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Banking is an important aspect of a UK student’s life, especially if you are a foreign student. You would require your bank for many important tasks, not just for money transactions but it can be used as a guarantee for your university or college.
You need to be ready before you even enter the country. Have a bank account in the correct bank, now who is to say which bank is good for you? Many banks offer foreign students to open up accounts in their branches, some even have special leverages for these students.
The 8 UK banks that very kindly let international students open bank accounts are:
- Barclays student additions
- HSBC bank
- Lloyds Classic
- Natwest Select
- The Royal Bank of Scotland
- Santander Essentials
- TSB spend and save
- Al Rayan Personal
Guide on opening a student account in the UK as an international student
Remember that this account is necessary, you would need to apply for an account, as soon as you enter the country. This way, you will be bothered by the long procedure and make easy transactions.
Proof of Identity
When you open up a bank account anywhere in the world, you need to prove your identity. Be it a passport or an identity card, it should be valid and the passport should not be expired.
Visa permit
The visa permit that got you into the United Kingdom should be presented in the bank, that is because the bank wants to know if you are in the country legally.
Previous account evidence
Provide account statements and proof of account from your hometown. This is especially necessary when you are sponsoring yourself to study in the United Kingdom. You have to show your bank details and then have the amount transferred to your UK account.
Accommodation in the UK
You have to provide a postal address for the bank to send you their freebies and monthly statement. As a foreign student, you also have to prove your place of living.
University admission documents
You also need to provide the bank with the documents of your university admission. When you get your admission to a university, they will definitely provide you with documents that you can present to different places for prove of admission. These documents should be added to your application for a bank account.
These documents will speed up the process, it will help you get a bank account immediately.
After you attach these essential documents, the bank will take some time to process your request but eventually, you will get a bank account according to your needs.
Why do you need a student account in the UK?
A bank account is essential for absolutely anyone who lives in a metropolitan city. The countries in the United Kingdom are progressive and a person would require a bank account to make payments in multiple ways.
- The biggest and the important reason why you would need an account is that you can get immediate UK pounds without any conversion of currency issues.
- You will not be charged with currency conversion fee every time you want to take out money.
- When you open up a bank account, you will be provided with a debit card. Many companies provide student discounts on using debit cards. This can be a big plus if you want to get the perks of being a British student.
- You can get internet and television cable at your place.
- As a student, you will be doing tons of online ordering. You would get e-books, apparel, some assignment help, or dissertation help London to reduce your workload. All of these are impossible to purchase online if you do not have a UK bank account.
- You can work part-time, hours allotted by your visa permit. Without a bank account, any organization would be hesitant to hire you.
- You will be able to pay fees to your university without having to use your hometown bank account, which can be a very challenging task.
How should you select your bank for your student account?
You are now eligible for your student account, you have all the information about the banks for international student accounts. You also know the reason why you must get an account as a foreign student. But now is the time to select the bank that will provide you with maximum benefits.
Find the shoe that fits
Work with the needs you have, when you look into selecting a bank for your account. You can’t just look into the best bank there is in the UK, you have to evaluate analyze your needs and according to that, you will put in an application.
Sometimes the best for others is not the best for you. There might be a bank that offers a very low-interest rate on student loans or overdrafts but it doesn’t have internet banking. As a student, you want an application that you can access from anywhere. For instance, you got a service called write my dissertation for me and now you have to make the payment.
You would not have the time to talk to the bank manager to transfer the money into the writing websites account. The best way would be is to get a bank that has good internet banking so that you do not waste any time on calls and pay orders.
Freebies make a big difference
It may not seem like it, but freebies and student discounts make a huge difference. On your monthly statement, you will realize how much money you have saved due to the reward points, freebies and student discounts. Saved money is basically free money for students.
Credit-score transparency
As a student, the worst thing for you is to have your bank keep adding tiny amounts of credit to your account. The increase in credit score will restrict you from getting the best interest if you ever want to take out a student loan.
