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finder.com’s rating: 3.2 / 5.0
★★★★★
Students between the ages of 17 and 24 can open the Chase College Checking account and take advantage of a $100 signup bonus and no monthly maintenance fees as long as you’re in school. But unlike other student accounts, this one doesn’t earn interest and you won’t find any tools to help you better manage your money.
$6 per month
Fee
N/A
APY
$0
Minimum deposit to open
APY | N/A |
---|---|
Fee | $6 per month |
To waive the fee | Have any ONE of the following: • College enrollment for up to five years • OR a direct deposit made to this account (Direct deposits can be an ACH credit, payroll, pension or government benefits such as Social Security) • OR an average ending day balance of $5,000 or more in this account |
Minimum deposit to open | $0 |
Intro or bonus offer | New Chase customers can get a $100 signup bonus when they complete 10 qualifying transactions within 60 days of account opening. |
ATMs | 16,000 Chase ATMs and more than 4,700 branches nationwide |
ATM transaction fee | $0 |
Out-of-network ATM fee | $2.50 in the US or $5 outside the US |
Foreign transaction fee | 3% |
Overdraft fee | $34 |
Nonsufficient funds fee | $34 |
Review by
Peter Carleton is a writer that covers banking and investing, breaking down what you need to know about where you put your money. When Peter's not thinking about cutting-edge banking apps and robo-advisors, he runs a creative agency and spends his spare time cooking or reading.
The Chase College Checking account is best for college students between the ages of 17 and 24. It has a $100 sign-up bonus and no monthly maintenance fee as long as you’re actively enrolled in college.
But that’s where the features stop. While most student checking accounts reward you with interest or tools to help you better manage your money, Chase offers neither. The $100 sign-up bonus may be enough to lure you in, but you’ll likely earn more over time with a student checking account that earns interest.
The Chase College Checking account also isn’t ideal for students who plan to study abroad because there’s a 3% foreign transaction fee and out-of-network international ATMs have a $5 withdrawal fee.
Opening a Chase College Checking account can be done online or at a branch.
Follow these steps for applying online:
To qualify for the Chase College Checking account, you’ll need to meet these requirements:
When applying for this checking account, be prepared to provide the following:
As the top bank in the US, Chase offers the security, services and customer support that you’d expect. This account, geared for students, sports standard features like free online bill pay, a Visa debit card, an user-friendly mobile app and these perks:
This account comes with a Visa debit card with access to the largest bank-owned ATM network, with over 16,000 across the country. While you won’t be charged fees at these locations, you will at non-Chase ATMs:
Despite having convenient deposit methods and an attractive sign-up bonus, the Chase College Checking account has these drawbacks:
If you prefer a checking account that earns interest, you’ll want to keep looking. As always, compare your options when looking for a checking account.
Dawn Daniels
Associate Editor
Chase branches are everywhere in major cities, and their in-person customer service has always been stellar. But calling customer service when you can’t get to a branch leaves a lot to be desired. Last time I needed a new debit card, it took me over four months to get one — the bank sent me a card in the mail with no PIN and refused to send a PIN or give me one over the phone. I couldn’t get a working card until I was able to visit a branch.
I moved to a city shortly after, so it made sense to keep my Chase card. But if I ever move back to an area with no local branches, I’ll switch banks to avoid hours on the phone getting transferred between customer service agents.
Chase has branches in the following states:
You’ll find a few other checking accounts at Chase, including:
★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
We analyze top checking accounts and rate them one to five stars based on factors that are most important to you. These factors include: monthly fees, the ease at which monthly fees can be waived, the breadth of ATM access, ATM and overdraft fees, and customer service.