Books, tuition fees, rent, beers, and no time for a real job — being a student is expensive. Luckily, the Netherlands’s neobank par excellence, bunq, is ready to help you out!
As of 8 August 2024, students can use bunq’s Easy Bank Pro subscription, worth €9.99 per month, entirely for free.
The catch? There is none, as long as you fulfil two simple criteria.
This post might have affiliate links that help us write the articles you love, at no extra cost to you. Read our statement.
Who’s eligible?
To benefit from bunq’s free Easy Bank Pro account, all you have to do is:
- Be on an Easy Bank Pro plan (or switch to one), and
- Receive your DUO student finance on your bunq account
Once you meet these two requirements, your monthly fee will be waived, and your invoice will be automatically deducted.
What is DUO student finance, and am I eligible for it?
DUO “student finance” is a financial aid program by the Dutch government to support students in higher education. It is available to Dutch, EU/EEA, and certain UK students.
To be eligible as an EU/EEA national, you must be enrolled as a full-time student and either (1) have been living in the Netherlands for 5+ consecutive years or (2) work in the Netherlands for at least 32 (in some cases 26) hours a month or have an income of at least 50% of the social security norm.
Check out all the deets right here.
Receiving student finance into a different account? Make the switch!
If you’re currently receiving your student finance on a different bank account, it’s worth switching to bunq (and I’ll tell you why in a second).
To get your money paid out into your bunq account, all you have to do is update your bank account number on Mijn DUO by following these easy-peasy steps:
- Sign in to Mijn DUO,
- Navigate to the “Mijn gegevens” (my details) section,
- Scroll down and insert your bunq IBAN as your Rekeningnummer.
Why use bunq’s Easy Bank Pro as a student?
If you’re eligible for bunq’s free Easy Bank Pro account, the non-existent price tag might convince you to make the switch. If it’s not, let me give you three of my favourite features that make getting an Easy Bank Pro subscription worth it. 👇
1. Sub-accounts galore
Ever wish your finances could be as organised as a Dutch agenda around Christmas time? Well, they can!
With bunq, you can create up to 25 sub-accounts, each with its own IBAN. Whether it’s for groceries, vacations, or that inevitable “treat yourself” fund, you’ll have everything neatly sorted with a swipe.
2. Free bank cards for days
Yes, we know it’s all about mobile payments in the Netherlands these days, but there are times when you really need a card.
Luckily, with your new bunq account, you’ll get up to three cards — completely free. You can choose from a Mastercard Debit (perfect for online shopping and travelling abroad), Mastercard Credit (for car rentals/hotels when travelling), or Maestro (for those sneaky Dutch shops that don’t accept the first two).
READ MORE | I switched to this neo-bank, and my finances have never been healthier
3. Bank sustainably
Feeling good while spending money? It’s possible! Every time you make a payment with bunq, you’re doing your part for a greener planet.
How so? bunq not only shows you the CO2 footprint of your monthly spending but also offsets it by planting trees in Kenya for a greener world. To date, they have planted over 20 million of them. 👏🧡
These features definitely have us impressed, but even better, bunq has one of the highest savings interest rates in the Netherlands at 3.36% for new users — now you’re just making money!
Will you make the switch to a free bunq Easy Bank Pro account? Share your thoughts in the comments!