The best freebies for student bank accounts in 2025
One great thing about heading off to uni (other than finally moving out) is that you can get free cash or other freebies when you sign up for a new student bank account.
We’ve gone into detail about which current account is best, including which ones offer the biggest 0% overdrafts, but if you just want to check out the freebies, here are some of the best student bank welcome offers in 2025.
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Best welcome offers
NatWest or RBS Student Account: £85 cash
NatWest and RBS are both offering £85 in cash and a 4-year Tastecard for students who sign up for their student accounts this year.
How to get the £85
To get the £85, you need to sign up for a NatWest or RBS Student Account between 1 July 2025 and when this offer is withdrawn — this is usually in November.
You can’t get it if you’ve received a student offer from NatWest or RBS since 1 July 2021.
When will I get the £85?
As long as you’re eligible, you’ll get the £85 cash within 10 working days of meeting the above criteria.
Nationwide student account: £100 cash and £120 in Just Eat vouchers
Nationwide is offering £100 cash and £10 per month in Just Eat vouchers for first-year uni students who sign up for its student account this year.
How to get the £100 cash and vouchers
To get the £100 cash and monthly Just Eat vouchers, you need to sign up for a FlexStudent account after 1 July 2025 and pay in £500 by 12 December 2025.
You can’t get it if you had a FlexStudent or FlexGraduate on 30 June 2025 or if you opened a FlexStudent account last year and got the previous cashback offer.
When will I get the Nationwide £100?
As long as you’re eligible, you’ll get the £100 cash within 14 days of depositing £500 or more into the account. You’ll get an email with details of how to claim the vouchers.
You can also get an additional £40 in Just Eat vouchers if you refer two friends to the account. You’ll get £20 for each referral. To refer a friend, just generate a referral code in your voucher portal. Then your friend will need to enter it when they register for the portal.
Santander student account: free 4-year railcard and tuition fee competition
Santander is giving away free 4-year 16-25 railcards to students who open a Santander Edge Student account.
How to get the Santander student railcard
To get the free railcard you need to open a Santander Edge Student account and register for online banking. You should then receive a code by secure message to your online banking account within 5 working days.
You’ll need to enter this code on the railcard website within 60 days of the email.
When will I get the Santander railcard?
You’ll get a code in your online banking inbox within 5 working days of opening the account. If you choose a digital railcard, you can use it right away. If you choose a physical card, it’ll take around 5 days to arrive.
Get extra cashback
You can also get extra cashback from Quidco (£20) or TopCashback (£25) when you sign up for the account by going through them. Plus, you can get an additional welcome bonus if you haven’t used either cashback site before.
Lloyds Student Account: £110 cash and 20% off events (ended)
The details below are for the 2024 offer. Nothing’s been announced for 2025 yet.
Lloyds is offering £110 in cash for students who sign up for its student account this year. You can also get a 20% discount on Student Union events for the 2024/2025 academic year at up to 50 universities.
How to get the £110
To get the £110, you need to sign up for a Lloyds Student Account between 1 August 2024 and 31 October 2024 and deposit at least £500 into your account by 31 October 2024.
You can’t get it if you already have a Lloyds Student Account but you can upgrade your account if you have a Lloyds Current Account.
When will I get the £110?
As long as you’re eligible, you’ll get the £110 cash by 30 November 2024.
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HSBC Student Account: £125 cash (ended)
The details below are for the 2024 offer. Nothing’s been announced for 2025 yet.
HSBC is giving away £125 in cash to those who had a current account on 1 July 2024. You have to upgrade the account or open a new HSBC Student Account.
How to get the HSBC £125 cashback
To get the £125 in cash you need to be an existing HSBC customer (since 1 July), be (or be going into) in your first year of university, open or upgrade your account to a HSBC Student Bank Account and make at least 5 qualifying transactions using your HSBC debit card within 30 days of opening the account.
When will I get the £125?
You’ll get the £125 into your account within 30 days of meeting all the eligibility criteria.
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Halifax Student Account: get £110 cash (ended)
The details below are for the 2024 offer. Nothing’s been announced for 2025 yet.
Halifax is offering £110 in cash for students that sign up for their student accounts this year.
How to get the £110
To get the £110, you need to sign up for a Halifax Student Account between 1 August 2024 and 31 October 2024 and deposit at least £500 into your account by 31 October 2024.
You can’t get it if you already have a Halifax Student Account.
When will I get the £110?
As long as you’re eligible, you’ll get the £110 cash by 30 November 2024.