What a blocked account actually is
A blocked account, or Sperrkonto, is a specific German and Austrian instrument. Before the visa is decided you transfer a full year of living costs into an account at a designated provider, the bank blocks it, and after you arrive you may withdraw only a fixed amount each month. Germany's requirement is roughly EUR 992 a month, about EUR 11,904 for a year, and the figure is reset annually - the German Federal Foreign Office and the German mission in Dhaka publish the current one.
It is the most searched phrase in European student finance, and it is the reason so many Bangladeshi families believe European study requires handing over a large sum before departure.
It does not, for any of the nine countries on this site.
What our nine ask instead
Every one of them asks you to evidence funds rather than deposit them. In practice that means a bank statement showing the account history, plus a solvency certificate from the bank, and in some cases a sponsor's documents. The money stays where it is, under your control, and can be spent on the things it was meant for.
| Country | What it asks you to evidence | Blocked account? |
|---|---|---|
| Hungary | About EUR 6,000 for a self-funded year, roughly HUF 200,000 a month. No fixed published figure - you prove you can cover subsistence, accommodation, return travel and healthcare | No |
| Cyprus | EUR 7,000 for a year, as a bank letter plus statement, and a bank guarantee for repatriation. Set by the university, EUR 5,000-7,000 in practice | No |
| Greece | About EUR 7,200 for the year. The legal floor is EUR 400 a month but consulates ask for EUR 600-700 | No |
| Bulgaria | About EUR 7,440 a year. Law requires monthly means no lower than the national minimum wage, EUR 620 a month for 2026 | No |
| Finland | EUR 9,600, at EUR 800 a month, in your own account on the day you apply | No |
| Italy | EUR 10,179.85 for the first year, by bank statement and solvency certificate, raised from EUR 6,947.33 for 2026/27 | No |
| Malta | EUR 950 per month of stay, about EUR 11,400 for a year, shown by a statement with three months of transactions | No |
| Sweden | SEK 10,656 a month for 2026, about EUR 960 | No |
| Denmark | DKK 7,426 a month, capped at DKK 89,112 for a year, about EUR 11,920 | No |
| *Germany, for comparison* | *About EUR 992 a month, EUR 11,904 for a year, deposited and frozen* | *Yes* |
Every one of those figures is revised, most of them annually, and several changed for 2026. Take the current number from the country's own immigration authority before building a file - the country guides link to each one.
The difference that actually matters
It is not the amount. Look at the table again: Denmark asks you to evidence more than Germany blocks. The difference is control.
| Blocked account | Evidenced funds | |
|---|---|---|
| Where the money sits | A frozen account at a designated provider | Your own bank account |
| When you transfer it | Before the visa decision | Never |
| If the visa is refused | Recoverable, but through a closure process | Nothing to recover |
| Access after arrival | A fixed monthly withdrawal | Unrestricted |
| Can it pay a deposit or an emergency? | No, only the monthly amount | Yes |
That last row is the practical one. A student in Germany with a EUR 900 rental deposit due cannot simply take it from the blocked account. A student in Italy or Malta can.
What "evidenced" really requires
Do not read "no blocked account" as "easier". The evidence requirement has its own rules, and they catch people.
The account history matters, not just the balance. Malta explicitly asks for three months of transactions, and a certificate stating only a closing balance is not accepted. Other consulates apply the same logic informally: a large sum appearing eleven days before the appointment invites questions about where it came from. Build the balance over months, not days - the mechanics are in bank statements for a European student visa.
Whose account it is matters. Finland is the strictest here: Migri requires the money in your own account, and a joint account or a written guarantee from a private sponsor is not accepted. Most other countries allow a close relative to sponsor, with documents - see sponsor letters and affidavits.
Traceability matters. Italy's consulate checks the origin of the money as well as the amount. Money that arrived without an explanation is a refusal risk regardless of the sum. The related tax documentation is covered in TIN and tax returns for student visas.
A solvency certificate is a separate document from a statement. Several countries want both, and Bangladeshi banks issue them on request - see the bank solvency certificate.
Why the myth is so strong in Bangladesh
Three reasons, all understandable.
Germany is the largest European destination for Bangladeshi students, so its rules get treated as Europe's rules. Agencies that process Germany describe the blocked account as a standard European step, because for them it is. And "show money" is used loosely in conversation to mean both things at once, which hides the distinction entirely.
The consequence is real: families delay applications while trying to assemble a sum they will never have to transfer. If Germany is genuinely the right choice for you, go - we do not process it and gain nothing by discouraging it, and the honest comparison is in Germany versus other European countries. But do not let a German requirement rule out nine countries that do not have it.
What to do next
- 1Find the current funds figure for your country on its own immigration authority's page, not in an article.
- 2Start building the account history now - a statement showing months of stable balance is worth more than a large last-minute deposit.
- 3Confirm whether a sponsor is allowed in your country, and get the sponsor documents right. Finland does not allow one.
- 4Keep the funds money entirely separate from the money you are spending on the application, which is set out in what you spend before you even fly.
Official sources — check for yourself
- German Federal Foreign Office - German missions in Bangladesh
- Migri - Finnish Immigration Service, sufficient funds
- Identita - residence and visa services, Malta
- SIRI - Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration
Rules and figures change. We review these articles periodically and show the date above, but always confirm the current requirement with the official source before you act on it.
Common questions
Do any European countries require a blocked account?+
Germany and Austria do. None of the nine we handle - Italy, Cyprus, Hungary, Malta, Finland, Greece, Denmark, Sweden and Bulgaria - requires one. Each asks you to evidence that funds exist and are available, through a bank statement and usually a solvency certificate, and the money stays in your own account.
Is evidencing funds easier than a blocked account?+
It is easier on cash flow and not necessarily easier on paperwork. Consulates look at the account history rather than a single balance, Malta asks for three months of transactions explicitly, Italy checks where the money came from, and Finland requires it in your own name with no sponsor guarantee accepted. A large sum deposited days before the appointment is a common refusal reason.
How much do the nine countries ask for?+
From about EUR 6,000 for a self-funded year in Hungary to roughly EUR 11,920 for Denmark, with Italy at EUR 10,179.85 and Malta at about EUR 11,400. Denmark and Malta ask you to evidence more than Germany blocks, so the difference between the two systems is control of the money rather than the amount.
Can my father or brother provide the funds?+
In most of the nine, yes, with a sponsor letter, an affidavit and the sponsor's own bank and income documents. Finland is the exception - Migri requires the money in the student's own account and does not accept a joint account or a private sponsor's written guarantee. Check the specific country before assuming a sponsor works.
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