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Global Student account

Global Student Account Benefits

  • Student Benefit Fee Waivers 1

    Qualifying students will enjoy waivers of their monthly maintenance fee, ATM usage fees, one incoming wire transfer fee per month and more.

  • Deals & Perks

    Exclusive student deals and discounts at select merchants.

  • Unlock Benefits for a Family Member 2

    With our Family Bridge program, you can invite a qualifying family member to enjoy special account benefits too.

  • Visa® Debit Card 3, 4

    Use your Visa® Debit Card to withdraw cash from ATMs or pay merchants at home or while traveling abroad.

  • We Speak Your Language

    Customer service in English, Mandarin and Cantonese.

  • Convenient access

    With 100+ branches in the U.S. and access to thousands of ATMs, we're never far away when you need us.

Apply for a U.S. bank account before you travel

Chinese student in cafe

Apply for a U.S. bank account before you travel

  • Apply remotely in minutes.5
  • Conveniently scan required ID documents.6
    • Must be 17 years or older to apply.
    • Currently accepting the following government IDs: People’s Republic of China Passport and Identity Card, Hong Kong SAR Passport and Permanent Identity Card, Taiwan Passport and Identity Card, and U.S. Social Security Number (SSN).
  • Apply now, scan your U.S. visa later
    • Waiting for your U.S. visa? That’s OK. Apply for a Global Student account today, and provide us with a copy later! Terms and conditions apply.1

Pay your major expenses before school starts

Students Sharing Textbook

Pay your major expenses before school starts

Add funds, such as from a stipend, work study or scholarship, to your Global Student account to pay for tuition and other expenses. 7

 

Family Bridge program 2

Chinese student in cafe

Family Bridge program 2

Invite a qualifying family member to receive exclusive Family Bridge Benefits when they connect their eligible East West Bank account to your Global Student account.

Learn more
 

Home Loans

Home Loans

Enjoy the comforts of living off campus.  East West Bank offers a variety of non-conventional home loan programs designed specifically for borrowers with unique lending needs.

LEARN MORE

Global Student Account FAQs

DISCLOSURE

Please refer to the Global Student Terms and Conditions for complete details on Student Benefit Fee Waivers and qualification requirements. 

Foreign students that do not provide a digital copy of their valid and current F-1 or M-1 Student Visa or specified J-1 visa at the time of account application will have a maximum of 6 full monthly statement cycles after the account opening date to provide the Bank with a digital copy of their qualifying visa document using the Student Visa image upload feature in our Mobile App or Online Banking service (camera required).  Failure to provide a digital copy of the qualifying visa document within the required timeframe will result in a forfeiture of the Student Benefit Fee Waivers.

Family Bridge Program eligibility is limited to qualifying East West Bank customers only. Visit the Family Bridge program page on our website for complete details.

Debit Card international shipping fees may apply. See the East West Bank Fee Schedule for details. 

There is no charge for using an East West Bank ATM. Non East West Bank ATM usage fees may be charged to your account at the request of the 3rd party operating the ATM. If you use your Debit Card to initiate an ATM transaction from your qualifying Global Student account, we will refund the ATM usage fees to your account each statement cycle. This waiver does not apply to any ATM Non-Sufficient Fund fees that are the result of your Global Student account being overdrawn by an ATM transaction. 

East West Bank does not assess any account opening fees. The Global Student account must be funded within 60 days of application approval. Use of East West Bank’s mobile banking application requires a data connection. Wireless carrier charges may apply. 

To open a Global Student account with Student Benefit Fee Waivers, the Applicant must provide the following applicable document(s): 

Foreign Students – A copy of a valid and current U.S. government issued F-1 or M-1 student visa or specified J-1 Visa (limited student categories accepted) indicating they have been legally admitted to the United States to study at an accredited university, community college, high school, or vocational school in the United States. Additionally, the applicant must provide a copy of their qualifying government issued ID, which may include, as applicable their People’s Republic of China Passport and Identity Card, Hong Kong SAR Permanent Identity Card (number only) and Hong Kong SAR Passport (if visa document is not scanned with application), or Taiwan Identity Card (number only) and Taiwan Passport (if visa document is not scanned with application). ID types and requirements vary by country/region and may change from time to time. Please visit our Mobile App or Online Banking service for the most up to date requirements. 

U.S. Students – A valid and current Proof of Acceptance or Student ID Card indicating they are legally enrolled to study at an accredited university, community college, high school or vocational school in the United States. U.S. students include those individuals that are U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents of the United States. A U.S. social security number is required to apply.

Account is limited to an individual student who is 17 years of age or older. One account per student.  

Account holder must verify allowable payment methods with their school.