What’s the visa process if I get a scholarship — do I still need to show funds?

Question

Divakshi Arora · Accepted Answer

Yes, even if you get a scholarship, you still need to show proof of financial support , but how much depends on the scholarship coverage.
In Germany, if your scholarship fully covers living expenses (around &euro;934/month in 2025), that&rsquo;s enough. Scholarships like DAAD or Erasmus+ meet this requirement. But if the funding is partial, you&rsquo;ll still need to show additional funds &mdash; usually through a blocked account or sponsorship letter.
France works similarly. If your scholarship matches or exceeds the minimum monthly requirement (around &euro;615/month), no extra proof is needed. If not, bank statements or a financial guarantor are required.
Make sure your scholarship letter is official, stamped or signed, and clearly mentions the monthly amount, duration, and what&rsquo;s covered (tuition, living costs, etc.). Without that, embassies may ask for backup financial proof.

Hema A · Answer

Getting a scholarship definitely helps, but you still have to prove that your full living expenses are covered to get the student visa.

In the Netherlands, the IND requires proof of around &euro;1,400/month in 2025 &mdash; that includes living expenses (~&euro;1000&ndash;&euro;1,100/month) and any uncovered tuition. If your scholarship covers both, you won&rsquo;t need extra documents. If it&rsquo;s partial, the rest must be shown through personal savings or sponsor documents.
In Germany, full scholarships like DAAD or Erasmus are accepted. For partial ones, you&rsquo;ll need to add a blocked account to meet the gap.
In France, your embassy checks if the scholarship meets the monthly financial threshold. If not, they&rsquo;ll ask for a bank statement or a signed financial guarantee.

No matter the country, you must submit an official, signed scholarship letter with your visa application. It must state the amount, duration, and coverage &mdash; embassies reject unclear or incomplete documents.