Bank accounts

Whilst you live in the UK, you will need a bank account based in the country so that your money is kept securely. This will allow you to transfer money, pay bills by standing order or direct debit and use a debit card to buy goods or withdraw money from an ATM (Automated Teller Machine).

Opening a UK bank account can sometimes be a difficult experience for international students. Make sure you have enough funds available to cover you for your first two weeks in Hertfordshire in case there is a delay with opening an account. You should also be aware that most banks charge a monthly bank account fee for International Student Accounts.

There are many banks in the UK offering various products and services, so it is a good idea to spend time finding the bank that will best suit your needs.

For international students, banks will require proof of identity, usually in the form of a signed passport, together with proof of your address in your home country and your address in the UK.

It can take up to two or three weeks to open an account if you need to obtain documents, so you should be prepared to bring travellers cheques/credit card/cash card with you to pay for things during this period. Do not bring a large amount of cash with you or keep cash in your room for security reasons.

Although the University of Hertfordshire does not recommend any particular bank, a list of some popular banks in Hatfield Town centre is provided below. You can also read Save Student's guide on the Top UK Bank accounts for international students 2021.

Bank Name	Contact Details
Barclays Bank	86 Town Centre, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 0JP
HSBC	33 Town Centre, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 0JX
NatWest	35 Town Centre, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 0JU
Lloyds Bank	39 Town Centre, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 0JS
Santander	11 Town Centre, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 0NY
Halifax	17 Town Centre, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 0JZ
Monzo (online)	monzo.com
Starling Bank (online)	starlingbank.com/
Revolut (online)	revolut.com