I've had my student account since 2009, graduated in 2010 and have £2k overdraft I havent even started to pay off. The halifax renew it each year without even checking with me and I've paid no interest on it. I love them!

NOT USE THEM! They claiming can give you up to 3k overdraft and you'll never see that amount! I been in college 2 years and went to 3rd year to Uni, at start they'll give you 500GBP, after a year I extend to 1k, and when I start third year I asked for 1,5k and I got it. Now when I have 3-4mths left I need extra cash for degree show, own branding (art&design faculty) I have been refused to have even 2k! I was working part time during the school time (20hrs pw) and full time during the summer (I would guess I have excellent credit score, each week about 120-140 pounds). I've called, I send complain and even been in my branch few times, I won't get it a penny more! SCUMM! Now when my partner loose a job I had a more hours of work and internship-unpaid. This country is sucks, people who really need a help - they never get.

Worst bank EVER! They had me running all over the place trying to find documents in order to open a student account, which they said I was entitled to, even going to get a second opinion from someone higher up in their management to confirm so. I only went in there to take out a couple months' rent and had no idea that I was eligible due to my past poor credit rating. I had to go through papers that were filed from UCAS over a year ago, go to the university and ask them for the paperwork that I needed. I went back to Halifax numerous times with paperwork that other banks desired but Halifax didn't. They don't accept an official letter from my University that has ALL the details they need due to "their new security measures." So I finally get everything they need, go back to the bank and wait for over an hour to get seen to. Finally I get taken into this office where I lay out all the papers, the guy says that we'll be able to finalise everything today and get my overdraft released. Low and behold: "You aren't eligible" After all of this work during exam revision time. After being told on various occasions that I was entitled to an overdraft if I get all of the paperwork they needed, I wasn't eligible after all. Now I have a few financial issues that I thought would be remedied with the overdraft, which I DON'T HAVE! Go to Hell, Halifax. I am closing my 15 year old account with you and will make sure that prospective customers go elsewhere.

Nothing but trouble with this student bank account. Having to phone up once a year and ask to keep the overdraft is not only annoying but frustrating. If you go into the bank to sort it out, they have to do it over the telephone any way.
Avoid this bank account.

I have been a customer with Halifax since I was a toddler- having numerous standard accounts, saving accounts, credit card and ISA. Despite this I was refused a student account with them TWICE (undergrad and postgrad). At 18 and 24 I had no overdraft, no credit card debt and have always paid my bills on time/stayed within overdrafts. They simply couldn't explain why I had being refused, especially as I have been a customer all my life, so much for customer loyalty! I will be moving my accounts to another bank.

At first it seemed to be a good idea to have a Halifax Student Account because i have been a customer with Halifax atleast 3 years before going to Uni. Also my parents were with them which made it practical.

BIG MISTAKE!! Although i got a decent overdraft starting with 1,000 and increasing to 17,000 in my second year that was all they were willing to give me. It started with me going overdrawn by accident by 20p yes 20p!! They charged me £28.00 for this. I couldnt believe it i rang them up and said there was nothing they could do even though i was a student. SO i payed the £28.00 as muched as it killed me too.

Then about a month later i got another charge i was confused because i hadnt gone over it again?? It was a charge for getting charged i kid you not!!! Im currently looking for another bank. Dont go for this Student account the £3,000 might sound good but most likely you wont get half of that!!!!

The Halifax Student account is the worst account out there! When I first got it it was fine, until they one day decided just to get rid of my overdraft and leave me paying all my overdraft back at £150 a month! Never go with this account, you'll have so many problems!

At first I thought the Halifax Student account was a good thing. I had no problems for the first two year, yes it was annoying having to keep going in to renew my overdraft limit, but I could live with that.

However this year Halifax decided using all their wisdom that I am no longer a student (I am going into my third year of my first degree) and that I do not need a free overdraft anymore. Without consulting me they have changed me to a regular account, where I have to pay a £1 a day if i go into the overdraft; considering we are still in the summer and student loans don't come in for another month or so, that is going to be a lot of unnecessary money just paying to be in my overdraft and unnecessary hassle trying to sort it out with them and their staff who can't understand what has happened.

I have had a student acocunt with halifax for 5 years now (I am a veterinary student undertaking a course that totals 6 years). I have had nothing but trouble renewing my overdraft yearly with them as they are never satisfied with the paperwork I supply even if I bring in exactly what they have asked for. This year they have given me two weeks notice to renew the overdraft. I have been unable to get to a branch personally as I am working on my course all weekdays and also the weekend days that the bank is open over the next two weeks. I have tried phoning them and have spoken to numerous people, first I was told I could renew over the phone, then I was told this was not possible, and finally I was told I was no longer a student as I had already graduated (I think I may know better than Halifax when I graduate!). I was told I could send a representative with paperwork, which I did, and they were told no, I had to come personally and the paperwork was not sufficient as the letter my college produced as proof of enrolment for next year may be a forgery! The staff have been increasingly and outright rude to me and I will certainly not be maintaining an account with Halifax any longer than I have to. VERY disappointed with the worst customer service I have ever encountered, steer well clear!

My sister just applied online for the student account with halifax and was refused with no explanation! Customer service said she probably had bad credit. She is 18, has never had an overdraft to go over, never had a ny direct debits or bills. So now she has this on her banking record forever for no good reason. Incredibly useless pile of **** student account which assumedly will refuse all students.

I had a huge problam with Natwest and now I'm having the same with Halifax. I have been with halifax since I remember and have never ever had any problems with them until now. I have an unconditional university place and I booked an appointment and took in all the paper work I needed. I was then told that i'd failed the credit check!!
How on EARTH does an 18 year old girl with no mortgage and only just got a contract phone in her name even GET a credit rating?!

And Natwest told me I have to wait to August 19th to open an account. Which seems a little late.. plus I wouldn't be suprised if they declined me due to my credit rating too..

Applied for a Halifax student account, and was refused outright on the basis of 'failing' the credit check. I am a student, who has never owned a credit card, never had bills (let alone unpaid ones!) or store cards, or bank charges... When I called Halifax to explain to them, a woman quite rudely stated "No credit score is the same to us as a poor credit score" and when I asked if there was someone I could speak to in order to explain/get an explanation, her reply was "No, no one here can help you. There's nothing we can do." Ridiculous.

I would have liked to know before that their student account was actually nearly impossible for a student to open!

Absolutely awful. Would not extend my overdraft past £1000 despite advertised potential of £3000. Also their bank charges are diabolical if you go over your limit, which by the way wouldn'nt have happened to me if they ad extened my overdraft in the first place! I would advise anyone to stay well away from Halifax, I'm switching banks ASAP!!

Just wait until you stop being a student and still have an overdraft in your student account. They then start to charge you £60 a month, which you have to pay just to stand still!
Never, ever use The Halifax.

very good i got the whole £3000

Advertised a maximum £3000 overdraft available, I am now in my third year and been told I am still only entitled to £1000. Also, as I have been mainly overdrawn, I have had interest debited from my account - despite it being interest free. I would warn students not to go for this account, it is very unlikely you will be entitled to the huge overdraft they boast, and even if you are you could be debited for using it.

It looks like other reviewers have been slightly confused by the Student Account.

Being a student does not mean that any account you hold will become a student account. You have to specifically request it.

But once you've got it, you can get up to £3000 interest free (although I don't think they give more than £1750 in the first year).

Excellent customer service and internet banking.

Although Natwest's free railcard can be very useful for those students who travel by train a lot, if you can put up with their poor customer service.

Worst Bank Ever. PERIOD.
Literally they are the worst people to deal with!

Their overdraft facility is terrible, a small £100 which they'll do ANYTHING not to extend for you, regardless of the situation.
For example I had a bill due in a few days time that would take me £11 overdrawn so I asked for an extension on my overdraft that I could then reduce it again at a later date, but they of course said NO, knowing that they would charge me £38 for the privilege of the extra money.
THEN after THEY charge me extra, they charge even more for borrowing THEIR money! RIDICULOUS!

I tried to apply for a Student Account, and what a mistake!
After waiting around 45mins after my arranged interview time, I'm taken to a room where we run through all my details setting up an account, and then BAM. Faced with a screen telling me I can't have one as my credit rating is too low, yet it's officially 752, two full points above the UK average AND I'm a student, who should barely have credit history! So I tell them there's something wrong, can they check with head office. But no... they're too god damn lazy.
I phoned them myself the next day and after 15minutes of menu options finally got through to.... You guessed it... India.
THAT was an insult in itself, because the guy at the other end didn't even find the correct account the first two tries and I ended up speaking in phonetics for the rest of the call. Talk about a joke.

In the end all they did was apologise and hang up!

Their online service is terrible, forced to login using a randomly generated username giving no free choice, it's ALWAYS behind in terms of money available. For example, if I took money out the same day around 2 hours previous I'd expect to see it, but it could take another DAY for it to appear with Halifax!

NEVER EVER EVERRRR CHOOSE HALIFAX.

You'll only regret it.

Very disappointing. Eventhough it says interest free they do CHARGE A RIDICULOUSLY HIGH AMOUNT!! Speaking from experience! I overdrew with less than £0.40 (thats 40PENCE!!!) and was charged £38 pounds! This happend three times. I've switched now!