Which bank?
There are two major British high street banks on the University of Warwick campus, and other banks are located in nearby Coventry,
Kenil worth and Leamington. There are differences in the type of services each bank offers, and the opening requirements for different accounts. We cannot recommend which bank you should open an account with.
You will need to look at information from each bank to decide which one is best for you.
What account?
If you will be studying at Warwick for a year or more, you should have the choice of being able to open an account with several different banks. As an international student, you will generally not be eligible for a credit card, an overdraft, or a loan. Think carefully before opening an account which does not provide a debit card, as most students find a debit or credit card to be very useful.
How long will it take?
Opening a bank account and receiving your bank card and pin number may take up to two to three weeks at the start of the academic year. You should expect to experience some delay before you are able to use your account. If you are experiencing a delay in getting your account up and running and are worried about not being able to pay your tuition fee installment, you must speak to Student Reception or email studentfinance.cc@warwick.ac.uk
before the deadline giving your student ID number. When your pin number arrives read carefully the instructions about how to see it.
What do I need to open a bank account?

Proof of your identity – your passport
(or EU ID card) and visa if applicable

Proof of your student status – usually a student status letter (see below)

Proof of your address – also usually on the same student status letter o Addresses with overseas PO
Boxes are not acceptable for Barclays. o Santander can accept your student ID card instead of a student status letter and does not need proof of address.
open
Where do I get a Student Status Letter?
When you enrol and collect your University ID card, you will be able to ask for a certificate of student status for use when opening a bank account. At the start of the year when your enrolment event takes place (usually in Rootes
Social Building) you will be able to collect student status letters as part of this process. If you need status letters at other times during the year you can request them from Student
Reception which is in Senate House.
Please note:

A student status letter can only be provided once you have collected your student ID card and enrolled.

Student status letters are valid for 3 months from date of issue.

The University is not able to address student status letters to any bank.
What to look out for?
Some of the accounts listed in this guide offer internet and telephone banking facilities. If you choose an online account and have a visa to stay in the UK it’s best to choose to have hard copy original bank statements as you will need these if you will extend your UK visa. Banks also offer savings accounts. If you have a large sum of money, there may be advantages for it to be kept in a designated savings account.
Some banks charge for transfers from overseas but others don’t. The time taken for transfers depends on the method of transfer and the country transferred from. You may want to compare:
 the cost of transferring money from overseas
 whether the bank account has a monthly charge
 whether you are required to deposit a minimum amount in order to open the account
 what the penalty is for being overdrawn without authorisation
 rates of interest on savings accounts
 the days and times that the bank is
open
The information in this flyer is produced by the International Office in good faith, and is correct at the time of publishing
(August 2015). Facilities offered by banks may change and you are advised to check details with the bank concerned at the time of opening.


The main accounts for international students offered by the banks are briefly compared here.

There are two banks on campus: Santander and Barclays. Information about their accounts is below.

Banks do not usually open on Sundays and often not on Saturdays either but the two banks on campus will be open on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4 th October

Barclays will also be open on Saturday 10 th and Sunday 11 th October; Santander will also be open on Saturday 26 th September

Staff from Barclays and Santander will attend the banking roadshow on Wednesday 30th September as part of Orientation.

All the accounts below provide a debit card, which enables you to purchase goods on the internet or over the phone as well as to withdraw cash from ATMs
 If you are under 18 you may not be able to open the banks’ main accounts listed below, but may have to open a more basic account instead.

In general you will not be eligible for an overdraft, a credit card or a loan.
 For full information you are advised to read the banks’ own literature about their accounts – this is a summary.
Remember that it may be quicker and cheaper for you to open an account with a monthly charge but no or little cost for receiving money from abroad.
The information in this flyer is produced by the International Office in good faith, and is correct at the time of publishing (August 2015). Facilities offered by banks may change and you are advised to check details with the bank concerned at the time of opening.

Bank
Santander
Name of account
International
Student
Current
Account
Barclays Student
Additions
Account h h h h
Cost of receiving money transfers/electronic payments from abroad
No fee

J

N

N
£8

J

N

N
Monthly charge
£5 none
Further details

No proof of address is needed for Santander

If you do not have a student status letter then your Warwick ID card is acceptable proof that you are a student.

Their debit card can be sent to your address or collected from their branch, as you wish

The pin number will be posted to you

Santander can issue extra bank statements, which may be needed for visa renewals, on the spot for no charge

Santander cannot accept a UK address that includes a PO Box number

But they can accept an overseas address that includes a PO Box number

Open every weekday from 10am to 6pm (5pm on Wednesdays)

There is no restriction on how long you must have remaining on your course to have this account

Normally the campus branch of Barclays is open on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays only, from 9:30 to 4:30

Between September 28 th and October 16th, Barclays campus branch will be open every day including weekends

For most of the year, accounts cannot be opened at the campus branch of Barclays

The campus branch cannot open accounts before September 28 th or after October

The first part of opening a Barclays account is to be done online

If you are a postgraduate student you must have at least 12 months of your course remaining

If you are an undergraduate student you must have at least 2 years of your course remaining

Barclays cannot accept student status letters with any PO Boxes in the address

The debit card and pin number will be posted to you separately

What if I have a large amount of cash to deposit?
We hope that you do not bring more than £250 in cash with you, and strongly advise against doing so. Other funds should be brought in another form e.g. a bank card from your home country. However, if you have a large amount with you, it is vital that you deposit it safely with a bank as soon as possible. It is not safe to keep large amounts of cash in your room or about your person.
Managing your account:
Once your account is up and running it is essential that you remember a few key points:
Keep your hard copy bank statements.
You will need these to extend your visa in the UK; duplicate statements will cost you money, and will take some time to receive.
If you pay your bills by direct debit
(see the right hand column), you must ensure that you have sufficient funds in the correct account on the day the payment is due. You are likely to be charged a penalty fee if you are unable to pay the amount due.
Inform your bank quickly if you change your address, or leave the UK for an extended period.
Beware of criminal activity: o Never give anyone your PIN (see below), not even close friends or family. Be particularly wary of emails or telephone calls asking you to share your PIN for security or login purposes.
Reputable retailers, banks and the police would never ask you to disclose or confirm your PIN. o Report lost or stolen cards to the bank immediately, before anyone else can use them. o Shred any unneeded bank documents to avoid identity theft.
Information on Shariah-compliant services:
Alrayan Bank’s nearest branch is in
Birmingham. However Barclays’ account does not pay interest and the Santander account has the option of removing interest payments.
If you have questions about opening an account, please contact the International Office on internationalsupport@warwick.ac.uk
or on
02476 574229 (mornings only) or enquire at the individual bank concerned
Some Banking Terminology:
Bank Statements – Banks will generally send you a bank statement every month, outlining the transactions on your account. It is important that you keep these statements safely as you may be asked to produce them at a later stage e.g. for visa extensions, for which hard copy bank statements are necessary. If you require further originals, this may take a few days and may incur a cost.
Direct Debit - when you tell the bank to allow an organisation to collect regular payments from your account. Direct Debits may be for fixed or variable amounts and may be used to pay your tuition fees/ mobile phone bills etc. You will not be able to cancel a direct debit on the day it is to be paid, so you need to ensure that you have sufficient money in the account which it is to be paid from.
Standing Order - when you tell the bank to pay a fixed amount to someone straight from your account at regular intervals. The money is taken from your account automatically on a fixed date and will show up on your statement.
A debit card is a plastic card which provides an alternative payment method to cash when making purchases. The funds are withdrawn directly from the cardholder's bank account and no further action is necessary. For payments of over £10, using a debit card is common in most shops. You can use a debit card to pay for goods and services on the internet, but make sure you only buy from reputable websites, to avoid any theft of money from your account.
A credit card is different from a debit card in that it does not remove money from the user's account after every transaction. In the case of credit cards, the issuer lends money to the user. A credit card allows the consumer to owe money, at the cost of having interest charged. You will receive a statement each month of what you owe, and should then pay this as directed to avoid having to pay extra. International Students are not usually able to have a credit card.
PIN – Personal Identification Number – you will require this to withdraw cash from a cash machine
(or ATM) and also if you wish to pay for goods or services using your debit card e.g. in a shop. Keep it secret, even from friends and family members.
An overdraft occurs when withdrawals from a bank account exceed the available balance, giving the account a negative balance. With most banks you will incur penalty fees for going overdrawn on your account.
The information in this flyer is produced by the International Office in good faith, and is correct at the time of publishing (August
2015). Facilities offered by banks may change and you are advised to check details with the bank concerned at the time of opening.