Which student bank account?

[gsidecturbo]

As the title states which bank account is the best one to go for?

cheers Dec

 

[rmuir]

Would be best to know who exactly you are considering however I will firstly point you away from the RBS. I have been with them for years now and the last five/six have been nothing but trouble.

Go with the one most likely to offer a decent overdraft without letting you go crazy. Suitable freebies/offers like home ins/travelcards are worth considering as well.

 

[gsidecturbo]

considering the normal contenders mate, tsb, natwest etc. Just want to see whos got what.

 

[daven1986]

hsbc, you get a free £50, and just continue to use your current bank account

 

[Stellios]

Im getting adverts from Lloyds a lot at the minute. Free Iplod shuffle, £1500 overdraft and weekly updates by text on your account status. Im tempted to get it, but im happy with the one im on.

 

[yer_averagejoe]

I'm already with royal bank of scotland on a student account and now theyre offereing a free £100 to anyone opening one

so i'd go with them
also: overdraft = £2500 for any year of uni if you're interested.

EDIT... yeah thats scotland though

 

[lemonkettaz]

i havent even been down the bank yet.
i just have a bog standard current account from barclays.

i have no idea what my overdraft limit is, even if i have one.

i still have a crap visa electron too

 

[yer_averagejoe]

Just found out the offer applies kinda to england and wales students. only £55 though http://www.rbsstudentoffer55.co.uk/

 

[rmuir]

Barclays
http://www.personal.barclays.co.uk/...ticleFWgroup&value=6673&target=_self&site=pfs

Natwest
http://www.natwest.com/microsites/personal/student_june06/index.asp?referrer=HPBtxtlink

Smile
http://www.smile.co.uk/student.html?loc=l


A quick hunt found those to be among the better on offer, the Natwest account has a nice offer on the railcard, brilliant if you don't drive. I assume your studying in newcastle, if so most banks probably have a branch there. If not make sure wherever you go your bank has a branch there. Mate o mine had his account with the Cumberland and studied in Glasgow, he spent a lot of time initially running between home and Glasgow sorting money out.

 

[calnen]

I got my student account 2 years ago, at that point natwest seemed the best people to go for. I got a railcard for 5 years (I've definately got my money's worth there!) and a pretty decent overdraft. £1400 at the moment, going up to £1600 in October. They're also very nice about going over it by accident - I havnt been charged yet.

I've heard horror stories about the RBS. Apparently they start charging you for your overdraft as soon as your graduate at a ridiculous interest rate. (Check what they do after you graduate, whichever back you go for. Natwest gradually reduce the overdraft over about a year before they start charging you anything, which seems much more reasonable to me.

 

[benjo plz.]

HSBC?

 

[rmuir]

Just found out the offer applies kinda to england and wales students. only £55 though http://www.rbsstudentoffer55.co.uk/

seriously tho, the RBS are crap when it comes to customer service, they gave my account student overdraft then changed it to a normal account so i was getting interest charges plus royalties account charges. They blamed me all along. Even when i took photocopies of the form i had completed clearly showing i had selected a student royalties account.

 

[stigggeh]

I'm already with royal bank of scotland on a student account and now theyre offereing a free £100 to anyone opening one

so i'd go with them
also: overdraft = £2500 for any year of uni if you're interested.

EDIT... yeah thats scotland though

i would stay clear of these... they are always sending my g/f letter because she doesnt use it enough

i am with natwest they have been totally spot on for me...£1250 interest free overdraft , which goes up to £1600 in final year.... they even offer a graduate package with interest free overdraft of £2 AFTER you leave still interest free.

One thing i was very impressed with was the fact that they noticed my loan was in the bank not doing much and therefore earning poor interest, so they advised me off their own back to move it to a mini isa.

 

[Stellios]

i still have a crap visa electron too

You wont have an overdraft then

 

[Xinn]

I've got mine with Natwest. 5 Year rail card (1/3 off rail fairs) free and £1250 insterest free overdraft (thats for first year goes up in subsequent years and when graduated no interest is charged then either).

I did mine online so i got a free webcam aswell woot.........

Only thing annoying me is nobody at my branch seems to know when i'll be getting the overdraft. Some say now I can apply for it because I have my results, some say when you get your student loan some say not until middle of September some say I don't have a clue.

 

[ironman]

I got mine with Natwest, HSBC and Barclays Natwest offer a railcard which is well worth it, saved me hundreds last year.

 

[stigggeh]

I've got mine with Natwest. 5 Year rail card (1/3 off rail fairs) free and £1250 insterest free overdraft (thats for first year goes up in subsequent years and when graduated no interest is charged then either).

I did mine online so i got a free webcam aswell woot.........

Only thing annoying me is nobody at my branch seems to know when i'll be getting the overdraft. Some say now I can apply for it because I have my results, some say when you get your student loan some say not until middle of September some say I don't have a clue.

i 'think' i got mine when i got proof of enrolment or they wouldnt let me the account until i had proof.. its a long time ago now


edit: on a side note i was 'turned down' by HSBC, it seems they only want to cherry pick the customers. I think it was because i had never had credit before :S..... strange

 

[jpmonkey69]

You wont have an overdraft then

I have a £1000 o/d with my Visa Electron card. (Barclays)

 

[da_mic_1530]

i havent even been down the bank yet.
i just have a bog standard current account from barclays.

i have no idea what my overdraft limit is, even if i have one.

i still have a crap visa electron too

me too mate, barclays sent me a letter about upgrading to a student account, really should look at it again, its lying around somewhere

 

[stigggeh]

visa electron functions the same as switch used to doesnt it ?......

i know someone who had a switch card with Halifax, and when maestro was introduced it moved to visa electron. she has £1600 overdraft and the card is 100 cheque guarantee too.