Going onto a postgrad course - read this!

greyster

Joey wrote:

According to the advisors at HSBC (who I had a student account with and am now one year into their Graduate account and am now returning to study in September), you can only have a maximum of 4 years under student status with them. If you completed a 3 year course and have a 1 year postgraduate course then this is fine, and yes you can take a year out on Graduate first as this is what I have been offered.

If however you have already used 4 years then you cannot get anymore, and you cannot open another student account with them (the first advisor I spoke to told me that I could however the next said I couldn't).

If your postgraduate course is longer than that (mine is), then you can only have the student account until your 4 years are up, when I presume it goes back to Graduate status.

Originally I disagreed with you because I did 4 + 1 years. However I remember my overdraft going down half way through my MSc course from 1750 to 1500. Not a major difference hence why I initially thought you were incorrect ... but your right I have multiple accounts and I think other banks have much better offerings i.e. a 2k o/d until you actually finish the course properly.

Joey_3

Hmmmm interesting - I might have to mention that to the advisor next time I go in.

xycom1

Joey wrote:

According to the advisors at HSBC (who I had a student account with and am now one year into their Graduate account and am now returning to study in September), you can only have a maximum of 4 years under student status with them. If you completed a 3 year course and have a 1 year postgraduate course then this is fine, and yes you can take a year out on Graduate first as this is what I have been offered.

If however you have already used 4 years then you cannot get anymore, and you cannot open another student account with them (the first advisor I spoke to told me that I could however the next said I couldn't).

If your postgraduate course is longer than that (mine is), then you can only have the student account until your 4 years are up, when I presume it goes back to Graduate status.

I signed up in 2001 with HSBC and have had 5 years student status account with them (course was 4 years originally and extended it for a further year). Just been converted to Graduate account as I am graduating next month.

djohnsonhk

Joey wrote:

According to the advisors at HSBC (who I had a student account with and am now one year into their Graduate account and am now returning to study in September), you can only have a maximum of 4 years under student status with them.

Ah that make a lot of sense to me. But the person I spoke to in my local branch didn't seem to know that. She just said, 'Oh, someone should have told you that. Well nevermind.'

Well, once the last of my interest free overdraft goes I'm switching banks.

DrFluffy

I kept my student account (HSBC) though out my D.Phil, so it's doable...

DrFluffy

Joey wrote:

If however you have already used 4 years then you cannot get anymore, and you cannot open another student account with them (the first advisor I spoke to told me that I could however the next said I couldn't).

If your postgraduate course is longer than that (mine is), then you can only have the student account until your 4 years are up, when I presume it goes back to Graduate status.

Not true - I've had a HSBC student account since 1995! May be it's about time I stopped doing degrees and got a job

Skyhigh

If you're going straight from a degree to a postgrad course make sure that you go into your bank and check out 'whats happening to your account'.

The other month I got a letter from HSBC telling me that:
"You don't have to do a thing, we automatically convert your current account to a normal account! - No forms, no mess!".

Which was nice, but this meant they cut down my overdraft range and hiked up the intrest...

The problem was that I'm going to do a masters, so I need my student account!

Although they require:
Proof of attendance to the Uni (a stamped letter from the Uni)
and ID proof (passport, driving license) plus address proof - residential gas/water bill [these are hard to come by for students who pay an 'all inclusive' rent rate...].

:!:

Joey_3

They shouldn't cut your overdraft and hike up the interest until 1 year after graduating - mine has remained the same now for my final year and this year after graduating. Mine is due to decrease this month.

I have decided to remain on their graduate account, mainly because I have enough money to do so so there is no worry about them reducing the interest free overdraft, and also because I am hoping to get a mortgage this coming year so I may need to take advantage of their 100% Graduate mortgage.