Natwest Student Account and a Year Abroad

Hey everyone,

I'm wanting to open a Natwest Student Account, but as part of my course, there is a work placement year that I may be able to do abroad. I'm wondering if I did go abroad would my account be affected in any way as I know Natwest is a UK bank. I've tried contacting Natwest about it but I'm unable to get hold of them over the phone as I don't currently have an account with them and I haven't had the time yet to go into my local branch. If anyone knows anything about this and can help me I would appreciate it!

I wouldn't expect a problem with this; you're just abroad on a temporary basis.

You will almost certainly need to get a local bank account in the country you're working in. While @Euapp suggests a multi-currency account, this might not give you all the features you need in the country you're visiting. (For example, it might be enough for receiving salary payments and purchasing goods with a debit card, it might not support things like direct debit.)

Also, be aware that some organisations offering multi-currency accounts are not banks, and hence deposits with them are not protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.