2015-03-05



Image by Tax Credits, Flickr

Courtesy of the Canadian Bankers Association (CBA), the following provides a quick overview of student banking in Canada. Whether you are an international student or you have had an account for quite some time, it gives you information on how your bank can be a good partner during your post secondary school life: Download the Banking for Students PDF.

Choosing a bank can be an overwhelming experience – almost as stressful as choosing which car to purchase or which school to attend. All banks offer similar features, but when it comes to students, you’ll see different perks and benefits. The following table outlines the big Canadian Financial Institutions and their fee structures and benefits to students. A few of the banks offer Advice Centres for students, which can be helpful when it comes to budgeting and ultimately paying for school. Other banks offer perks such as points for Scene cards, Student Price Cards (SPC) and Air Miles.

We hope the following table allows you to narrow down your selection on the bank that will best meets your current and future needs!

Name

Monthly Fee/Min Balance to Avoid Fees

# Transactions per Month

ATM Network

Extras

Associated Credit Card

Other

Advice Centre

Bank of Montreal Student Banking

None

30

Bank of Montreal

2 free Interac email money transfers per month, earn AIR MILES reward miles on debit purchases

No-fee BMO SPC MasterCard with built-in SPC Card benefits

BMO Student Budget Calculator; BMO MoneyLogic

CIBC Everyday Chequing Account (Advantage for Students)

None

Unlimited

CIBC

None

CIBC Classic Visa Card

CIBC Professional Edge Student Program – borrow up to $270,000 towards studies

CIBC Advice Centre

Royal Bank Student Banking

None

25

RBC

None

Signature RBC Rewards, RBC Visa Cash Back, WestJest RBC MasterCard; save up to $39 a year off annual fee

Access to myFinanceTracker, online financial management tool

Scotiabank Student Banking Advantage Plan

None

Unlimited

Scotiabank

Free usage of Scotiabank’s Global ATM Alliance

LEARN VISA card, SCENE VISA card

SCENE movie rewards earned when using debit card; Special Grad Auto Loan programs available

TD Canada Trust Every Day Chequing Account with Student Discount

None

25

TD Canada Trust

None

TD Classic Travel VISA Card (annual fee waived for year 1)

Eligible customers get free access to concert discounts, exclusive contests

TD Student Life

HSBC Performance Chequing – Student

$3.97 / $2,000

40

HSBC, The Exchange, BMO

None

No student specific card

Laurentian Bank Student Advantage

None

15

Laurentian Bank

None

VISA Black Card, VISA Black Reward Me Card

PC Financial No Fee Bank Account (not student specific)

None

Unlimited

CIBC

Earn PC points towards free groceries

No student specific card

The post Canadian Banking for Students appeared first on Students.org.

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