Opening a bank account
How to open a bank account before you arrive in the UK.
Complete online enrolment
Using your Cardiff University username and password, log in to SIMS and follow the instructions. If you need help, follow our step-by-step instructions to enrolling online.
Collect your student ID and generate a bank letter
You will need to collect your student ID card before you can generate a bank letter.
Generate a bank letter
If you are setting up a new bank account, you will probably need to provide the bank with a letter confirming your student status and correct term-time address.
You can update your address and request a bank letter through SIMS online. Simply log into SIMS and click ‘Generate a bank letter’ under the ‘My proof of enrolment’ section. A copy of the bank letter will be emailed to you as a PDF and will also be stored in your student record in SIMS online. You must keep the email as some banks will require it (see below).
Watch a short video on how to generate a bank letter and change your contact details in SIMS online.
You can access SIMS online from any device.
Single semester exchange students
If you are an exchange student and completing a placement at Cardiff University for six months or less, your banking options are more limited.
We are currently aware that Lloyds Bank and Santander offer banking services to students in Cardiff for six months or less.
Transferring money to the UK
The easiest way to send money from your home country to your UK bank account is by electronic transfer.
To do this, the bank in your home country will need your:
- bank’s name and full address
- name as given on your UK bank account
- bank account number
- bank sort code.
Banker's draft
You can also transfer money using a banker’s draft. This is a document drawn up by the bank in your home country and sent to you by post. You'll then present the banker’s draft to your bank in the UK. Before you transfer money, ask what charges will be made by the bank and how long it will take.
Make sure that you keep copies of the relevant documents in case there is a dispute with the bank in the future.
The interest-free overdrafts offered by student bank accounts can be useful for providing a cash flow between student finance payments, but you should be careful not to rely on them too much.