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Join Which? MoneyBest student bank account freebies and perks 2025
This year’s offers include a 0% overdraft, up to £100 cash, a free Railcard and Just Eat vouchers
With students starting or returning to university this September, it’s worth setting up a student bank account over the summer.
These accounts work like regular current accounts, but come with extra perks to help their money go further. The main benefit is usually an interest-free overdraft, but they can range from cash bonuses, takeaway vouchers and cashback.
Here, Which? takes a closer look at this year’s offers and the small print to help you or someone you’re supporting choose the right student account.
Full list of student accounts in 2025
To qualify for a student bank account in the UK, you'll need to be enrolled in a full-time undergraduate, postgraduate or higher apprenticeship course at a UK university or college. The course typically needs to be at least two years long and you'll need to have lived in the UK for at least three years.
You'll need to provide evidence of your student status, such as:
- UCAS code A unique 16-digit code that confirms your place on a course.
- University acceptance letter A letter confirming your place on a course.
Below are the student bank accounts on offer this year so far, as well as the overdraft limits and freebies, ordered alphabetically.
| Student account | Overdraft limit | Perks |
|---|---|---|
| Bank of Scotland Student Current Account | Year 1/2/3: £1,500 Year 4 onwards: £2,000 | Up to 15% cashback through its Everyday Offers scheme. Retailers and cashback amounts vary. |
| Barclays Student Additions Account | Year 1: £1,000 Year 2: £1,500 Year 3 onwards: £1,500 | No extra perks |
| The Co-operative Bank Student Account | Year 1: £1,400 Year 2: £1,700 Year 3 onwards: £2,000 | No extra perks |
| Halifax Student Current Account | Year 1/2/3: £1,500 Year 4 onwards: £2,000 | Up to 15% cashback through its Everyday Offers scheme. Retailers and cashback amounts vary. |
| HSBC Student Bank Account | Year 1: £1,000 Year 2: £2,000 Year 3: £3,000 | Discounts through the HSBC Home&Away scheme |
| Lloyds Student Account | Year 1/2/3: £1,500 Year 4 onwards: £2,000 | Up to 15% cashback through its Everyday Offers scheme. Retailers and cashback amounts vary. |
| Nationwide FlexStudent | Year 1: £1,000 Year 2: £2,000 Year 3: £3,000 | £100 cash and £120 Just Eat vouchers |
Correct as of 9 July 2025.
Which accounts offer the best perks?
Nationwide has one of the most generous sign-up incentives this year, worth around £220 overall. Students get a £100 cash bonus, the largest among major UK banks, plus £120 in Just Eat vouchers.
NatWest and the Royal Bank of Scotland are both offering students £85 in cash, along with a four-year Tastecard membership.
A Tastecard usually costs £79.99 a year, so if prices stay the same, it would be worth around £320 over four years. The card gives you 25% off your total bill, 2-for-1 meals, 50% off food or 25% off barista-made drinks at popular chains such as Pizza Express, Prezzo Italian and Caffè Nero, as well as discounts at independent restaurants and coffee shops. It also offers savings on food delivery and cinema tickets.
Santander is once again including a free four-year 16-25 Railcard with its student account. This normally costs £35 for one year or £80 for three years, and it saves you a third on rail travel.
- Find out more: best bank account switching deals July.
What's in the small print?
Before applying for a student bank account, carefully review the T&Cs. Some banks require you to meet certain criteria before perks are paid out or an overdraft is approved.
Nationwide
To get the £100 bonus, you’ll need to pay at least £500 into the account by 12 December 2025. The bonus will be paid within 14 days. You won’t be eligible if you’ve benefited from a previous FlexStudent offer after July 2022, or if you had an open FlexStudent or FlexGraduate account on 30 June 2025.
The £120 in Just Eat vouchers are paid as £10 each month for the first 12 months after opening the account. You must keep your account open to receive all the vouchers, and each voucher expires after 30 days.
NatWest and the Royal Bank of Scotland
You’ll get the £85 cash payment within 10 working days of opening the account. However, you won’t receive it if the account is closed beforehand, even if you’ve met all the requirements.
Your Tastecard redemption code will be sent to the email address you used when signing up within five days of opening the account. You won’t be eligible if you’ve received a student offer from NatWest or Royal Bank of Scotland since 1 July 2021.
Santander
You will need to pay at least £500 into the account every four months. This can include your Maintenance Loan payments.
The Co-operative Bank
To get the overdraft, you need to pay at least £300 into your student account within 28 days of opening the account and the money must stay in the account for 48 hours. After this, your overdraft will be granted. You'll also need to ask The Co-operative Bank to increase your overdraft each year.
- Find out more: a guide to repaying your student loan.
What are the best banks for customer service?
Each year, we survey thousands of current account customers to find out what they think of their bank’s products and services. This helps us identify which banks and building societies offer the best experience overall.
Among providers that offer student accounts, customer scores were:
- Nationwide: 81%
- Halifax: 75%
- Lloyds Bank: 75%
- NatWest: 75%
- Santander: 73%
- Barclays: 72%
- HSBC: 69%
- TSB: 68%
Find out more: best bank and bank accounts 2025.
How do student overdrafts work?
A 0% overdraft lets you borrow money up to a certain limit without incurring any interest charges. This is a common feature of student bank accounts, as it provides a financial safety net to help manage unexpected expenses or gaps between student loan instalments.
However, student account overdrafts are still a form of borrowing. When you apply, the bank will carry out a credit check, and the strength of your score can affect how much overdraft you're offered.
It's important to remember that an overdraft isn't free cash – you'll need to pay it back. It's best to use it only for emergencies rather than relying on it regularly, as the less you borrow, the less you'll need to repay later.
Some banks will let you exceed your arranged overdraft limit, but you'll usually be charged for doing so. Exceeding your limit can also negatively affect your credit score, making it harder to borrow money in future. Other banks will simply decline any transactions that would take you over the limit.
- Find out more: best bank accounts for overdrafts.
What happens to your account when you graduate?
When you finish your studies, most banks will move your student account to a graduate account for two to three years. The main perk of a graduate account is that it extends your interest-free overdraft, giving you more time to pay off any debt you've built up.
If you’ve already cleared your overdraft, it’s worth looking at other current accounts that might suit you better. For example, you could choose one that offers a high-interest linked savings account, cashback on spending or a switching incentive.
- Find out more: best cashback current accounts.
Can international students open a UK bank account?
If you’re coming to the UK to study, opening a British bank account makes managing your money easier and avoids currency conversion fees every time you use your card or withdraw cash. Employers will also need a UK account to pay your wages if you work part-time.
Most banks offer basic accounts to international students, although these usually don’t include an overdraft. Some banks have specific international student accounts, but overdrafts, if offered, tend to be small.
To open an account, you’ll typically need documents such as your passport, student visa, proof of UK address and your university acceptance letter. While you can often start the process online, you’ll usually need to visit a branch in person to complete it.
- Find out more: the most common scams targeting students.
