If you’re heading to university or starting an apprenticeship, a student bank account is essential for managing your finances.
We’ve analysed student accounts from the UK’s top providers. Find out which student bank account offers the best balance of rewards and account features to help keep your finances on the right track.
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Share 5out of 5
I think Santander’s Edge Student account offers great value and features to help you keep on top of your finances.
The account comes with a 4-year Santander 16-25 Railcard (worth £115) which helps you save 1/3 on rail travel across Great Britain. If you’re living further away from home for study, this could help you save hundreds a year in commuting costs.
You’ll also get the chance to win up to £100,000 cash in a prize draw if you open a student account between 21 July and 17 October 2025 and make a debit card purchase by 31 December 2025. There are the following prizes up for grabs:
Winners will be selected on 9 January 2026 and payments will be made by 31 January 2026.
Another great feature of this is the interest-free arranged overdraft which increases each year of study:
| Study year(s) | Interest-free arranged overdraft |
|---|---|
| 1-3 | Up to £1,500 |
| 4 | Up to £1,800 |
| 5 | Up to £2,000 |
Remember, these amounts are just estimates and your exact overdraft sum will depend on your personal circumstances. You also need to be 18 or over to apply for one.
The Santander Edge Student account offers fee free spending when you travel abroad. You’ll also get free cash withdrawals from Santander ATMs in Spain, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, and the USA.
With this account, you’ll also get access to a 12 month regular savings account paying 5% AER. You can also use Santander Boost to earn cashback, vouchers and rewards on everyday spending at popular retailers including Adidas, Tesco and Greggs.
Another fantastic feature of this account is the My Money Manager tool, which helps you keep track of your spending and help you stick to a budget.
You can apply for this account if you’re:
✅ 18 or over
✅ Live permanently in the UK
✅ You are enrolled in a qualifying degree or level 4-7 apprenticeship
✅ Pay at least £500 into the account every 4 months
✅ Use a “paper-free” account
You won’t qualify if you:
❌ have less than 2 years left of studying
4.5out of 5
Nationwide offers a well-rounded student account with competitive rewards and discounts.
You’ll get a £100 cash bonus which is handy for going towards everyday costs. This is also paid within 14 calendar days so you won’t have to wait long.
This account also offers a £10 Just Eat voucher each month of the year (so £120 altogether). You can also earn up to 2 £20 Just Eat vouchers when you successfully refer two friends for an account. While the Just Eat vouchers can help you save on a takeaway, most restaurants have a minimum order fee of around £15 which means you’ll still have to contribute towards your meal.
Nationwide’s interest-free overdraft is one of the highest among student accounts. The amount could increase with each year of study:
| Study year(s) | Interest-free arranged overdraft |
|---|---|
| 1 | Up to £1,000 |
| 4 | Up to £2,000 |
| 5 | Up to £3,000 |
Remember, these amounts are just estimates and your exact overdraft sum will depend on your personal circumstances. You also need to be 18 or over to apply for one.
A great feature of this account is that you can access a Flex Regular Saver which pays 6.5% AER for 12 months. Some accountholders might be eligible for the Nationwide Fairer Finance payment which gives members £100 each year.
You can apply for this account if you:
✅ are in or about to start your first year of studies
✅ open a FlexStudent account between 1 July 2025 and when the offer ends
✅ pay at least £500 into the account each term before 12 December 2025
You won’t qualify if you:
❌ haven’t lived in the UK for at least 3 years
❌ have less than 6 months of study remaining
4.5out of 5
I think the Lloyd’s Student Current account is a solid option to consider. It comes with a £100 cash bonus if you pay at least £500 into the account by 31 October 2025. The bonus will be paid into your student account by 30 November 2025.
If you qualify for the £100 cash bonus you can also get £90 in Deliveroo vouchers if you make 20 or more transactions from your account between November 2025 to April 2026.
You’ll get a £15 Deliveroo voucher each month for 6 months. Each voucher must be used within 30 days.
Another great feature of this is the interest-free arranged overdraft which increases each year of study:
| Study year(s) | Interest-free arranged overdraft |
|---|---|
| 1-3 | Up to £1,500 |
| 4-6 | Up to £2,000 |
Remember, these amounts are just estimates and your exact overdraft sum will depend on your personal circumstances. You also need to be 18 or over to apply for one.
A standout feature with this student account is that you can earn up to 15% cashback on your everyday spending at participating retailers including Superdrug, TKMaxx, Vodafone, Hello Fresh and Smarty. However, bear in mind that these retailers are subject to change. You can activate cashback in your mobile banking app.
You can apply for this account if you’re:
✅ aged 17 years or older
✅ have been a UK resident for at least 3 years
✅ studying full-time on a course at least 2 years’ long
✅ studying a one-year full-time access course leading to a degree
✅ pay at least £500 into the account before 12 December 2025
You won’t qualify if you:
❌ have (or have had) a Student or Graduate account with Lloyds Bank, Bank of Scotland or Halifax since August 2020
❌ open a or have opened a Lloyds Student Bank Account before 1 August 2025 or after 31 August 2025
❌ you don’t pay in at least £500 by 31 October 2025
4.5out of 5
Bank of Scotland’s student account offers a £100 cash bonus if you pay at least £500 into the account by 31 October 2025. The bonus will be paid into your student account by 30 November 2025.
If you qualify for the £100 cash bonus you can also get £90 in Deliveroo vouchers if you make 20 or more transactions from your account between November 2025 to April 2026.
You’ll get a £15 Deliveroo voucher each month for 6 months. Each voucher must be used within 30 days.
Bank of Scotland offers a round-up saving feature which rounds your purchases up to the nearest pound and saves the difference, which is really handy! Over time you can build up a nice chunk of change which can go towards essentials or put into savings.
Another great feature of this is the interest-free arranged overdraft which increases each year of study:
| Study year(s) | Interest-free arranged overdraft |
|---|---|
| 1-3 | Up to £1,500 |
| 4-6 | Up to £2,000 |
It’s worth noting that these amounts are just estimates and your exact overdraft sum will depend on your personal circumstances. You also need to be 18 or over to apply for one.
You can apply for this account if you:
✅ are aged 17 or over
✅ have been living in the UK for at least 3 years
✅ have proof you have been accepted onto a qualifying course
✅ open an account between 1 August 2025 and 31 October 2025
deposit £500 by 31 October 2025
You won’t qualify if you:
❌ have (or have had) a Student or Graduate account with Lloyds Bank, Bank of Scotland or Halifax since August 2020
❌ you don’t pay in at least £500 by 31 October 2025
4.5out of 5
Halifax’s student account offers a £100 cash bonus if you pay at least £500 into the account by 31 October 2025. The bonus will be paid into your student account by 30 November 2025.
If you qualify for the £100 cash bonus you can also get £90 in Deliveroo vouchers if you make 20 or more transactions from your account between November 2025 to April 2026.
You’ll get a £15 Deliveroo voucher each month for 6 months. Each voucher must be used within 30 days.
It also comes with a helpful feature which allows you to round your purchases up to the nearest pound and saves the difference into a Halifax savings account. Automating your savings in this way can help you build up a decent pot which can help in emergencies or go towards essentials.
This account comes with a competitive interest-free arranged overdraft which increases each year of study:
| Study year(s) | Interest-free arranged overdraft |
|---|---|
| 1-3 | Up to £1,500 |
| 4-6 | Up to £2,000 |
Remember, these amounts are just estimates and your exact overdraft sum will depend on your personal circumstances. You also need to be 18 or over to apply for one.
You can apply for this account if you:
✅ are aged 17 or over
✅ have been living in the UK for at least 3 years
✅ have proof you have been accepted onto a qualifying course
✅ open an account between 1 August 2025 and 31 October 2025
deposit £500 by 31 October 2025
You won’t qualify if you:
❌ have (or have had) a Student or Graduate account with Lloyds Bank, Bank of Scotland or Halifax since August 2020
❌ you don’t pay in at least £500 by 31 October 2025
4out of 5
I think TSB has a unique feature for students as it’s the only account offering interest on in-credit balances. You can earn up to 5% AER on balances of up to £500. And interest is paid on the 10th of each month.
Otherwise its offering is quite lacklustre and you can get more competitive features with Santander, Nationwide and Lloyds. You can get an interest free overdraft which increases throughout the duration of your studies:
| Study month(s) | Interest-free arranged overdraft |
|---|---|
| 1-6 | Up to £500 |
| 7-9 | Up to £1,000 |
| 10+ | Up to £1,500 |
These amounts are just estimates and your exact overdraft sum will depend on your personal circumstances. You also need to be 18 or over to apply for one.
You can apply for this account if you:
✅ are aged 17 or over
✅ have been living in the UK for at least 3 years
✅ have proof you have been accepted onto a qualifying course
You won’t qualify if you:
❌ you have a student account with another provider
4out of 5
NatWest and RBS both offer a competitive cash bonus of £85, which is paid within 10 working days of opening your account.
It also comes with a 4-year tastecard (worth £79.99) which gives discounts on meals at participating restaurants. This perk is only really valuable if eating out is part of your everyday budget.
Otherwise it will just encourage you to spend more than you need to which might offset any savings you make. If you’re looking for an account to earn rewards, it might be better to consider one that offers cashback on everyday spending at supermarkets and clothing stores.
NatWest offers a competitive interest-free arranged overdraft which increases each year of study:
| Year(s) | Interest-free arranged overdraft |
|---|---|
| First term of 1st year | Up to £500 |
| 1-3 | Up to £2,000 |
| 3+ | Up to £3,250 |
Remember, these amounts are just estimates and your exact overdraft sum will depend on your personal circumstances. You also need to be 18 or over to apply for one.
You can apply for this account if you:
✅ are aged 17 or over
✅ have been living in the UK for at least 3 years
✅ have a UCAS code
✅ are completing a full-time undergraduate course that lasts at least 2 years
✅ training as a nurse at a UK university or higher education college
You won’t qualify if you:
❌ have received a student offer from NatWest or RBS from 1 July 2021
❌ are completing a course that is within the next 6 months
3.5out of 5
HSBC’s student account offers a very competitive interest free overdraft with one of the highest limits available:
| Year(s) | Interest-free arranged overdraft |
|---|---|
| 1 | Up to £1,000 |
| 2 | Up to £2,000 |
| 3 | Up to £3,000 |
That being said these estimates aren’t guaranteed and the sum you get will depend on your personal circumstances.
You’ll also get access to a 5% AER 12-month regular savings account, which is great if you have extra cash to save while you study.
Overall the account is quite basic and although some competitors offer a slightly lower overdraft limit, you can get additional perks such as cashback, discounts and cash bonuses.
You can apply for this account if you:
✅ aged 18 or over
✅ have been living in the UK for at least 3 years
✅ have proof you have been accepted onto a qualifying course
You won’t qualify if you:
❌ are not a UK resident
3.5out of 5
Overall, the Coop’s student bank account isn’t as competitive as the others. It comes with an interest free overdraft which increases with each year of study:
| Year(s) | Interest-free arranged overdraft |
|---|---|
| 1 | Up to £1,400 |
| 2 | Up to £1,700 |
| 3 | Up to £2,000 |
Just to note, these amounts are just estimates and your exact overdraft sum will depend on your personal circumstances. You also need to be 18 or over to apply for one.
One of its highlights is that the coop actively invests in the community, for example funding Centrepoint Helpline which offers support to young unhoused people in the UK. It also works with human rights charity Amnesty International UK.
You can apply for this account if you:
✅ are aged 18 or over
✅ have been living in the UK for at least 3 years
✅ have proof you have been accepted onto a qualifying course
You won’t qualify if you:
❌ are studying an an Open University course or apprenticeship
If you’re an international student (or haven’t lived in the UK for at least 3 years), you might not qualify for one of the offers above.
However, these bank accounts might help to manage your finances while you study in the UK:
HSBC is the only bank to offer an account designed for international students. I think it’s a good option to consider because you’ll get access to exclusive deals and discounts which could help you save on everyday spending. This account also provides exclusive offers on accommodation which could help lower living costs when you move to the UK to study.
Another great feature of this account is that you’ll get access to a 12-month HSBC regular saver paying 5% interest.
You can apply for an overdraft and the first £25 will be interest free. However, you will need to pay interest of around 39% on anything above the £25 buffer.
The international transfer fees are fairly competitive and it’ll cost £5 to send money in any currency outside of the EEA. You won’t have to pay for international bank transfers to another HSBC account. Using your card outside of the UK will incur a 2.75% foreign exchange fee.
You can apply for this account if you:
✅ are aged 18 or over
✅ have been living in the UK for at least 3 years
✅ have proof you have been accepted onto a qualifying course
You won’t qualify if you:
❌ you have lived in the UK for more than 3 years
Monzo isn’t strictly a student account, but it offers great flexibility which could help you while studying in the UK. So long as you have a UK address, you might be able to qualify for an account.
I think one of Monzo’s highlights is that it offers in-depth spending insights which can help you budget your student finances. There are handy tools to help you split bills with other Monzo users and earn cashback on your everyday spending.
You can also apply for an arranged overdraft of up to £3,000 but you’ll have to pay interest of up to 39% on whatever you borrow.
If you pay in more than £500 to your Monzo current account every month, and have at least one Direct Debit set up, you can get unlimited, fee-free ATM withdrawals if you’re holidaying within the European Economic Area.
Monzo doesn’t charge fees for receiving international payments that have already been converted into GBP. For other currencies, there’s a 1% conversion capped at £1,000. Sending money abroad in a non-GBP currency will cost up to £2.68.
You can apply for this account if you’re:
✅ aged 18 or over
✅ have valid ID and proof of address
You won’t qualify if you:
❌ only have a CitizenCard as proof of ID
Digital bank, Starling is a good option to consider if you’re an international student. It offers a comprehensive analysis of your spending to help you stick to a budget.
Starling offers clear and competitive international transfer fees. You’ll pay a 0.4% transfer fee and a £5.50 delivery fee to send money abroad in a non-GBP currency. To receive money in a non-GBP currency you’ll have to pay a 2% conversion fee.
You can apply for an arranged overdraft but you’ll have to pay interest of up to 35% on whenever you dip into it.
I think Starling’s great for travel spending too. You can make fee-free payments abroad from your account and free cash withdrawals up to £300 per day.
You can apply for this account if you’re:
✅ aged 18 or over
✅ have valid ID and proof of address
You won’t qualify if you:
❌ only have a CitizenCard as proof of ID
Once you graduate, your student account will be automatically converted into a graduate account with your provider.
If you stop your studies early or decide to take a break you’ll need to let your bank know as soon as possible so that they can convert your account into a suitable current account. Failing to do so would breach the terms of your student account and result in your account being closed without notice.
Not always. Some banks also accept your letter of acceptance as proof that you qualify for a student account.
You’ll usually have at least one year to clear your interest-free overdraft. Each bank has slightly different terms, so you may get longer to pay it all off without incurring interest.
