Best student bank accounts revealed – including £100 free cash and four-year Railcards

STUDENTS can open a tailored bank account during their time at university – and they’re always freebies on offer.

Banks are already rushing to lure freshers in by offering things like free railcards and cash on top of interest-free overdrafts.

It comes ahead of A-level results day which takes place on Thursday, August 17.

We explain all you need to know about how to apply for a student account, and what the best deals on the market are at the moment.

If you have an unconditional place to study at a university in the UK, you’ll be able to apply for one of these accounts now.

You’ll need to have been accepted onto a full-time UCAS course at a UK institution lasting at least two years.

Usually, you’re provided with a larger overdraft limit than a normal bank account – with some going up to £3,000 without interest.

These are interest-free, so while you’re studying you won’t have to worry about extra fees.

But remember an overdraft isn’t free money. 

After you graduate you still have to repay everything you have borrowed and interest may kick in then too.

Plus, you might face additional charges if you go over the overdraft limit.

What are the best student accounts available right now?

We’ve rounded up the student accounts with the highest interest-free overdraft limits and the best perks to help you decide which one you might go for.

Perks for students – like free cash – are designed to tempt students into opening a bank account, with the hope they’ll become a customer for life.

Barclays and Co-op offer student bank accounts, but they are among the few not offering any perks on top of the interest-free overdraft of up to £2,000.

Bank of Scotland, Lloyds and Halifax are offering up to 15% cashback when you spend at certain retailers.

All accounts offer an interest-free overdraft worth up to £2,000.

However, both accounts fall short of offering free cash and other perks.

TSB offers students an interest-free overdraft worth up to £1,500 and 5% interest on any deposits made into the current account worth up to £500.

Of course, whichever account you open you don’t have to stick with forever.

You’ll also need to check the accounts that suit your needs in other ways, such as having an app or ATM withdrawal limits, as well as the full terms and conditions and eligibility criteria.

HSBC

You get £100 in free cash once you open a HSBC student bank account.

You can get the perks when five debit card transactions have been made within the first 30 days of opening the account.

Students will also get a free one-year subscription to the meditation and sleep app Headspace.

You’ll also be able to get an interest-free overdraft worth up to £3,000 by the time you complete university.

In the first year, you can get at least £1,000, in the second year you’ll be able to get up to £2,000, and £3,000 in your final year.

Nationwide

Unlike with HSBC’s account, you won’t get £100 in free cash for just setting up a Nationwide student bank account.

Instead, students are provided with a debit card that can be used abroad.

Customers won’t be charged a non-sterling transaction fee when making purchases or a cash advance fee for taking cash out at ATMs outside the UK.

You can get up to £1,000 in your overdraft in the first year and it rises by £1,000 every year after that so £2,000 in year two and £3,000 in year three beyond.

To qualify for the overdraft you must pay at least £500 into the account per term.

NatWest and RBS

You’ll get £100 free cash and a four-year Tastecard when opening either a NatWest or RBS student account (they are both part of the same banking group).

If you were to buy a Tastecard for four years in a row it’d set you back £119.96.

The loyalty card offers exclusive discounts which let you get up to 50% off food at thousands of restaurants across the country.

The banks also offer an interest-free overdraft worth up to £3,250. However, it’ll only be worth £500 in the first term.

Both NatWest and RBS also offer a free 24/7 emergency cash service which allows you to withdraw up to £130 without your card every 24 hours at ATMs.

Santander

Santander offers students a four-year Railcard usually worth over £100.

The Railcard offers a third off the price of train journeys but you’ll need to make sure you carry it with you when you travel.

From your first year to your third year at university, you can get up to £1,500 in your overdraft.

Then if you’re studying beyond that you can get up to £1,800 in Year four and up to £2,000 in year five.