Which are the best student bank accounts for 2025?

Student bank accounts are, as their name suggests, bank accounts designed specifically for those in higher education. These are generally aimed at undergraduates on courses lasting at least two years but usually three, four or five years. They are often also offered to postgraduate students, those on BTEC courses, and those on higher level apprenticeships.

In addition to the usual banking services, student accounts generally come with a large interest-free overdraft. An overdraft can be a really useful thing for a student to have, as it can give them a bit of a financial cushion if, say, they are waiting for their next student loan payment to come through and have no money in the meantime.

With many student accounts, your child will start off on a certain zero-interest overdraft limit, which they can ask to increase in subsequent years. For example, a student on a NatWest student account will start off with a £500 overdraft in their first term, but can ask for this to be increased to £2,000 after that until the end of the second year. If required, this limit can rise to £3,250 in the third year. Most of these increases will be subject to a credit check, but your child will usually be accepted for these, unless they seriously damage their credit score at university.

If your child has a bank account already then their provider may well contact them in the months leading up to the start of their course to ask if they would like to switch to a student bank account. There’s no obligation for them to stick with their current provider, however, so it’s a good idea for you to help them look for the best account available and weigh up the incentives.

Bear in mind that in order to apply for a student bank account, your child will need not only their usual identification and proof of address but also proof of acceptance to their course.

We’ve listed some of the best options currently on the market below.