Community First Student Starter Account Review and Information | finder.com.au
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Community First Student Starter Account

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Shirley Liu
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Pay no excess fees while taking advantage of a flexible everyday account designed to help see you through your school years.

The Student Starter Account is specially designed to help Australian students keep up with their finances during their studies. The account offers convenient ways to bank while avoiding any excessive fees and charges. You will not be required to maintain any minimum balance, but you will get the flexibility of being able to shop for your books using a linked Visa Debit Card.

$0

Account keeping fee

$0

ATM withdrawal fee

$0

Overseas ATM withdrawal fee

3%

Overseas transaction fee

of transaction value

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Details

Product NameCommunity First CU Student Starter Account
Monthly account fee$0
Card accessVisa
ATM Withdrawal Fee$0
International transaction fee3%
Monthly deposit required to waive account feeN/A
Contactless PaymentsGoogle Pay, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay

Expert review

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Review by

Shirley Liu is Finder's global program manager. She was previously the publisher for banking and investments and has also written comparisons for energy, money transfers, Uber Eats and many other topics. Shirley has a Master of Commerce and a Bachelor of Media, Journalism and Communications from the University of New South Wales. She is passionate about helping people find the best deal for their needs.

Expert review

You can open this account if you’re aged between 17 and 24 and you’re a full time student. It offers all the same features of an everyday transaction account, without the monthly account keeping fee.

If you’re under 18 years old, you can also take a look at the Community First Junior Saver Account . This account charges no account keeping fee either, and also has the added benefit of paying interest on the money in the account.

Key features

Monthly fees

You will not be charged a monthly account keeping fee with the Student Starter Account.

Transaction fees

With this account you are free from transaction fees regardless of how many you make each month.

How to apply

Eligibility

If you are already a member, you are able to apply for this account through your internet banking platform. If not, visit the Community First website and you will be able to fill out both your membership and transaction account application online. Certain eligibility requirements do apply, including:

  • Minimum age. This account is only applicable for individuals between the ages of 17 and 24 who are enrolled full-time in a secondary education institution or traineeship program. You should note that Community First no longer requires that you provide proof of enrollment annually.
  • Residency requirements. Only Australian residents with an address in Sydney or the Central Coast region are permitted to become members and open the Student Starter Account.

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2 Comments

    Default Gravatar
    NayoungPark
    May 14, 2018

    I am an international student who is planning to arrive in Australia in July.
    I am interested in issuing this card but I don’t know how.

    I have no bank account in Australia and I don’t know which bank account I should make to get this card. Please let me know the steps to issue this card included bank info.

    And does this product have the minimum amount of deposit to keep this card active?

    How much is the fee when I receive money from my home country to this card?

    Reply
      Avatarfinder Customer Care
      Jeni
      May 15, 2018

      Hi Nayoung,

      Thank you for getting in touch with Finder.

      You may visit the Community First website and you will be able to fill out both your membership and transaction account application online. Please note that for you to open an account, you will need to become a shareholding member of the Credit Union before they can issue the Community First Credit Union Account and Access Facility to you. To become a member, you will need to:

      • complete a membership application form; and
      • subscribe for a member share in the Credit Union.

      In most cases you can prove your identity by showing us one of the following photo identity documents:

      • a State or Territory drivers licence or proof of age card
      • an Australian current passport or one that has expired within the last 2 years;
      • a photo drivers licence issued by a foreign government;
      • a passport issued by a foreign government, the United Nations or a UN agency;
      • a national ID card, with photo and signature, issued by a foreign government, the United Nations, or a UN agency.

      If you do not have a photo ID, please contact them directly to discuss what other forms of identification may be acceptable.

      If you want to know other banks that would allow you to open an account before arriving in Australia, please refer to our list of bank accounts available to foreigners. Please use our comparison table to help you find the account that suits you. When you are ready, you may then click on the “Go to site” to proceed with the application or get in touch with their representatives for further inquiries you may have.

      Before applying, please ensure that you meet all the eligibility criteria and read through the details of the needed requirements as well as the relevant Product Disclosure Statements/Terms and Conditions when comparing your options before making a decision on whether it is right for you. You can also contact the provider if you have specific questions.

      I hope this helps.

      Have a great day!

      Cheers,
      Jeni

      Reply
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