Opening Bank Account
International students are eligible to open a ‘basic’ bank account at a number of different banks, and in some cases may be eligible for a ‘current’ or ‘student’ account. We advise you to shop around and pick a bank whose services meet your individual requirements. In order to open an account you will need to provide:

• Proof of your identity (passport/ identity card)
• Confirmation of your student status
• Confirmation of your home and UK addresses.

You may have to wait for 10 working days or longer before your account is opened.

-Basic Bank Account Service

A basic bank account allows you to pay in and withdraw money, and pay bills by Direct Debit. You will be given a bankcard to access your money through cash machines, but you may not be eligible to access credit/debit or overdraft facilities.

-Keeping Track of Your Money

You will receive regular statements from your bank, detailing any payments made to your account and any withdrawals. The statement will also show the balance of your account that is the amount of money available to you. You may also print mini statements and check your balance at cash machines.

The major UK banks represented in London are:

Banks are usually open 09.30–16.30hrs daily and closed at weekends and on public holidays, though some banks are open on a Saturday morning.

-Transferring Money to the UK

The easiest way to send money is by electronic transfer of funds from a bank in your home country to your UK account. To do this, the bank in your home country will need:

• Your UK bank’s name and full address
• Your name as given on your UK bank account
• Your UK bank account number
• Your UK bank’s sort code.

Money can also be transferred using a banker’s draft. Bank drafts drawn in pounds sterling are quicker to process. It is advisable to photocopy any cheques/drafts that you bring with you to retain for your records.

We advise you not to carry heavy cash in pounds to cover your immediate needs upon arrival in the UK and safer to bring cash in form of travellers’ cheque or a debit/credit card (accessible in UK ATM’s) as it helps in getting your UK bank account active.