In order to be eligible for a student
residence permit in Germany,
international students have to prove that they are financially sound enough to
finance their stay in the country. At present an amount of roughly 8,000 EUR is
considered necessary to cover a student’s living expenses for one year.
Many Indian students from middle-class
families opt for educational loans to finance their overseas studies.
Previously the German consular authorities in India considered a loan sanction letter from an Indian bank as sufficient to fulfill
the visa requirement. Alternatively, proof of a substantial savings account or
term deposit was also accepted. When leaving India for Germany, the student had
to carry a corresponding demand draft (DD) from his or her bank that could be
cashed upon arrival.
Evidence, however, has shown that many
Indian students do actually not use this money for their needs but send it back
to India as soon as possible in order to save interest on their loans. Hard-pressed for
funds, they then end up in a tight corner, having to look for part-time jobs
(which are difficult to come by without German language skills) and neglecting
their studies.
To remedy this situation, some German
consulates in India
are making it mandatory for all Indian students to open an account with a
German bank at the time of applying for their visa. Required is a so-called
“blocked account” which limits the amount of money that can be withdrawn in a
certain period of time, thereby, making easy re-transfer of funds to India
impossible. Before the student leaves India,
the fixed sum of money for the first year has to be paid into the account.
This should not be considered a
discriminatory practice. It has long been a standard requirement for students
from many other Asian and African countries. There are also advantages for the
student: Up till now, many of them had to wait for weeks until the German banks
were finally able to cash their DDs. With a blocked account, there is usually immediate access to the money – in a limited amount, though.
Chris
germanstudycentre@gmail.com
