Top banks for opening a student savings account
Having your finances sorted is one of the primary things as a student. This is where savings accounts for students comes to the picture, which, ideally, lets both international and resident student to manage their finance easily. This is your formal official piggy bank that becomes a store box of financial aid, loan amount, interest earned, and all forms of rewards and stipends. As a student, you would need to have a savings account for basic transactions, money transfers and deposits without the hassle of paying huge fees to maintain a minimum balance. Also, as a student, you must have easy accessibility to the bank account and ATMs to use and operate. Additionally you must have access to debit card to avoid the hassle of having a credit card.
Now that you want to open a savings account, do check with the university or college office to find the banks that have a long term working relationship. In case of international students, this process will sort out your preferred bank and the branch close to your premises. In a way you get to do your homework by understanding the interest rates different banks offer, overdraft protection services, time to clear a cheque and other important matters. Ideally, you must choose a national bank, such as Bank of America or Chase, to access services on an international level. Indeed, it’s always advisable to first sort out the savings account as you may be charged with international transaction fee in case of a different bank and denomination. Ensure you get to understand the bank’s requirements to open one and so you carry all required documents before you reach the country. Ideally you must choose a bank that has a tie up with your university or school to speed up the process of opening a savings account. Now you may choose to open a checking account in the same bank along with a savings account. Needless to say, this would just help in automatic transfers from checking to savings account. Note that you will be in control of your finances as there are limitations on withdrawal and transactions for every month. As a student in the country, you must have enough amount to sustain for three to six months, and that’s where the liquidity aspect of a savings account comes to the picture.
Below are some of the best student savings accounts that you may want to consider.
- PNC Bank
Offers the best students savings account with top rated online services for easy money management. Some of the features include calendar based system, receiving alerts as balance drops, Visa debit card, access to free resources to better manage finance, 0.01%APY and no hassle of monthly fees. - Synchrony
Offers account to help a student grow their money. Offers a good interest rate, this bank does not ask for any minimum deposit and maintenance fees. It has a great mobile and online presence that is compatible with iOS and android. - Ally
You get a compounded interest on a daily basis and that’s great news to grow your money. Additionally, you can schedule bill payments, echeck deposits and a whole range of benefits - Navy Federal Credit Union
Although may not be student specific, the account asks for a minimum of $5 to open an account. You will have access to more than 32,000 fees free ATMs across the US and Canada. - Capital One
You get access to more than 39,000 ATMSs and you don’t need to have minimum balance and fees to maintain. - Chase
This is one of the most popular among high school and college students. You have a buffet of banking options to choose from as per your requirements. - USAA
Specifically meant for families of military background, this bank is a perfect go for students - Wells Fargo
It has a huge number of branches for students across the country