I will be attending St. Andrews next year and am curious what banks work best for American students from people’s experience. The school has given options of 7 banks in St. Andrews to choose from but I have heard that some are better than others.
Additionally, what is the best cell phone service to use? I have heard Vodophone is good but would like to know some opinions. I know I can’t sign up for these until Fresher’s Week but I would like to have an idea of what to do before I arrive in Scotland 
Thanks
Our experience from Oxford - pretty much all of the banks are the same. None of the offers of freebies that they make to the UK students are available to international students. My son uses Lloyd’s and things have worked fine for him. We send money into his account using TransferWise which has been very cost effective.
On phone - check out GiffGaff. They will send you a SIM card to the US that you can pop into your phone and activate as soon as you hit the UK. They have a variety of monthly pay as you go options to choose from.
My daughter uses Barclays and EE. EE sent a card to the us and she was all set before she got there. Be sure the phone is unlocked.
She set up her bank account online and finished it when she got there.
We also use transferwise.
My son also uses Barclays and it has worked well. We set up his account at a branch in Dundee on the Friday before Freshers Week. It took about an hour and there was no waiting - there was a line out the door at the Barclay’s in St Andrews. The branch in Dundee strongly recommended making an appointment to do it, as they only had one person in the office who could set it up and who was familiar with the “bank letter” that you get from St Andrews (by way of “MySaint”) … it has their first year address, which is critical to opening an account.
We picked Barclays because our US bank is Bank of America and they have an arrangement where you can use Barclays’ ATMs in the UK with your BofA debit card at no additional fee.
My son has an account with Vodafone, which has worked well. Also set that up at a store in Dundee. No waiting, but the whole process took longer than setting up the bank account.
VickiSoCal … you are happy with using transferwise?
Very happy. Last year we used it to move from her account in the US to her account in Scotland for her spending money. Next year there will be more movement from our account as she has monthly rent in the house they are renting.
Yep, same for us. This past year we had US loans, run through the University (happy to talk about how that works, btw, if anyone has questions - the loans people at St Andrews were very helpful), and there was excess that they transferred to his Barclays account and then was used for monthly spending. This year we need to fund his account by the end of August (which is prior to when loan funds get disbursed (mid Freshers Week)) in order to pay the rent on his flat, so I’ll need to transfer some money from my US account to his UK account.
@TomMorris Do it now - pound is through 1.31 this morning. Hasn’t been this low since last September.
We have already moved all the cash for living expenses fall. Jumped the gun!
Can we pay tuition early?
I believe so. Use this … https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/students/money/fees/howareyoupaying/payingtheuniversity/payingtuitionfees/overseasstudent-fullyearoronesemester/#d.en.87494
Slightly different question here … I know first year/new students are required to have certain vaccinations, etc. before starting school. Does the same hold true for returning students?
I just got t-mobile for my son. It was suggested by another St. A’s mom here in the states. The good thing about it is unlimited text and data overseas in around 140 countries. It maintains the same phone number for family and friends unlike a SIM card. I think calls are 20 cents a minutes but there are other calling options so it doesn’t matter. As a mom, having the same phone number when traveling sealed the deal. You should, at least, check it out.
Just fyi … used TransferWise earlier this week. Incredibly easy and informative and reasonably priced. Highly recommend it!! Thanks Vicki!
1.28 this morning and dropping … definitely paying NOW!!
Lucky you, I paid last week at 1.30!!!