Accounts for Foreign Students

Essex_Jim

We have a French student on a placement at our local High School. She is here for nine months. She went to open a Bank Account today and three out of three Banks told her that she would be charged £8 a month a she is a foreign student. Do all banks charge this?

samwsmith1

Was just about to say HSBC passport - http://www.hsbc.co.uk/1/2/personal/current-accounts/passport
But see that costs £8 a month - no idea other than that, sorry!

Essex_Jim

She started at HSBC. Also went to Santander plus another of the big ones.....

finder

Essex_Jim wrote: »

We have a French student on a placement at our local High School. She is here for nine months. She went to open a Bank Account today and three out of three Banks told her that she would be charged £8 a month a she is a foreign student. Do all banks charge this?

She would not have any problem whatsoever opening a Halifax easycash account. The account will most likely provide all the features she needs apart from an overdraft (probably unknown to her what that is; the good point is that she will not run the risk to go overdrawn and so no charges will be incurred) and a cheque book. She can apply online and probably she will be up and running in 2-3 weeks, including internet banking. No way I would pay £8/month just for being a foreign student! Banks would be better off making some money by cutting off he wages of their high-maintenance management! Link here

eagleeye

the banks will force the student to open the paid accounts,etc.The best thing is to open the basic account with hsbc ,nationwide or other any other bank.Just tell them we want free bank account and not interested in any of the loyalities.

bigheadxx

Bank is probably just taking advantage of a foreign accent. I would make a formal complaint and sit back and wait for them to kiss aass.

book12

Foreign students can open bank accounts easily. Just show them some ID, and maybe a letter to prove that she is here on a placement. Try the following banks who are foreigner friendly:

LTSB
Barclays
Halifax
Natwest

I recommed the first two.