When you begin to apply for university, many parts play into the process and one of these is deciding which bank to access a student account with.

Many banks offer different conditions to their accounts – as well as some additional benefits that adhere to student life. For example, the Santander 123 Student account offers you a four-year 16-25 railcard, whereas the HSBC Student account offers you £100 to spend during freshers.

However, one of the standout student accounts – with many branches easily accessible in Nottingham – is the NatWest student account.

First of all, you must be thinking, why do I need a student bank account? Well, before we get into one of the best on the market – the NatWest student bank account – here are some top tips and advice to why it is important to have a student bank account.

Why do I need a student bank account?

It may not be the most exciting part of university, but making sure you choose a student bank account – and a suitable one at that – will make your years at university run more smoothly.

There are many advantages to having a student bank account. The most standout one is the interest-free overdraft options available to you. Depending on what bank account you choose to go with, this will set to an agreed limit – and in some cases, it will increase in terms of the year you are studying at university.

The other perks that deem popular with all students are of course the added bonuses such as exclusive discounts and freebies.

Ultimately though, having a student bank account will again make your life a lot easier in terms of your finances, allowing you to enjoy your university days and cherish the memories.

Now it is just a case of picking the best student bank account on offer. Let’s see what NatWest has on offer…

What does NatWest offer?

After researching student accounts time and time again – in the lead up to your starting days at university – you will become familiar with the same sort of offers on show. However, with the NatWest student account, they offer much that other student accounts do not.

First up, we have a £2000 interest-free overdraft, meaning there is £500 available for you each term. As well as this, you can gain instant online access to your account, making life that little bit easier in terms of your finances. To save you even more money, NatWest requires no monthly fee when having an account with them.

In terms of the great benefits, you can reap from the NatWest student account is you don’t get just one on offer to you, but you get to pick from three available options! The first is one year free of Amazon Prime Student, the second is a National Express Coachcard, and the third final offer is Tastecard.

Although the Amazon Prime Student membership lasts for only a year, the National Express Coachcard and Tastecard last for the duration of your university course – for the four years.

If you are interested in the more intricate details, you can withdraw up to £130 an hour every 24 hours at the NatWest ATMs.

As well as this, the NatWest student account was named the Best Online Student Banking Provider for 2019 as a part of YourMoney.com awards.

How do I know if I am eligible?

For those to apply for a student account, it is the same for every account on offer. For this, you must be 17 years and over – as well as living in the UK. You must also be able to prove you are studying a full-time undergraduate degree, one that must last at least two years at a UK university or college.

To unlock the overdraft element of your student account, you must be at least 18 years of age and have lived in the UK for at least three years or more.

This is the part where we get into the more intricate details again (boring, I know…). Before you can even open your first ever student account – alongside the criteria to be able to open one – you also need some important documents. For the NatWest student account, you are required to provide a UK passport or a driver’s licence (either full or provisional). As well as your proof of identity, you must also provide proof of address, either through a driver’s licence again, a utility bill or a bank statement.

What happens after I graduate?

If you are thinking what happens beyond the end of your course and you haven’t even started university yet, then I warn you now, soak up every opportunity and moment of university as you can, as these three years (or more) will go quick – and will be the best of your life.

However – going back to bank accounts – NatWest will not leave you in the lurch once you have graduated. In terms of your student bank account, this will automatically turn into a graduate account. However, if this is something you do not wish to carry on with, then NatWest will give you plenty of notice to allow you time to think about the next banking chapter of your life by notifying you 60 days in advance – before the account is due to close.

Where can I find NatWest branches in Nottingham?

There are many branches (and ATMs of course) that easily accessible for students in Nottingham. The locations of these include:

  • 16 S Parade, Nottingham, NG1 2JX
  • 13 Exchange Walk, Nottingham NG1 2NX
  • 536 Valley Road, Nottingham, NG5 1FL
  • 52 Rectory Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham, NG2 6FF
  • 134 Front Street, Arnold, Nottingham, NG5 7BF

Some branches are a bit further out, but these are for those based more in the city centre of Nottingham.

So, there you have it. If you are preparing for university in the next year, then here is a great option to pick for a student bank account. Then once this is sorted, you can reap in the benefits NatWest has to offer and make your years at Uni just that bit easier.