Visa & Papers

Student Visa from Georgia: Sperrkonto and Documents

By the GoGermany Editorial Team · 2026-07-27

German student visa from Georgia: Sperrkonto amount, apostille, Embassy Tbilisi appointment, EU-candidate context and the full document checklist.

For students in Tbilisi, Batumi and Kutaisi, Germany offers what few countries can match: tuition-free public universities, a globally respected degree and a clear route to work in the EU afterwards. As an EU-candidate country, Georgia is closer to Europe than ever — but you still need a national visa to study, and that means getting the file right. This guide covers the German student visa from Georgia, from the Sperrkonto to the apostille to your appointment at Embassy Tbilisi.

The visa route from Georgia

Georgian citizens enjoy visa-free short stays in the Schengen area, but studying for a full degree requires a national D visa. You apply at the German Embassy in Tbilisi, which handles national student visas for Georgia, before you travel.

Georgia's status as an EU-candidate country does not yet grant EU study rights, so for now you follow the standard third-country student process. Three scenarios qualify:

• A full Bachelor or Master place with an admission letter (Zulassung).
• A Studienkolleg place if your Georgian certificate is not yet equivalent to the German Abitur.
• A university language course or an applicant visa (Studienbewerbervisum).

Unsure which route your certificates support? The Eligibility Checker gives you a fast answer before you spend on apostilles and translations.

The Sperrkonto: proving your funds

Germany requires proof you can cover a year of living costs. That proof is a Sperrkonto (blocked account). For 2026 you deposit €11,904, and the account then releases up to €992 per month once you arrive.

You open it online before departure with a licensed provider:

• Fintiba — widely used, bundles health insurance, English dashboard.
• Expatrio — competitive fees, blocked account plus insurance combined.
• Coracle — simple setup with helpful support.

How it works

1. Register online and upload your passport.
2. Receive your German IBAN and account details.
3. Transfer €11,904 plus the one-time setup fee (around €49–€89).
4. Download the confirmation letter the Embassy needs.

Also budget the €75 visa fee and your bank's exchange spread when converting Georgian lari to euros. Because the lari can shift, send a small buffer over €11,904 so the account is never short. Model your budget with the Sperrkonto Calculator first.

Tip: Georgian banks such as TBC or Bank of Georgia handle euro transfers smoothly, but international transfers still take a few working days. Start early so your Sperrkonto is confirmed before your appointment.

Documents for Embassy Tbilisi

Prepare two identical sets (original plus copies) of:

• Completed national visa (VIDEX) form, signed.
• Valid passport (issued in last 10 years, valid 12+ months, two blank pages).
• Three biometric photos (35x45 mm).
• University admission (Zulassung) or Studienkolleg/language-course confirmation.
• Sperrkonto confirmation for €11,904.
• School and university certificates, transcripts and diplomas.
• Language proof (TestDaF, DSH, telc, or IELTS/TOEFL as your programme requires).
• Travel health insurance until enrolment.
• Motivation letter and CV — a clean German-style CV helps, so draft one with the CV Builder.

Apostille and certified translations

Georgia is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, which keeps this step simple. Your Georgian educational documents (school certificate, diploma, transcripts) should carry an apostille from the competent Georgian authority — the National Agency of Public Registry (NAPR) or the relevant ministry, depending on the document. After apostille, have the documents translated into German by a certified translator.

Get the apostille first, then the translation, so the translator can also render the apostille. Missing the apostille is a frequent reason a Georgian file is returned. Order both early, as translators are busy in the summer intake window.

Booking your appointment and the interview

Appointments at Embassy Tbilisi are booked through the official online system only. Never pay an unofficial "agent" for a guaranteed slot — it does not exist and risks your application. Autumn slots fill quickly, so check the calendar daily.

The consular officer may ask:

• Why Germany and why this specific university?
• How will you finance the whole degree, not just year one?
• What are your plans after graduation?

Keep your answers honest and consistent with your documents. To sequence apostille, translation, Sperrkonto and travel correctly, build a plan with the Migration Timeline.

Costs and timeline at a glance

• Sperrkonto deposit: €11,904 (yours, released monthly).
• Visa fee: €75 (paid in lari at the current rate).
• Sperrkonto setup fee: ~€49–€89.
• Apostille + certified translations: varies by document count.
• Processing time: typically 6–12 weeks from your appointment.

After you land: Anmeldung, residence permit and working

Your visa only gets you into Germany — the residence permit lets you stay for the full degree. Within your first two weeks you must register your address (Anmeldung) at the local Bürgeramt. Without this registration certificate you cannot open a normal bank account, get a tax ID or move to the next step, so book it as soon as you have a room — appointments in cities like Berlin, Munich and Cologne fill up fast.

Next, apply at the Ausländerbehörde before your national visa expires to receive your Aufenthaltstitel for study purposes. At this stage you convert your Sperrkonto into an everyday German current account and the monthly €992 release begins. You will also finalise enrolment (Immatrikulation) at your university and switch to statutory health insurance — providers like TK or AOK are the usual student choice.

As an international student you may work up to 140 full or 280 half days per year alongside your studies. That income tops up your budget without touching the blocked funds, and campus or working-student roles often build the German-language and professional experience that helps you land a job after graduation. Handle these first steps promptly and you avoid any gap in your legal status — the difference between a stressful arrival and a smooth one.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the apostille. Georgian documents need an apostille before translation; plain copies get rejected.
• Underfunding the Sperrkonto. Deposit the full €11,904 — a shortfall from fees or lari movement is a common rejection reason.
• Name mismatches. Your name must be transliterated identically across passport, diploma and Sperrkonto.
• Assuming candidate status changes the process. EU-candidate Georgia still uses the third-country student route for now.
• Starting too late. Apostille plus translation plus a 6–12 week wait means beginning months ahead of your semester.

Your next step

A German student visa from Georgia rewards a clean, early file: apostille your documents, fund the Sperrkonto in full, and book Embassy Tbilisi as soon as slots open. Start by confirming your route and mapping your timeline with GoGermany's free tools, then gather your documents one at a time. A German degree — and a career in the EU — is well within reach.

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