Do You Need to Deposit €12,000 in a Blocked Account?

A paid nursing Ausbildung: your monthly training salary can count as proof of funds — instead of a blocked account of about €12,000. Official German government figures, 2026.

Official terms such as Ausbildung, blocked account and Verpflichtungserklärung are kept exactly as they appear on the official forms and sites.

One of the biggest advantages of a paid company-based nursing Ausbildung is that you may not need to deposit the approximately €12,000 that is commonly associated with the financial requirement for international university students in Germany.

This is an important distinction between studying at a German university and undertaking a company-based vocational training programme (Ausbildung).

For a company-based Ausbildung, your monthly training salary can serve as proof that you have sufficient financial means to support yourself in Germany.

1. The official 2026 threshold

According to the German government's official Make it in Germany portal, in 2026, if your training allowance is at least:

2. What does this mean for nursing applicants?

Many nursing Ausbildung positions offer a training allowance that can meet or exceed the required amount.

Therefore, an applicant who receives a qualifying paid nursing Ausbildung contract does not necessarily need to put around €12,000 into a blocked account before travelling to Germany.

Instead, the salary specified in the Ausbildung contract can be used as part of the financial proof for the visa application.

3. What if the salary is not enough?

There is an important exception.

If your training allowance is below the required financial threshold, you may need to demonstrate how you will cover the difference.

The German government states that the shortfall can be compensated by providing another accepted form of financial proof, such as:

• Money in a blocked account
• A declaration of commitment (Verpflichtungserklärung)
• Another officially accepted form of financial support

In other words, you should not assume that every Ausbildung applicant automatically needs €12,000, but you also should not assume that every applicant will require zero additional financial proof. It depends on the salary in your specific training contract and your individual visa circumstances.

4. Ausbildung vs University: the financial difference

This is where much of the confusion comes from.

4.1 University studies

International students coming to Germany for university studies generally have to demonstrate sufficient funds for their living expenses. This is commonly done through a blocked account.

4.2 Paid company-based nursing Ausbildung

You are entering a paid vocational training programme. Your training allowance can count toward the financial requirement. If the allowance reaches the applicable threshold, your livelihood is considered secured.

4.3 School-based Ausbildung

School-based vocational training follows different financial rules. Applicants generally need to demonstrate sufficient funds through an accepted method — such as a blocked account, scholarship or declaration of commitment.

5. So, do you need €12,000?

You should not automatically expect to deposit €12,000 simply because you are a non-EU applicant. Instead, look at the salary stated in your Ausbildung contract.

Training salary ≥ applicable threshold → your salary can establish your livelihood.

Training salary < applicable threshold → you may need additional financial proof for the difference.

This is why applicants should carefully check the salary before accepting an Ausbildung offer.

6. Important warning

The exact amount you personally need will depend on your circumstances.

Also, the financial requirement can change over time. The figures above are the 2026 figures published by the German government and should be checked again when you apply.

The bottom line

7. Official sources only

• make-it-in-germany.com/en/visa-residence/types/training — the German government's official portal: the visa for vocational training (this is the page with the 2026 figures)
• make-it-in-germany.com — Sperrkonto — the official definition of a blocked account

This is general information, not legal advice, and the author is not an immigration attorney. Rules, thresholds and fees change — verify everything on the official sites before paying or submitting. The visa decision belongs to the German authorities alone.