The UK has lots of banks, including National Westminster (NatWest), Barclays, RBS, Santander, HSBC and Lloyds. All of these offer special bank accounts for students, which usually include an interest-free overdraft. All high street banks have the same basic range of services – savings accounts, credit cards, overseas cash transfers and so on – but they offer different deals to attract new customers, so shop around to find your favourite.
To open a bank account you’ll need to visit a branch of your bank (check to see if your chosen bank has a branch near your Capitol Students location) with the appropriate ID. Your passport, driving licence and one or two forms of proof of address (such as a bill or licence) will usually be enough. Bank accounts take a few days to get up and running, so try to open yours before you leave for university – or make sure you have a credit card to keep you going when you arrive.