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FlexStudent current account

Help us tackle homelessness with Shelter and get £100 cashback with our student bank account.

How to get £100 cashback

To get the £100 cashback:
  • you need to successfully apply for a FlexStudent on or after 1 August 2022
  • you need to pay in at least £500 by 16 December 2022
  • you cannot have had a FlexStudent or FlexGraduate on 31 July 2022.

You can open a FlexStudent by applying for a new account, completing a full switch to us from another building society or a bank, or changing an existing FlexOne to a FlexStudent. We’ll add £100 to your account within 14 days of you depositing at least £500. And we’ll text you to let you know you’ve qualified and the money is on its way. This offer is for a limited time only. We may change, replace or withdraw this offer at any time. Terms and conditions apply.

Help us raise £200,000 for Shelter

When you choose Nationwide for your student bank account, you can not only get £100 cashback but you’ll also be helping tackle one of our country’s biggest social issues: homelessness.

Like us, Shelter believe that everyone has the right to a safe home. That’s why we’ve partnered with them for over 20 years. For every FlexStudent opened in August and September, we’ll give £10 to Shelter (up to a maximum of £200,000) to help them support people impacted by the housing emergency.

Shelter is a registered charity (263710 England and Wales, SC002327 Scotland). Shelter will pay 5% of the total given to them to Shelter Cymru in Wales (registered charity No. 515902) and 5% to Housing Rights (registered charity No. NIC 105735).

What else can you get with our student bank account?

  • You can apply for an interest-free arranged overdraft

    You can apply for up to £1,000 interest-free arranged overdraft in your first year, up to £2,000 in your second year and up to £3,000 in your third year. You'll need to pay in at least £500 each term, keep up with any bill payments and stay within your arranged overdraft limit. Find out more about borrowing with our arranged overdraft.

  • Bank with our app

    We know most of you prefer to bank on your phone. So, you can manage most things from our Banking app or by logging into our Internet Bank. You can also call us or visit your local branch. 

  • Make a mutual difference in your community

    We believe in working together to help build a stronger, kinder society, nationwide. As a member, you can get involved in our Community Boards and help choose which housing charities we should support.

  • Your account will graduate with you

    When your course ends, we'll change your account to a FlexGraduate bank account (unless you make other arrangements). You don't need to do anything. You can still apply for our interest-free arranged overdraft, but the limits will decrease in steady steps.

  • Get interest and save while you study with a savings account

    Opening a FlexStudent is one way to become a member of Nationwide. Our current account members get access to exclusive savings accounts, like our Flex Instant Saver.

To apply for FlexStudent

You need to:

  • be 18 or over
  • have been a UK resident for 3 or more years
  • not have a student account with another provider (though you may be able to switch it to Nationwide)
  • have been accepted onto a full-time UCAS course of at least 2 years, in the UK, with either an unconditional offer or your conditional place confirmed
  • apply no more than 5 months before or 12 months after your course start date
  • pay in at least £500 per term from the date the account is opened (this can be with your student loan).

Ready to apply for our student bank account?

If you're sure you qualify for our FlexStudent and that it's the right bank account for you, press the button to apply online.

Manage your account your way

Keep track of your money

You can set your text alert preferences to help you manage your money. And you can go paperless to help keep track digitally.

Visa debit card

You can make contactless payments up to £100 with your Visa debit card.

Bank securely with our app or online

You can manage most things from our Banking app or Internet Bank. Whether you’re sending money to a friend for rent, setting up a standing order for your bills or just keeping track of your finances.

Pay with your phone

You can use Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay or Paym.

Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Google Pay are available on selected devices and operating systems. Apple Pay and Apple are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Google Pay and Android are trademarks of Google LLC. Samsung and Samsung Pay are trademarks or registered trademarks of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Our interest-free student arranged overdraft

Our arranged overdraft comes with no charges and no interest to pay. It's a form of short-term borrowing that gives a buffer if you think your spending might be more than the money you've got coming in. But remember, you'll have to pay it back after you graduate.

To get an arranged overdraft, you'll need to agree with us in advance an amount you can borrow if you have no money left in your bank account.

How it works while you're at university

The maximum available limit you can ask us for increases in steady steps each year you’re studying, to help you manage your budget throughout your studies. In your first year, you can ask to borrow up to £1,000. It’s up to £2,000 during your second year and, if your course is 3 years or longer, you can apply for up to £3,000 during these years.

If you’re not sure how much you’ll need, don’t worry. You can apply for and change the limit of your arranged overdraft at any time. We’ll just need to look at your circumstances to see what we can offer you.

Thinking about studying abroad? You cannot increase your arranged overdraft limit if you live outside the UK, but you can usually keep the arranged overdraft you already have.

What happens after you graduate

Unless you make other arrangements, we’ll move your FlexStudent to a FlexGraduate. You’ll get a new Visa debit card, but the rest will stay the same. You’ll still get access to an interest-free arranged overdraft, but the limit you can ask for will reduce in steady steps each year.

You can have a FlexGraduate account for 3 years if your course was 3 years long or more or 2 years if your course was 2 years long. After that, we’ll move you to a FlexDirect or FlexAccount.

Learn more about our arranged overdraft

Our student arranged overdrafts page can help you understand how repaying your arranged overdraft works. And we have an overdraft calculator to help you compare the cost of overdrafts for our different current accounts.

Make banking easier with our secure app

  • Manage all your Nationwide accounts in one place
  • View and search your transactions
  • Freeze and unfreeze your Visa Debit card
  • Report your card lost or stolen and order a new card
Take a tour of our Banking app

Fees, charges and important documents

Before you apply, make sure you read the:

Charitable Assignment

Currency conversion charges may apply if you pay by card in a foreign currency.

Apply for FlexStudent

When you apply for a FlexStudent current account, you can:

  • apply for a brand new bank account
  • switch your existing student current account with another building society or a bank to us, or
  • change your existing FlexOne to a FlexStudent.
Apply for FlexStudent

Get help with your student bank account

Our current account help section has the answers to our most commonly asked questions.

Worried about managing your student finances?

For lots of us, university is the first time we take our finances into our own hands. Learn about arranged overdrafts and what’s different about banking with us with our guide to managing your student finances.

Leaving university early

If you leave your studies early, just let us know. Call us on 03457 30 20 11 or visit us in branch to talk through your options. We may need to move your FlexStudent to one of our other accounts.

Extending your studies

If you’re planning to continue your studies after you graduate, then please come visit us in branch. While you’re studying, you can keep your FlexStudent account. We’ll need your new course details, and we may ask for evidence of your change in studies. For example, a letter from your university.

Protecting your money

The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (opens in a new window) (FSCS) is a free, independent service that protects up to £85,000 of your eligible money at Nationwide.

Find out more about the FSCS (PDF, 936KB)

Nationwide adheres to The Standards of Lending Practice, which are monitored and enforced by the LSB: www.lendingstandardsboard.org.uk (opens in a new window).