Any recent graduates (last 3 years) who had a Barclays student account?

intalex

I'm looking for some information regarding the automatic treatment of a Barclays student account upon graduation. I expect it is automatically converted into a graduate account, but which of the following two graduate accounts do they convert it into as default, if the account holder does not indicate a preference:
- Graduate Additions Account (has a £5 monthly fee)
- Higher Education Account (has no monthly fee)

Thanks in advance for the requested info.

intalex

Come on guys, does no one use Barclays these days while at uni?

Blacksheep1979

ok here's an idea - ring Barclays....

intalex

hehe, nice idea mate, but i'm currently abroad and i have a feeling it'll cost me a lengthy and expensive call to ask normal customer service staff about this, especially seeing that it may involve tracing it on their T&C's.

i've sent them an email, but not heard back as yet.

i guess i just have to wait and see where the first response will come from.

kittiwoz

Higher Education Account. Up to £1500 interest free overdraft year one, reducing to £1000 interest free after a year. Following year two no interest free overdraft. It changes it from the day following whatever they have on their records as your graduation date (probably 30th June so will change on 1st of July).

intalex

Cheers Kitiwoz.

I think they converted my mate's account into Graduate Additions, charged him £5 per month for a couple of years (until the account turned into a normal current account), by when his balance had turned from positive to negative, with additional OD penalties/charges adding to the negative balance.

Obviously he'll have to reclaim all these charges, and I'll help him with that. But do you think the Barclays' Customer Service will accept this and refund all these charges back to him, or will they fight any claims?

spurious_2

Barclays policy is to change student additions accounts into higher education accounts, keeping the same overdraft you had on your s.a. account, with the first 1500 interest free for the first year.

noname123_2

mine changed to the no fees one

intalex

spurious wrote: »

Barclays policy is to change student additions accounts into higher education accounts, keeping the same overdraft you had on your s.a. account, with the first 1500 interest free for the first year.

Is this policy written anywhere such as in their T&C's? Do they have separate T&C's for student accounts?

guardianangel

Hmmm.....sounds interesting, I currently have a higher education account and so in my overdraft. I'm graduating this summer also which means I will need to pop into my local bank and query about the changes. Will let you know if I hear anything.

intalex

Cheers GA, look forward to hearing from you.