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A free 4 year tastecard

Open our Student bank account

Why apply for our Student bank account?

A Student bank account is designed to make your life in higher education a little bit easier. There are many advantages to opening a Royal Bank Student account such as:

  • Offer - free tastecard for 4 years (worth £29.99 per year)*.
  • 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.
  • Can't find your bank card? Temporarily freeze it on the app while you look, and if you find it, instantly unfreeze your card.
  • Withdraw up to £130 without your card every 24 hours at our ATMs (as long as it’s within your daily withdrawal limit, criteria applies).
  • You can switch using the Current Account Switch Service.
  • No monthly fee.

Student bank account offers

tastecard

What is a tastecard?

Tastecard is a discount card which offers you 2 for 1 on meals, 50% off food or 25% off food and drinks at thousands of restaurants or pizza takeaways UK wide. 

We also have exclusive offers just for students. 

Cinema ticket discounts 

Discounted days out at the UK's best attractions 

Exclusive membership perks

We’ll send your tastecard redemption code to your email address. 

Offer T&Cs apply.  This offer can be withdrawn at any time. Valid for 4 years. Smartphone required.

Information Message

Hassle free banking with our mobile app

App available to customers aged 11+ with compatible iOS and Android devices and a UK or international mobile number in specific countries.

Are you an international student?

If you’ve lived in the UK for more than 3 years, you can apply for our Student account. If you’ve lived in the UK for less than 3 years you’re recognised by us as an international student and are not eligible for our Student account. See our current accounts hub for more options. 

Switch to Royal Bank

The Current Account Switch Service will do all the work when it comes to switching, moving everything across from your old 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 Switch Service work?

Understanding overdrafts

An overdraft is a form of short term borrowing and is repayable on demand. If you don't repay what is owed, you could harm your credit score and borrowing capability. Understand the cost and impact of overdrafts and use our eligibility checker to find out if you’re likely to be approved below.

Student FAQs

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 over 17 and have been living in the UK for at least 3 years
  • are completing a full-time undergraduate course that lasts at least 2 years, completing a full-time post-graduate course, or are training as a nurse at a UK university or college of higher education
  • are completing a course that has already started, or is starting within the next 6 months.

Now please take a look at the important legal info

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 Digital Banking - not posted. Please take some time to review, print and/or save the important information.

How your information might be used

It's important for you to understand how we use and share your information. Please read this short summary before you continue with your application.

As part of the checks that we will complete to verify your identity, we’ll take an image of your face so that it can be compared with your photo ID and this biometric data is captured.

 

All okay? You’re nearly ready to start.

To speed up your application for our Student account, we need to do a few final checks with you. They'll only take a minute.

Do we already know you?
Have you lived in the UK for:

You're all set 

Your application will be completely online, as part of our checks we'll ask our partner HooYu to confirm your identity using; 

  • A Liveness check, a selfie to compare your photo ID. You'll need a device with a camera to upload these. 
  • Photo ID, which must be a Passport, UK or EU/EEA Driving Licence or an EU/EEA National ID card.
  • Proof of your UK student status, such as: UCAS status code, UCAS letter, letter from your University, and many more.
  • Proof of your address, such as a utility bill, bank statement, driving licence, UCAS letter, Student Finance letter or a letter from your University​.

Sorry, you can't apply for this account

Sorry, we can’t offer you the Student account.

You can view our full range of accounts and apply for a suitable one.

What would you like to do today?
Do you have a current account with us?

Changing to a Student account

You’ll need to change your existing account to a Student account.  It won’t take long, and you only need:

  • The account number and sort code of the account you want to change. You can find these in your app/Digital Banking.
  • Proof of your UK student status, such as: UCAS status code, UCAS letter, letter from your University, and many more.

As you're changing your existing account to another, you’ll:

  • Keep your existing sort code, account number and debit card. Your existing standing orders and direct debits will stay the same. 
  • Retain your arranged overdraft limit.
  • See no impact to your credit rating.
Have you lived in the UK for:

You're all set

Your application will be completely online, as part of our checks we'll ask our partner HooYu to confirm your identity using; 

  • A Liveness check, a short video to compare your photo ID.
  • Photo ID, which must be a Passport, UK or EU/EEA Driving Licence or an EU/EEA National ID card.
  • Proof of your UK student status, such as: UCAS status code, UCAS letter, letter from your University, and many more.
  • Proof of your address, such as a utility bill, bank statement, driving licence, UCAS letter, Student Finance letter or a letter from your University​.

Sorry, you can't apply for this account

Sorry, we can’t offer you the Student account.

You can view our full range of accounts and apply for a suitable one.

You're all set

During the application, you'll need:

  • The account number and sort code of the account you want to change. You can find these in your app/Digital Banking.
  • Proof of your UK student status, such as: UCAS status code, UCAS letter, letter from your University, and many more.

As you’re changing your existing account to another, you’ll:

  • Keep your existing sort code, account number and debit card. Your existing standing orders and direct debits will stay the same. 
  • Retain your arranged overdraft limit.
  • See no impact to your credit rating.