For opening a bank account an enrollment certificate and registration certificate from the local registration office need to be presented. Most banks have special offers for student bank accounts without an account fee.
You usually do not have to pay a fee for setting up a usual bank account. The monthly “costs” for German bank accounts are the same as nearly all bank accounts in Germany are free of charge for students. A usual bank account has no restriction for withdrawing (sometimes the limit for withdrawing money from cash machines is about 500 EUR a day).
Banks near KLU campus:
- Deutsche Bank (Überseeboulevard 4-10, 20457 Hamburg)
- Hamburger Sparkasse - HASPA (Am Kaiserkai 1, 20457 Hamburg)
- Commerzbank (Am Sandtorkai 23-24, 20457 Hamburg)
- Postbank (Am Sandtorkai 44, 20457 Hamburg)
Blocked bank account
A blocked account ("Sperrkonto") is a special type of a German bank account that was created specifically for internationals who would like to come to Germany with the purpose of studying, job-searching or participating in the au-pair programme.
The blocked account has to be opened at a German bank while you are still in your home country, preparing your documents for your visa application or, perhaps, when you are already in Germany and would like to obtain a residence permit.
This type of bank account implies that your money will be blocked/limited for the duration of your stay in Germany. The amount that needs to be transferred serves as a guarantee that you can uphold an appropriate standard of living abroad and is defined by German authorities. Even though the funds fully belong to you and are held in your name, you do not have access to the whole amount at once and receive a monthly allowance into your regular bank account opened at a German bank of your choice.
As soon as you deposit the required amount, the organisation that you have selected for the account opening will issue a so-called “blocking confirmation”. This is the document that the authorities require you to submit together with your visa or residence permit application. It functions as your proof of financial resources.
Please be aware that the process for opening the account can take up to a few weeks, depending on which provider you choose, and when you start the application procedure. There are times when banks receive a great number of applications from international students or are overloaded with their regular work. This may lead to a delay in the opening of your blocked account, which is why you should ideally start with the procedure as soon as you get your admission letter.
When opening an account, you will most likely be asked to submit several documents. The list of required documents to open a blocked account may vary depending on your nationality and the bank account provider you choose.
With Expatrio, for example, you only need your passport to register and create your account, and you will get your German blocked account opening confirmation within 24 hours.
Fees for opening a German blocked account also vary. We recommend to pay attention to are the monthly fees for maintaining your account and the setup fees. Generally, you can expect a setup fee between 50€ and 100€, and monthly fees of around 5€.
Once you have set up the account, you will have to deposit the amount required. From January 1, 2023, you will have to deposit 11,208 euros. Please be aware that you can only withdraw 934 Euros per month. The rest of the money in your account will remain blocked. In case you need more money per month of course you can deposit more than the required minimum amount into your bank account.
You can set up your blocked account at many different providers, for example Fintiba, Coracle or expatrio. All these providers are listed on the website of the German Federal Foreign Office.
It depends on the German embassy in your country which form of financial proof is required. Just for you to know: you will also need to present the financial proof when you apply for a residence permit in Germany.
You will also find more information about the financial proof for your visa application on KLU’s website (see visa details, proof of sufficient funding (bank statement e.g.).
German language course
Even though you do not need to speak German for your PhD studies, you may want to learn some German for your everyday live in Hamburg.
KLU offers free German language courses on campus. There will be an oral test of 15 minutes per student beforehand so that your level can be defined.
In case you have any questions about this opportunity please contact our program managers.