New to Germany? Start here.
Student visa, blocked account, health insurance, registering your address and working while you study. Short answers with the official link and the date we last checked them.
Your first steps, in order
- Blocked account992 euros a month in 2026, 11,904 euros for the first year. How the Sperrkonto works and which alternatives count.
- Student visaApply at the German mission before you travel, online in many countries. Documents, the 75 euro fee and what follows in Germany.
- Health insurancePublic student insurance costs about 148 euros a month in 2026. Who is covered, the exemption and the proof your university needs.
- AnmeldungRegister at the Bürgeramt within two weeks of moving in. What to bring, what arrives by post afterwards and the broadcasting fee.
- Working while studyingWith a student residence permit you may work up to 140 days a year. How the days are counted, what is exempt and what you earn.
- After graduationAfter your degree you can get a residence permit for up to 18 months to look for a job. What it requires and what you may do.
Your question is missing?
Write to us. Questions that come up often go into the next guide.
These pages give a general overview and are not legal advice. Only the rules of the German authorities, your German mission abroad and your university are binding. Do you read German? Studium kurz erklärt covers BAföG, housing and more.