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Nationwide student accounts review

We look into the pros and cons of opening a student account with Nationwide.

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By

Matthew Boyle

Updated

Fact checked

Find out more about Nationwide’s student bank account option, including how to apply for an account, the benefits of choosing Nationwide and things to look out for.

Types of current accounts for students

Nationwide has just one current account available for students – The FlexStudent Current Account.

Below, we’ll review all of the key details and benefits of this account.

Compare Nationwide’s student bank accounts

Table: sorted by interest rate, promoted deals first
1 - 1 of 1
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Name Product Account fees Interest (AER) Funding requirement 0% overdraft limit Incentive Link Representative example
FlexStudent Account
Finder Award
FlexStudent
£0
0% AER
Min. £500 per term
Up to £3,000
(Max £1,000 in year 1)
View details
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Eligibility

To be eligible for a Nationwide FlexStudent Current Account, you will need to:

  • be aged 18 or over;
  • have been accepted onto a full-time UCAS course at a UK institution for at least two years;
  • close or switch from any other student bank accounts you may have.

You’ll need to have received an unconditional offer from your institution before you apply for your account.

How to open an account

You can apply for an account online or in-branch.

Student account applications are only accepted up to 5 months before or 12 months after your course start date.

During the application process, you’ll be asked to supply a few basic personal details, financial details and information about the course you’re studying.

The benefits

  • Large interest-free arranged overdraft. If your application is successful, you can apply for an overdraft with the Nationwide FlexStudent account.
  • No overseas card fees. You won’t be charged any fees when using your debit card to make purchases or withdraw money abroad.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Large 0% interest overdraft throughout your studies and for 3 years after you graduate.
  • No overseas card fees.

Cons

  • Minimum funding requirement each term.
  • This account is only available if you’re studying for 2 years or more.

Customer service information for Nationwide

Email support
Telephone support
In-app or live chat
Contact form
Branch support

Frequently asked questions about the FlexStudent (funded) account

Do I have to get my student loan paid into this Nationwide account?

No, however the funding requirements of the account are min. £500 per term.

How much does it cost to use the Nationwide student debit card overseas?

When you use your card overseas, you'll pay a non-sterling charge of 0% (in other words the currency conversion is at standard Visa rates). For, example, if you spend the local equivalent of £250, you'll be charged £0.00.

Because it's a Visa, you'll find it's accepted pretty much anywhere that takes card payments.

You may still be charged overseas fees however. For example, some cash machine operators when abroad may apply a direct charge for withdrawals from their cash machines (this should be advised on screen at the time of withdrawal).

Compare options for keeping costs down when spending abroad.

How much does it cost to withdraw cash overseas using the Nationwide student debit card?

You'll pay a currency conversion fee of 0%. For, example, if you take out the equivalent of £150, you'll be charged £0.00. Withdraw 250 euros (that's around £215.46) at an ATM in Paris and it'll cost you £0.00. Don't forget that the local cash machine provider may charge its own fee too.

Does Nationwide's interest-free student overdraft limit increase over time?

Yes. While the opening interest-free overdraft limit is capped at £1,000, this increases to a maximum of £3,000 in year three. Check out our full comparison of student accounts to see the interest-free overdrafts available to UK students with a breakdown of each account's limit in each year of your course.

Our verdict

An interest-free overdraft is one of the most beneficial aspects of a student account, and few accounts can compete with Nationwide on this front. Not only does this account offer a large 0% overdraft, but it will remain interest-free for 3 years after you graduate. You can also take advantage of no fees on overseas spending.

We show offers we can track - that's not every product on the market...yet. Unless we've said otherwise, products are in no particular order. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations of these) aren't ratings, though we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it. This is subject to our terms of use. When you make major financial decisions, consider getting independent financial advice. Always consider your own circumstances when you compare products so you get what's right for you. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables has the source: Moneyfacts Group PLC. In other cases, Finder has sourced data directly from providers.

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