Best Banks and Credit Unions for Students

Students have unique financial needs, and money management is an essential skill they must acquire in life. The right student bank account can help them learn the ropes. Money researched dozens of leading banks and credit unions and identified the best options for students based on their fees, deposit requirements, annual percentage yields (APYs), digital and mobile tools and customer service ratings.

Here are our topic picks for the best banks and credit unions for students for 2027:

• SoFi: Best Overall
• Chase: Best for ATM Access
• Patelco Credit Union: Best for New Account Offers
• PNC: Best for Checking Accounts
• FourLeaf Federal Credit Union: Best for Savings Accounts
• Bank of America: Best for New Student Accounts

*Rates and APYs are subject to change. All information provided was accurate as of Oct. 9, 2026.

While SoFi is widely known for being a student loan provider, it also offers extensive banking products. It has a specially-designed checking and savings combination account for college students. The accounts have no minimum balance fees or monthly fees, and you can withdraw money from a network of 50,000 fee-free ATMs.

With a SoFi combination account, you can use savings vaults, or sub-accounts that you can use to save for multiple goals simultaneously. For example, you can make a specific vault to save for your textbooks for next semester or to pay for your spring break plans in spring.

College students can also qualify for SoFi's $30 sign-up bonus. You can sign up through the website's student page and use your .edu email address to open an account. Fund the account with at least $10 within five days of registration, and SoFi will send you a one-time $30 cash bonus.

As a college student, you may work part-time to earn spending money or to save for school expenses. Popular jobs for college students — including restaurant servers, bartenders, childcare providers and pet-sitters — tend to pay cash. But many student accounts are primarily online or digital, and depositing cash is difficult. So Chase stands out for its broad network of branches and ATMs, especially for students who need to routinely deposit their cash.

Chase operates over 5,000 physical branches, and it has over 14,000 ATMs that allow you to not only withdraw money but deposit cash, making it convenient for students on the go. The bank's student checking count doesn't require a minimum balance, and while it charges a $4.95 monthly maintenance fee, it also has checking fee waivers.

When a teen becomes a Patelco Credit Union member, they may be eligible for a special new account bonus. If the student opens a checking account and makes a minimum deposit of at least $100 with code R7BWNBFB, Patelco will deposit $50 into a savings account. If the student also opens a money market account, they can receive another $50.

Patelco Credit Union also has financial courses and instructional tools to help students manage their money more effectively. While Patelco's savings accounts aren't student-specific, they don't have a minimum deposit requirement and don't charge a monthly maintenance fee.

From paying for technology fees to using your debit card to purchase on-campus meals, a student checking account is likely the account you'll use the most as a college student. PNC Bank's Simple Checking account has special benefits for students, including a $0 minimum requirement to open an account and no monthly maintenance fees if you're under the age of 25 (or meet qualifying direct deposit requirements).

Additionally, there are no overdraft fees, and you can withdraw cash at one of PNC Bank's 60,000 ATMs. PNC Bank also offers financial education and digital banking tools that students can use to manage their money and improve their financial literacy skills, which are very helpful for life after graduation.

With the FourLeaf Federal Credit Union student savings account, you can open a high-yield savings account with as little as $5. A FourLeaf account will make your money work harder for you. The credit union's student savings account offers a 5% APY on up to $1,000. On balances of $1,000 or more, you'll earn 1.39%.

FFCU's student savings account has no monthly maintenance fees, and students between the ages of 18 and 20 can open the account online. Younger students can also open an account, but they'll need to have a parent or legal guardian schedule a call with a credit union representative first.

As a college student, every dollar counts. If you don't have a Bank of America bank account and want to open a student SafeBalance checking account, you may qualify for a $100 cash offer. Open an account online and make at least 20 qualifying debit card or Zelle transactions with your new account within 60 days of account opening to get the $100 bonus.

If you're under 25, there is no monthly maintenance fee, and you can visit Bank of America's broad branch and ATM network to withdraw cash or get in-person help. The bank also has robust online banking tools and a highly rated mobile banking app.

How we chose the best banks for students for 2027

To determine Money's picks for the best banks and credit unions for students, we researched leading financial institutions, compared bank account options, rates, deposit minimums, fees and added benefits and features to select our top choices. We placed a particular emphasis on banks that offer accounts to students, while also prioritizing banks with broad ATM networks and low fees.

AI was not used in the sourcing of Best Banks data, the analysis of that data or the content subsequently produced by Money's editorial team. You can read our full methodology here.

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