“What is the blocked account amount for Germany in 2026?” We hear this question all the time, from Bamenda to Douala. For an Ausbildung, the answer often surprises people: you do not always need a blocked account, because your training pay is what funds your stay in the first place. If that pay is too low, though, you have to top it up. Here are the official 2026 amounts, how to work out what you are missing, and a realistic moving budget in XAF.
What a blocked account is
A blocked account (Sperrkonto) is an account with a German bank or provider. You pay in a sum before you travel. Once in Germany, you can only withdraw a fixed amount each month. For the embassy, it proves you can live without money trouble.
The alternative is a formal letter of commitment (Verpflichtungserklärung, under Sections 66 to 68a of the Residence Act). Someone promises to cover your living costs. Note the catch: according to the embassy in Yaoundé, that person’s assets must be in Germany. An uncle in Buea cannot sign it for you.
For an Ausbildung: the EUR 1,048 line
For in-company (dual) training, the 2026 rule is: your living costs count as covered if your training pay is at least EUR 1,048 gross or EUR 822 net per month. If it is, you do not need a blocked account.
If your pay is lower, the gap must be covered by a blocked account or a Verpflichtungserklärung.
Here is the problem. The legal minimum training pay (Mindestausbildungsvergütung) for training that starts in 2026 is:
| Training year | Legal minimum per month | In XAF (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| 1st year | EUR 724 | 474,900 |
| 2nd year | EUR 854 | 560,200 |
| 3rd year | EUR 977 | 640,900 |
| 4th year | EUR 1,014 | 665,100 |
Even in the fourth year, the minimum stays below EUR 1,048. So a trainee on the legal minimum always has to top up. Fortunately, many companies pay more. Companies bound by collective agreements paid EUR 1,117 on average in the first year in 2025. By occupation, the average over the whole training ranged from EUR 727 (hairdressing) to over EUR 1,300 (for example mechatronics or bricklaying). More detail in our article on Ausbildung salary in Germany.
A worked example
Take your contract and look at the first-year pay:
- EUR 1,150 gross: you are above the line, so no blocked account is needed on this point.
- EUR 900 gross: you are about EUR 148 a month short of the gross line (about 97,100 XAF).
- EUR 724 gross (legal minimum): you are about EUR 324 a month short (about 212,500 XAF).
These figures are only a guide. The embassy sets the exact amount and how many months must be covered. The official pages we checked do not state the period, so ask before you open the account, so you do not lock away more (or less) than needed.
For school-based training
School-based training (schulische Ausbildung) often pays nothing. You then need to show at least EUR 959 net per month (about 629,100 XAF) through a blocked account, a scholarship or a Verpflichtungserklärung.
The other official 2026 amounts
You hear many different figures because they depend on the visa type:
| Situation | Monthly amount 2026 | In XAF (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| In-company Ausbildung | pay of at least EUR 1,048 gross / EUR 822 net, otherwise top up | 687,400 gross |
| School-based Ausbildung | EUR 959 net | 629,100 |
| Training-place search visa (Section 17) | EUR 1,091 | 715,600 |
| University study (amount quoted by the embassy, as of 2026) | EUR 992 | 650,700 |
The EUR 11,904 a year (EUR 992 a month) that goes round on WhatsApp is for students, not for Ausbildung. The amounts change every year, so always check the embassy page before you transfer anything.
Choosing a blocked account provider
The German Foreign Office does not certify any provider. According to the embassy in Yaoundé, the choice is yours. The names you see most often are Expatrio, Fintiba and Deutsche Bank. We do not recommend any one of them, and conditions change, so compare for yourself.
What to check:
- opening fees and monthly fees;
- how long it takes to get the confirmation you will submit with your visa file;
- how you pay in from Cameroon (usually an international bank transfer) and what your Cameroonian bank charges;
- what happens if the visa is refused: how, and how quickly, you get your money back.
One practical rule: never send blocked-account money to a person or an agency that “handles everything”. The transfer goes straight to the provider, in your name. See our guide to Ausbildung scam warning signs.
Your full moving budget in XAF
The blocked account is only part of the cost. Here is what to plan for. Some figures are official, some are estimates, and we say which.
| Item | Amount | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Goethe B1 exam in Yaoundé (4 modules) | about 130,000 XAF | check with the Goethe-Institut |
| Visa fee (18 and over) | 50,000 XAF | official |
| VFS service fee, if you submit at VFS | set by VFS | check |
| Trip to Yaoundé for the appointment | varies | plan for it |
| “Incoming” health insurance for the visa | depends on insurer and duration | compare |
| Return flight Douala to Frankfurt | about 482,000 to 946,000 XAF | daily price, varies a lot |
| Residence permit in Germany | up to EUR 100 (65,600 XAF) | official |
| Room in a shared flat (WG), per month | about EUR 510 (334,500 XAF), much more in Munich | estimate |
| Broadcasting fee (Rundfunkbeitrag) | EUR 18.36 per month per dwelling | official |
Documents in English or French cost you nothing in translation for the visa, because the embassy does not require translations for those languages. Details in our article on Ausbildung documents and translation.
The first month is the hardest
Your first pay usually arrives after your first month of work. Meanwhile you are already paying rent, food, transport and paperwork. There is no official figure for this first month. Our estimate, built from the items above: plan at least one month’s rent, a possible deposit and a few weeks of food and transport, which means several hundred euros on top of the flight. In an expensive city, raise that reserve.
This is where families often get caught out. Save during the months you wait for the visa rather than arriving with nothing.
Getting organised from Cameroon
The visa wait often lasts several months. Use the time:
- As soon as the contract is signed, work out the gap to EUR 1,048 gross.
- Ask the embassy, or check its page, for the period you must cover.
- Open the blocked account only once you know the amount, and keep every transfer receipt.
- Save for the first month, separately from the blocked account.
- Track everything in a table: what is paid and what is left, in EUR and XAF (EUR 1 = 655.957 XAF, fixed rate).
At ILC, we do this calculation with you from your contract, so your visa file shows clear funding. The visa steps themselves are in our guide to the Ausbildung visa from Cameroon and on the § 16a visa page. For an overview of all expenses, see the Ausbildung costs page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the blocked account amount for Germany in 2026?
For university study, the embassy quotes EUR 992 a month (EUR 11,904 a year). For the training-place search visa (Section 17), it is EUR 1,091 a month. For in-company Ausbildung, there is no fixed amount: you top up only if your pay is below EUR 1,048 gross.
My company pays EUR 1,100 gross. Do I need a blocked account?
On this point, no: you are above the EUR 1,048 gross line. The embassy can still ask for other evidence.
Can a relative in Cameroon sign the Verpflichtungserklärung?
No. According to the embassy, the assets of the person giving the commitment must be in Germany.
Can I pay into the blocked account with Mobile Money?
The account is opened with a German provider, which sets the accepted payment methods. Usually that means an international bank transfer. Be wary of anyone offering to “receive” the money for you by MTN or Orange Money.
Sources
- Make it in Germany: vocational training visa factsheet (January 2026)
- Make it in Germany: visa for vocational training
- German Embassy Yaoundé: visas for training, study and research
- German Embassy Yaoundé: fees
- Make it in Germany: training-place search visa factsheet
- BIBB: minimum training pay 2026
- BIBB: collectively agreed training pay 2025
- Rundfunkbeitrag
Last checked: 19 October 2026.