Open a bank account in the UK
To open a UK bank account you need to choose which bank is right for you.
On this page
To open a bank account as an international student you need to be fully registered at the University. You can show the bank that you are fully registered using a bank letter.
You can produce your bank letter yourself.
It can sometimes take two weeks or more to open a bank account. Plan your finances to take this into account.
Benefits of having a UK bank account
- If you receive a University of Bristol scholarship to help with your living costs, you need a UK bank account for it to be paid into.
- It will make accessing money easier and safer.
- You will not be charged transaction fees when withdrawing cash.
- It may be easier to pay for some UK-based services, such as mobile phone contracts.
- It is more secure to withdraw small amounts of cash than to bring a large sum and keep it in your accommodation. We strongly advise against this.
- Using a bank card to make purchases is the most common way to make payments in the University and the UK. Some retailers and outlets do not accept payment in cash.
Decide which bank to open an account with
Banks have different processes for opening an account. They may require different documents and have different eligibility rules.
The University is impartial and cannot advise students which is the best bank to open an account with.
It is important that you do your research and make a decision which bank account will best suit your needs.
Use the Bank comparison table (PDF, 200kB) to explore some of the banks and accounts that international students have used in the past.
Before you can produce a bank letter
To open an account, most banks require a bank letter from the University to prove you are a student with us.
In order to produce your own bank letter online, you must complete the following steps:
Complete registration
Only registered students can produce a bank letter. You must be fully registered before you can produce a bank letter.
Update your home and Bristol address details online
Your letter will take your home and Bristol address details directly from StudentInfo.
Please double check that your Home address (in your home country) is updated. You can check and update your details online.
Check your name appears correctly
As part of the registration process, you must check that your name appears correctly on your student record. You can also log into StudentInfo to check how your name is recorded.
If you need to make changes to your name, contact your Faculty.
Decide which bank you would like to open an account with
You will need to choose a bank and branch when producing your letter, so you need to decide which bank you want to open an account with.
How to produce your bank letter
Once you have fully registered and your details are correct, you can produce your bank letter. You can produce a maximum of three copies of your bank letter.
If there is incorrect information displayed on your bank letter, or some information is missing, you should check that your personal details have been updated on StudentInfo.
Your letter is a PDF document which can be downloaded. Your chosen bank will let you know if they can accept an electronic version, or if you need to print out a copy of the PDF.
When you apply for a UK bank account
Most banks will ask you to fill out an online application form to open a bank account. Make sure that the address visible on your bank letter, and address you input as part of your bank account application appear in the same format.
Example of formatting:
[Flat number, Room number]
[Building name]
[Building number, Street]
[Town or City]
[Postcode]
Get help if you have questions or problems when opening a UK bank account
Questions about opening an account
The Global Lounge team can give you general advice about opening UK bank accounts.
Visit the team on the first floor of Senate House. Opening hours are Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm.
Sometimes the Global Lounge might be closed for an event. Check the event schedule, and avoid coming for bank letter advice whilst events are running.
You can also email the team your bank letter questions: global-lounge@bristol.ac.uk.
Problems producing your bank letter
If you have problems producing your bank letter, or you have already produced three bank letters and need another one, contact global-lounge@bristol.ac.uk for help.
Your name appears incorrectly on the system
If your name appears incorrectly on the bank letter, you will need to contact your Faculty Office.
Your chosen bank or branch is not on the list
If the bank you have chosen or your chosen branch is not on the list to produce a bank letter, contact global-lounge@bristol.ac.uk for help.
State which bank you would like the letter addressed to, and provide the full address of the branch you need the letter to be addressed to.