Step 3: Finance
In Germany you need to have an own bank account for e.g. the transfer of the health insurance fee or the rent.
In many cases you need a blocked account at a German bank. This means you have to put money at the opening of the account and then you can withdraw just a limited amount each month.
The amount of money on a blocked account for one year is approximately 11.208 EUR. Then you can withdraw up to 934,- EUR per month.
You can open this blocked account, for example, at Deutsche Bank. You must bring these documents for the opening of a new account:
- the letter of admission of the University of Magdeburg
- the registration from the Citizens' Office (see step 2)
- your passport
More local banks are e.g. the Volksbank, Commerzbank, Sparkasse or Postbank. Additionally, you can also open an online-account with the DKB, Targobank, ING-DiBa and many other banks, however, not all banks offer blocked accounts.
Cost of living in Magdeburg
We want to help you to plan your finances for your stay in Magdeburg. Here you can see the average monthly cost of living.
| one-time fees (in Euro) |
monthly costs (in Euro) |
annual costs (in Euro) |
|
| rent | 250 to 350 | 3000 to 4200 | |
| deposit for your room | 250 to 500 | - | - |
| food | 150 to 250 | 1800 to 3000 | |
| mobile phone and internet (see below) | 15 to 30 | 180 to 360 | |
| semester fee | 277,90 per Semester | - | 555,80 |
| health insurance | ca. 125 | 1500 | |
| books, writing utensils, etc. | 10 to 50 | 120 to 600 | |
| broadcast contribution | 18.36 | 220.32 | |
| miscellaneous | 100 | 125 | 1500 |
| total | approx. 630 to 880 | approx. 695 to 950 | approx. 9360 to 11940 |
In comparison to many other German cities, the prices (especially for accommodation) are moderate in Magdeburg. There is no tuition fee and the semester fee includes the costs for local transport (busses and trams) within Magdeburg.
Broadcast media user fees in Germany
International students in particular often ask questions about this topic. Since the beginning of 2013 every occupied apartment in Germany must pay a broadcast media user fee ("Rundfunkbeitrag"). There are only very few exceptions from the obligation to pay this fee. Students can usually only be exempt if they are in receipt of a special kind of state support known as “BAföG”.
If you live in a shared apartment, the fee should be divided between all of the flatmates. It only needs to be paid once per apartment.
The "Rundfunkbeitrag" service centre provides all the information you need as a student on this website.
Mobile Phones and Internet
The easist and often most convenient option for mobile telephony and internet is buying a pre-paid SIM-Card. You can get that at most of the supermarkets. An identification via Video-Chat might be necessary. Another option for long-time students are mobile phone contracts, that often also come with a new mobile phone. However make sure that these contracts often have a minimum duration and need to be cancelled in time.
If you have questions regarding the internet in the dormitories, feel free to contact the dormitory advisors.
Tips for International Students - How do I finance my studies in Germany?
To provide an overview of what to take into account for financing your stay, costs of living, the current job situation and the laws for working as an international student, the SIK ( Servicestelle Internationale Kompetenz) of Deutsches Studierendenwerk (German Student Services) has published an educational video.
Language: English, Subtitles: German
You can find the German Language version with English subtitles here.