Which Student Bank Account?
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Re: Which Student Bank Account?There's a thread on Natwest as they not longer offer a railcard unless you currently have an adapt account with them. As for other banks, I still think without the railcard, Natwest are the best. However they don't open for long on a Saturday which is a bummer
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Re: Which Student Bank Account?(Original post by Bishy786)
Knowing international students are loaded, I would suggest Coutts.
Or failing that, Natwest always have good deals on like free 16-25 rail card and stuff like that.
Natwest no longer offer the rail card.
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Re: Which Student Bank Account?Im coming from Canada would it be easier to open an account with HSBC here and transfer funds to an HSBC account there or go with a local bank (i could care less about a rail card or these other gimmicks)
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Re: Which Student Bank Account?Railcards aren't a gimmick, it's awesome!(Original post by Macnoob)
Im coming from Canada would it be easier to open an account with HSBC here and transfer funds to an HSBC account there or go with a local bank (i could care less about a rail card or these other gimmicks)
Although if you're not going to travel around the country at all or visit family then it's less useful. I think you mean you couldn't care less though, unless you do care a bit. 
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Re: Which Student Bank Account?I think it's stupid NatWest have stopped the railcards. I already have an account with NatWest, but to get the free railway card you have to have an adapt account,...which is only for 16-18yr olds...I’m 20....how ageist...I’m deff not getting my student account with NatWest..Due to this fact!
Last edited by nikki-jones2009; 13-07-2011 at 17:30. -
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Re: Which Student Bank Account?lloyds tsb seems the best bank so far(Original post by pices_zodiac)
What is the best student bank account for an international student who is going to London to study?
Edit: not loaded.
http://www.lloydstsb.com/current_acc...nt_account.asp
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Re: Which Student Bank Account?bump
And thanks for the replies
Some of the people in London who I'm in contact with said that HSBC was bad for the student account, that's why I'm asking. I need an alternative to HSBC student account.(Original post by Macnoob)
Im coming from Canada would it be easier to open an account with HSBC here and transfer funds to an HSBC account there or go with a local bank (i could care less about a rail card or these other gimmicks) -
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Re: Which Student Bank Account?I walked around pretty much every bank in London with my American friend when she came here to study. HSBC were by far the easiest to set up an account with, and they seem good so far. Barclays were helpful too. Lloyds TSB didn't seem to know what they were doing when it came to internationals, and Natwest tried to lump a bunch of extra charges in with the account.
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Re: Which Student Bank Account?Another thing we were told was that, if you're from North America - so i'm not sure if this counts for all international students - that we couldn't set up a student account, and that we had to set up an international account.
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Re: Which Student Bank Account?Why are the railcards such a big thing, I am sure you can get it for 60 pounds, or is it not the same?(Original post by Cicerao)
Railcards aren't a gimmick, it's awesome! Although if you're not going to travel around the country at all or visit family then it's less useful. I think you mean you couldn't care less though, unless you do care a bit.
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Re: Which Student Bank Account?When I was looking into this, HSBC in Canada told me that it wouldn't make a difference with whatever bank I chose, the process for transferring money would be the same because an HSBC Canada account is different from an HSBC UK account. In the end I chose a national UK bank and brought my money over in the form of a bank draft, which took 5 business days to clear (may have been slightly less the second time around).(Original post by Macnoob)
Im coming from Canada would it be easier to open an account with HSBC here and transfer funds to an HSBC account there or go with a local bank (i could care less about a rail card or these other gimmicks) -
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Re: Which Student Bank Account?Not true-you just need a letter from your university in the UK stating you're a student, residing at x address for the duration of y program.(Original post by Spannerhawk)
Another thing we were told was that, if you're from North America - so i'm not sure if this counts for all international students - that we couldn't set up a student account, and that we had to set up an international account.
To set up an international account you often need £50-75,000 in capital or a job with an annual income of £60-80,000. -
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Re: Which Student Bank Account?Which Bank if you dont mind me asking, also did you wait till arrived in the UK or is there something i can start doing right now, and is there a minimum required in a student account.(Original post by KirstyK)
When I was looking into this, HSBC in Canada told me that it wouldn't make a difference with whatever bank I chose, the process for transferring money would be the same because an HSBC Canada account is different from an HSBC UK account. In the end I chose a national UK bank and brought my money over in the form of a bank draft, which took 5 business days to clear (may have been slightly less the second time around). -
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Re: Which Student Bank Account?...What the hell did we set up then?(Original post by KirstyK)
Not true-you just need a letter from your university in the UK stating you're a student, residing at x address for the duration of y program.
To set up an international account you often need £50-75,000 in capital or a job with an annual income of £60-80,000.
Perhaps it was an international student account? I don't know, but i'm pretty sure it wasn't a student account. Also, we were being very naive; we were just walking into banks and asking them about stuff.
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Re: Which Student Bank Account?A free railcard is better than paying £60 for one?(Original post by Millz)
Why are the railcards such a big thing, I am sure you can get it for 60 pounds, or is it not the same?
I've got a 16-18 account with Santander at the moment, and they won't give me a student account until I'm 18 (February 2012) so I have no idea who to go to. -
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Re: Which Student Bank Account?http://www.savethestudent.org/money/...ts-201011.html(Original post by Vitamin D)
A free railcard is better than paying £60 for one?
I've got a 16-18 account with Santander at the moment, and they won't give me a student account until I'm 18 (February 2012) so I have no idea who to go to.
Why not, they should give you a student account when you present an unconditional offer letter, irrespective of age. I am confused, lol. -
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Re: Which Student Bank Account?No idea why not, I figured it had something to do with the overdraft? Oh, who knows!(Original post by Millz)
http://www.savethestudent.org/money/...ts-201011.html
Why not, they should give you a student account when you present an unconditional offer letter, irrespective of age. I am confused, lol.
Actually, looking at the three on that page, only Natwest will let me open one when I'm 17.Last edited by Vitamin D; 14-07-2011 at 21:43.
