£100 and a free 4 year tastecard. Criteria and T&Cs apply.
A Student bank account is a current account designed for those heading off to further education. Find out about additional benefits and apply for a Student bank account.
On this page
Student account offer Open in new window
What is a Student account? Open in new window
Ways you can pay Open in new window
Understanding Student overdrafts Open in new window
Student bank account FAQs Open in new window
Ready to apply Open in new window
- To apply, you must be 17+ and have been living in the UK for at least 3 years. Online applications only.
- To confirm you're a student or postgraduate and eligible for this account, we require your unique 16 digit UCAS code.
- You need to be a full time undergraduate student (on at least a 2-year course at a UK university/college) or you need to be completing a full time postgraduate or nursing course lasting a year or more. You can apply within 6 months of your course start date.
- You must use your student account as your main account by depositing student finance, wages, or other regular income into it.
Student bank account offer
Open a NatWest Student bank account and receive £100 and a free 4 year tastecard worth £55.00 per year*
*Annual tastecard value excluding any offers. Correct as of May 2024.
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Ready to apply Open in new window
Student Offer
£100 and a free 4 year tastecard*.
Get £100 in cash.
Get an annual tastecard, worth £55.00 per year*. Eating in or dining out, enjoy 2 for 1 meals, 50% off your food bill or 25% off your entire bill at thousands of UK restaurants. With exclusive offers for students with discounts on movie streaming, attractions, membership perks with a tastecard membership. Valid for 4 years.
Receive your cash offer within 10 working days of opening your account. We'll send your tastecard redemption code to your email address..
This offer can be withdrawn at any time due to limited availabilty.
If you have received a student offer from NatWest at any time from 1st July 2020 you will not be eligible.
Information Message
Why open a Student bank account?
Finding the best student bank account for you is a big decision.Whether you’re already enjoying university life or planning ahead and thinking about your first year on campus, you could apply to open a Student account with NatWest today.
What else could you get?
Interest-free overdraft -get an overdraft of up to £2,000 from year one (limited to £500 in term one, year one) with an instant online decision. Students can apply for up to £3,250 interest free from year three onwards.
No monthly Student current account fees.
To apply for an overdraft,you need to be aged 18+. You can add an overdraft to your account once your course has started.
Award-winning account for students
This Student account packs a punch, that's why it's award winning.
YourMoney.com voted NatWest as 'Best everyday current account provider', plus this current account was given 5 stars by the Defaqto experts in 2024.
Open a bank account today Open in new window
What is a Student bank account?
Student bank accountsare a type of UK current account that’s specifically designed for students. They typically work in the same way as a standard current account, but with added features, such as interest-free overdrafts and a range of discounts and offers. Your student account will automatically switch to aGraduate accountwhen you finish studying.
Ways to pay
Debit card
Brand-new plastic
Shop online or pay in-store with a new student debit card.
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Do more with your debit card Open in new window
Contactless
Shop, tap and go
Tap-and-bleep your debit card to check out up to £100 in shops, restaurants, and more.
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Get to grips with contactless Open in new window
Apple or Google Pay
Banking from your phone
Paying for items on your iPhone or Android is simple. You can use it to pay for things online or in-store with a tap.Criteria and retailer limits apply.
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Setting up a digital wallet Open in new window
Direct Debit
For regular bills
Got a regular bill that needs to be paid via Direct Debit? You can set that up on a NatWest Student account. Or if you need to split your household bills, check out our Housemate app.
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Make use of a student overdraft
Our Student bank account comes with an interest-free overdraft. A quarter of students budget and monitor their spending. But around one in three are still short of money by the end of the month, says our annualStudent Living Index.
That's when your overdraft may come in handy as a short-term option. And because it’s interest-free, you won’t pay any interest on what you’ve spent.
Interest-free overdraft -get an overdraft of up to £2,000 on Student bank accounts from year one (limited to £500 in term one, year one) with an instant online decision. Students can apply for up to £3,250 interest-free from year three onwards.
To apply for an overdraft,you need to be aged 18+. You can add an overdraft to your account once your course has started.
There are two different types of overdraft:
- Anarrangedoverdraft, which allows you to go overdrawn up to an agreed limit. This is the type of overdraft you could apply for on our Student bank accounts in the UK. During your application for an arranged overdraft, we'll run a full credit check to determine how much we can offer you.
- An unarranged overdraft. This is when you spend more money than you have in your current account without already having an arranged overdraft, or when you exceed your current arranged overdraft limit.
Arranged overdrafts are interest-free on our Student accounts. You won’t have to worry about paying interest, so long as you stay within your overdraft limit.
However, going into an unarranged overdraft could lead to payments being rejected.
Once you leave university, we’ll move you on to aGraduate bank account. Your interest-free overdraft will then reduce until the fourth year after graduation. At that point, you’ll move to aSelect accountand the interest-free overdraft will end.
Our Student bank account offers an overdraft facility (subject to eligibility). You can check if you're likely to be accepted for an overdraft using oureligibility tool.
Looking to understand the costs of an overdraft of more or less than £500 over different periods of time? Use our handycost calculator.
Learn more about our student overdraft Open in new window
Manage your Student account with our app
See how much you have in your Student current account and transfer money between accounts from your smartphone. Students save on average £109 per month, according to ourStudent Living Index 2023. Easily move money into your savings account with our app.
Try the NatWest mobile app today
App available to customers aged 11+ with compatible iOS and Android devices and a UK or international mobile number in specific countries.
Be bill savvy with Housemate
Want to take the hassle out of house sharing? With Housemate by NatWest, you can split household bills and pay each other back. You could also build your history with our partner Experian when you register your rent payments with the app. It’s free and you don’t have to bank with NatWest to use it.
Housemate is a free app open to users aged 17+ across the UK (excluding the Channel Islands and Northern Ireland). Users must have a UK bank account and an iOS or Android compatible device. Open Banking is available for selected UK banks and account types only. You need to be registered for your own bank’s online banking. The rent recognition feature is only open to those residing in England or Wales.
Learn more about Housemate Open in new window
Student account FAQs
To open our account for students, you'll need:
- UK Passport or Driver's Licence (full or provisional)
- Proof of address - Driver's Licence, Utility Bill or Bank Statement. If you don’t have one of these, you can use one of the documents we ask for to verify your UK student status.
To confirm you're a student or postgraduate and eligible for this account, we require your unique 16 digitUCAS status code.If you can't find our code, log into your UCAS hub or contact UCAS on 03714 680 468, before starting the application.
Once your account is opened and you meet all the conditions we'll:
- Pay £100 into your student account within 10 working days. We won't pay £100 if the new Student account is closed, even if you've met all required conditions; and
- Send you a tastecard redemption code to your email address you gave us at account opening within 5 days.
To confirm you're a student or postgraduate and eligible for this account, we require your unique 16 digit UCAS status code. If you can't find your code, log into yourUCAS Hub(opens in new tab) or contactUCAS on 0371 468 0468, before starting the application.
After you graduate your Student account will switch to a Graduate account. We’ll notify you about 60 days in advance, so there are no unexpected surprises.
You can apply for an overdraft once your Student account is open. If your course has started or is about to start, you might be able to apply for an overdraft while opening your Student account. You’ll need to be 18+years, Subject to lending criteria.
If you’re approved, your interest-free overdraft limit is £500 in year one, term one. You can apply to increase the overdraft up to £2,000 from term two, year one. Students from year three onwards can apply for up to £3,250.
You can apply for an overdraft on your account at any time once your course has started, with an instant online decision.
You can only have one Student account with NatWest Group (NatWest/Royal Bank/Ulster Bank) at a time. If you try to open more than one student account in the UK you will only receive the benefits of the account once.
Banking My Way is a free service that allows you to record information about the support or adjustments you need to make banking easier. You can also let us know any additional support you may need to ensure all of our colleagues are aware of this. The information will be shared on our internal systems and therefore you will not need to repeat these requirements every time you interact with us.
Once your account is open, you can record this through Online Banking or with our colleagues in branches or over the phone.
Learn more about Banking My Way
If you’ve lived in the UK for more than three years, you can apply for our Student bank account.
If not, we’ll recognise you as an international student. And that means you won’t be eligible for our Student account.
The good news? We have plenty of othercurrent accountoptions. So long as you’re classed as a UK resident, you could apply for aSelect everyday accountor aReward account.
Switch to NatWest
The Current Account Switch Service will do all the work when it comes to switching, moving everything across from your old account to your new account all within 7 working days, including Direct Debits and standing orders. All you need to do is tell us the details of your old bank account and when you want the Switch to start.
We can not switch savings accounts or ISAs through this service. Any other products you have with your old bank will not be moved at the same time.
Current Account Switch Guarantee (PDF, 39KB)
A Guide to Switching Current Accounts (PDF, 3MB)
How does the Current Account Switch Service work?
Get ready to apply
Before you apply, we need to check you're happy with a few things. And ask you a few questions up front. Then we can make your application as quick and simple as it can be.
First things first. You can apply if you are:
aged 17 or over and have been living in the UK for at least 3 years
completing a full-time undergraduate course that lasts at least 2 years or completing a full-time postgraduate course, or
training as a nurse at a UK university or college of higher education
completing a course that has already started, or is starting within the next 6 months.
Now please take a look at the important legal stuff
If you carry on applying, it means you're happy with what's in these documents, including the FSCS information sheet. And happy to view your statements in Online Banking - not posted.Please take some time to review, print and/or save the important information.
All kinds of general info about our current accounts. Including details about the Student Account.
Download PDF (169 KB)
Very important information about how your money is protected. Just in case.
Download PDF (105 KB)
How much our charges will be. From taking cash out abroad to an unarranged overdraft.
Download PDF (133 KB)
Important basic info about the bank. For example, who regulates us and how to complain (hopefully you won't need that bit).
Download PDF (45 KB)
How we promise to treat you, if we lend you money. And what we expect from you in return.
Download PDF (44 KB)
Important information on our Student offer.
Download PDF (52 KB)
How your information might be used
It's important for you to understand how we use and share your information. Please read thisshort summarybefore you continue with your application.
Other ways we could help
How much will I spend as a student?
When you’re setting out on your student life, it can be tricky to know how much day-to-day living will cost. Our guide can help you there.
Take a look at the Student Living Index
Compare current accounts
Still weighing up the best student bank account for you? Don’t worry. We could help you make the right choice.
Compare current accounts today
Build your budget
Not sure where your money goes each month? Want to save a little more? We can help you with our budget calculator.
Calculate your budget
