Your arrival
Open a UK bank account
There are several banks near campus. Your current bank may have a relationship with a UK bank and can help with setting up an account. We advise you to open a bank account which gives you a monthly paper statement. It is important to keep all your bank statements while you are in the UK and make sure you tell your bank if you change address.
Opening a bank account ensures a safe place to keep your money, provides financial evidence for your visa application, and allows a business to pay you your salary if you get a part-time job.
Bank letters
You can get a letter confirming you are a registered student of the University. This is sometimes required by landlords for private rental agreement and by UK banks to open a bank account. As a campus based student, you'll be able to get a bank letter after you have completed your identity check or visa checkpoint and are fully registered. Just visit My Student Record and click on the My Uni Documents tab.
To open a bank account you need:
- Your passport/photo ID card
- A bank letter from the University confirming your registration, your address in the UK and your overseas address
It may take up to five weeks to open an account, so we recommend you have £1,500, separate from tuition and accommodation fees, in travellers’ cheques or a credit card.
UK banks
- Barclays
- HSBC
- Lloyds Bank
- Natwest
- Santander
- TSB
- Al Rayan Bank (Islamic bank)