Indian students are vying to find a way out after Germany has changed student visa norms. Applicants wanting a German visa will need to have at least €11,904 to be eligible to apply from September 1, 2024. Financial stability is a criteria for getting a work and study visa in the European country.
The increased amount in the blocked accounts has prompted Indian students studying in Germany to respond in different ways. Ameya Gadkari, who is pursuing Systems Engineering for Manufacturing (SEM) from Otto-von-Guericke Universität in Magdeburg, believes that this gradual increase in the block amount is “due to the inflation in Germany and is expected” until the situation becomes normal.
German Missions in India stated, “Expected from September 1, 2024, there will be a change in the necessary amounts to show sufficient financial means. Applications on and after September 1, 2024, will most likely have to show proof of at least €11,904 for the first year, with a maximum withdrawal amount of €992 per month.” The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and a number of German missions abroad, especially the one in India, have announced this action.
Samruddhi Chaugule, a Masters student in Aviation Management from Technical Hochschule Wildau, said, “It actually will be a safer thing to have a good amount as blocked money because of the increase in the immigrants in Germany. Students are finding it difficult to find a rental place to live within budget, and also part-time jobs are now difficult to find in big cities. The language barrier also makes it difficult to find jobs quickly.”
Param Sureliya, another student pursuing a Masters in Electrical and Microsystems Engineering at Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule (OTH), Regensburg, said the recent 6.2% increase in the blocked account requirement to €11,904 is modest when viewed in historical context. He explained, “Prior to 2020, the required amount was €8,640. Then from January 1, 2020, it increased by 18.4% to €10,236. A year later, it slightly increased to €10,332, and then on January 1, 2023, to €11,208 indicating an 8.5% hike.” He believes this pattern indicates a correlation with inflation rates, making the current increase reasonable and expected.
When discussing whether the increase in the blocked account amount will affect the overall number of Indian students in Germany in the long run, Gadkari and Sureliya, both 24-year-old, think it is not going to decrease the number of students. They said, “No, I don't think it will decrease the number of incoming Indian students in Germany. Students, in fact, considering the situation of visas in Canada and the low amount of blocked account requirement in Germany versus Canada, this would attract a lot of students to come to Germany.”
Contrastingly, Chaugule and Puneet Sharma, who is studying a Masters in Mechatronics Engineering from TH Rosenheim, believe it could affect students in the long run. 24-year-old Chaugule stated, “People choose Germany for its low cost of living and good career opportunities. If the amount keeps on increasing, they might not consider it for higher studies. There are other European countries that provide good education on a budget.”
Offering advise to prospective students, Chaugule suggested, “I would suggest them to find a part-time job as soon as possible after arriving here. Part-time or student working jobs can cover the expenses they are spending per month and also make it stress-free for them to repay the loan amount if taken.”
28-year-old Puneet advises, "try to learn as much German as possible and secure a student job as soon as you get an admission letter from a university." He said, “There are higher chances that you get one job before you land in Germany, which will decrease your financial burden a lot.”
Sureliya, 25, added, “I would advise being low on spending as there is a large influx of students, the availability of part-time jobs is decreasing, and rent prices are increasing. This would secure them for the future years.”
As the deadline approaches, prospective students and their families will need to carefully consider these financial requirements. While some see the increase as a necessary adjustment to inflation, others worry it may deter potential students. Nonetheless, Germany remains a popular destination for higher education, and these changes are likely to shape the experiences of future international students.
