Banks offering facilities to international students This information is for general comparison only: please contact individual banks in person for full terms and conditions. Other account options, such as savings accounts, may be available; please enquire in-branch. Please also see notes at the end of this leaflet. SANTANDER Students Union, Level 3 10.00-18.00 Monday to Friday 10.00-17.00 Wednesday Saturday & Contact: Oliver Higgins, Branch Manager oliver.higgins@santander.co.uk International Student Current Account: Account opened in branch same day 3% AER/2.96% gross (variable) interest on the first 500 in your account when you pay in 50 each month One free international cheque deposit per month Visa debit card that can be used in UK and abroad Free text alerts when you register for online banking Free mobile apps for iphone, ipad and Android devices 5 monthly account fee Charges apply to use of the Visa debit card outside the UK Free receipt of money from home Passport/ national ID card plus student ID card (UCard) OR Bank Letter Printed bank statements useable for visa purposes
BARCLAYS City Centre 2-12 Pinstone Street Sheffield S1 2HN No monthly account fee 09.00-17.00 Monday to 09.00-16.00 Saturday International Students Account: Online, mobile and telephone banking Free text alerts Free mobile apps Visa debit card Online statements only but statements printed in-branch can be stamped at counter Bank Letter plus one of the following: o Passport o Current photo-card driving licence o National photo/id card NATWEST Sheffield City Centre Branch 42 High Street Sheffield S1 2GE 09.00-17.30 Monday, Friday 09.00-17.00 Tuesday-Thursday 09.00-15.00 Saturday International student account: National Express Young Persons Coachcard (must sign up for online banking and paperless statements) Online banking Mobile app banking Get Cash / Emergency Cash VISA debit card (retail and online purchases with full ATM access) Paper bank statements can be produced and stamped inbranch No account fee Proof of UK address (Bank Letter) Passport / National ID card Biometric VISA (non-eu only)
LLOYDS Sheffield City Centre 1 High Street, Sheffield S1 2GA No monthly fee Bank letter plus passport/national ID 09.00-18.00 Monday, Tuesday, Friday 09.30-18.00 Wednesday 09.00-18.00 Thursday (counter service to 19.00) 09.00-17.00 Saturday Classic account: Online banking Mobile banking 24/7 Telephone banking Visa debit card (fees apply when using card abroad) RBS Sheffield City Centre 5 Church Street Sheffield S1 1HF No monthly fee No overdraft facility Bank Letter plus passport/national ID 09.15-16.45 Monday, Tuesday Thursday, Friday 09.45-16.45 Wednesday Saturday & Student account: Visa debit card Mobile banking Tastecard 2 for 1 or 50% off in participating restaurants Cashback Plus 1%-25% cashback at participating retailers when you pay with your debit card Supports Apple Pay Statements can be printed and stamped free in-branch
YORKSHIRE BANK Sheffield City Centre 2, Fargate Sheffield S1 1LL No monthly fee No cheque book 9.15-17.30 Monday to Friday Saturday 9.15-14.00 Readycash account: Debit card Telephone and internet banking Bank Letter plus passport/national ID card 2 nd proof of address, e.g. utility bill TSB 33-35 Charles Street Sheffield S1 2HU No account fees No overdraft facilty Passport/ID card Bank letter Opening times : 09.00-17.00 Monday to Friday 09.00-12.00 Saturday Classic Account (see online for full details) Mobile banking Online banking Paper statements can be stamped free
HALIFAX 30-34 High Street Sheffield S1 2GE No overdraft facility Passport/ID card Bank letter Opening times : 09.00-17.00 Monday to Friday 09.00-14.00 Saturday Easycash Account 24-hour Online and Mobile Banking Visa Electron card and access to ATM network Free mobile text alerts Authenticated paper statements BANK OF CHINA (UK) LTD Manchester Branch 67-69 Mosley Street Manchester M2 3JB Tel: 0161 236 8302 Fax: 0161 228 0285 09.30-16.00 Monday to Thursday 10.00-16.00 Friday 12.00-16.00 Sunday Saturday closed Student Prime Account: Visa debit card with free cash withdrawal from most ATMs* and for use at retail outlets and online shopping Free receipt of funds from all over the world** Commission-free currency exchange in RMB, HKD, Euro, USD*** Online banking Free monthly statement sent to your address No opening fee or account management fee *Some ATMs impose a charge; please check the amount displayed on the ATM screen **Sender s bank may impose their own charges; please check with them before sending money to your account ***There is a difference between selling price and buying price for every given currency pair Valid Passport Proof of address (e.g. Bank Letter from UK universities and college) Offer letter from UK university/ college
Frequently Asked Questions Can I open a bank account before I have formally registered with the University? No, all banks require that you are a fully registered student with the University. Do I need to show my BRP to open a bank account? You will need to have collected your BRP in order to register with the University and you will not be able to obtain a bank letter (see above) until you have registered. Once you have obtained your bank letter this should be sufficient, in conjunction with your passport/visa or national ID card. What documents do I need to open a bank account? All banks require proof of identification, which is usually in the form of a passport or national ID card with visa if you are required to have one. They will also need to see proof that you are a registered student, evidence of your home address and the address you will be living at when you are in Sheffield. This information is included in a bank letter which you can ask for at SSiD, Level 3 Students Union, once you are registered. Why do some banks insist that the bank letter states that the University has assisted the student in finding accommodation? This is one way of ensuring that it is a valid address. Another way of doing this is to ask you to show a utility bill (such as gas or electricity) which has your name and address on it. However, most banks will accept the bank letter as evidence that you are living at a valid address. Does my name need to be exactly the same on my bank letter as on my passport? Yes, this is a requirement under UK law. Which bank would you recommend? The University cannot recommend a particular bank as this would be unfair to other institutions. What we recommend is that you use these comparative tables and information such as how close the bank is to the University or where you live, how well its opening hours fit in with your schedule and any charges involved, to help
you come to a decision. Where possible, visit some of the banks in person before you decide on which one to apply to. If you can, try to visit banks outside of the main lunch period (12.00-14.00) as they will be less busy. I am studying at the English Language Teaching Centre for a few weeks over the summer can I still open a bank account? Different banks have different policies on this. If you are in this situation it should be one of the first questions you ask the bank. I am an Erasmus/Study Abroad student only here for a single semester/one year. Can I open a bank account? Most banks will allow you to apply for an account if you are here for a minimum of a year but they have different policies regarding students who are here for only a single semester. Again, make sure that this is one of the first questions you ask the bank staff. Do all banks charge opening fees and monthly maintenance fees? Many banks offer free account-opening and monthly banking. However, most make charges for particular one-off services so make sure you read their information carefully. Similarly, banks that do charge a monthly fee may be offering an enhanced service in return. Can I open an account on the same day that I apply? Some banks will let you open an account straight away but with others it might take up to a week. Ask any banks you are interested in opening an account with how long it will take before you will be able to use your account facilities. Can I open an account online? Some banks will allow you to fill in the application forms online and then you will just need to visit the branch to show your ID. Check details for individual banks online.
Information compiled by International Student Support, University of Sheffield, on the basis of information supplied by representatives of the banks themselves and current websites. General information accurate as at August 2015. The University of Sheffield and its employees and representatives cannot take responsibility for information provided or its accuracy.