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Updated July 15, 2022

Chase College Checking Review

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Chase College Checking account has no monthly service fee for students. But is there a catch? Read on to learn the details and see if it's right for you.

Chase College Checking Pros & Cons

Chase is one of the biggest banks in the U.S. with a wide range of financial products and services.

First, let's quickly review the pros and cons of banking with Chase for college students.

Pros:

  • Access to more than 15,000 Chase ATMs and more than 4,700 branches
  • Online and mobile banking from anywhere
  • Free online bill pay, mobile deposits, and text banking
  • Free savings account if linked for overdraft protection
  • 24/7 customer service with real reps
  • Highly rated Chase mobile app
  • Establish relationship history with Chase
  • FDIC insured up to $250,000

Cons

  • No interest rate
  • No ATM fees reimbursement
  • No free checks

Chase Bank has branches in all of the lower 48 states.

Read on for the full Chase College Checking review.

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Monthly Service Fees

There are NO monthly fees for college students age 17–24 from time of account opening until expected graduation date. You can qualify for up to 5 years.

After the expected graduation date, the monthly maintenance fee is $12 and can be waived with ONE of the following actions each statement period:

  1. Have electronic deposits made into this account totaling $500 or more, such as payments from payroll providers or government benefit providers, by using (i) the ACH network, (ii) the Real Time Payment or FedNow network, or (iii) third party services that facilitate payment to your debit card using the Visa® or Mastercard® network
  2. Keep an average ending day balance of $1,500 or more in your checking account.

Account Minimums

There are no minimum balance requirements for the Chase College Checking account during the time you're in school.

Account Features

Chase College Checking offers these account features and services:

  • Free Debit Card
    You get a free Visa debit card for purchases.

  • Direct Deposit
    Directly send paychecks into your account.

  • Chase QuickDepositSM
    Deposit checks anywhere with the app by taking a photo with your phone.

  • Online Bill Pay
    Pay bills online or on the mobile app to thousands of billers.

  • QuickPay with Zelle®
    Easily transfer money to family and friends with just their email or phone number. The other person doesn't need to use Chase, just as long as they sign up for Zelle through their own banks.

  • Text Banking
    Check balances and transaction history by simply texting.

  • Free Savings Account
    Chase offers a Chase Savings Account for no monthly fee when you link this account for Overdraft Protection.

  • Overdraft Protection
    This is available if you have a linked Chase Savings Account. Chase will transfer funds from your savings to help cover overdrafts. There is no fee for an Overdraft Protection transfer.

  • Paperless Statements
    See up to 7 years of statements online.

  • Account Alerts
    Set up alerts for account activity, such as for low balance, large transactions, and more.

  • Zero Liability Protection
    Chase will reimburse unauthorized purchases made with your card when you report them promptly.

Is Chase College Checking Good?

There's no downside to opening a College Checking account with Chase, since there's no monthly service fee or minimum balance requirements for students 17–24.

There are lots of physical branches and ATMs, so it's easy to access your money. It's especially convenient if you're going to school away from your hometown and need a bank with a wider presence.

College students can start managing their own day-to-day finances. This account will allow them to make purchases, get paychecks, and pay bills. The risk of getting into debt is low since you can only use funds you actually have in your account. Just be careful of overdrafts since the fees are high.

One of the biggest advantages of choosing Chase is that you can start building a relationship with Chase early. Chase is known for their extremely popular cash-back and travel reward credit cards, but approval may be a bit more stringent.

With a college bank account, by the time you graduate and are ready for a better credit card, you'll already have a few years of history with Chase. This may give you some extra points when determining approval.

While Chase does not offer a student credit card, students with some credit history can apply for the Chase Freedom Unlimited®. It makes for a great starter credit card as it has no annual fee and lower approval requirements.

Eligibility and How to Open an Account

Students age 17–24 can open a Chase College Checking account. You can apply before you officially start college as long as you have proof of student status.

You can apply for the Chase college checking account either in person at a branch or online.

Information Required:

  • Social Security number
  • Driver's license or state ID
  • Name and address
  • Date of birth
  • Phone number and email
  • Valid student ID or proof of enrollment/acceptance
  • College state and expected graduation date

After filling in the application, just make your first deposit and that's it. You must be a U.S. citizen or resident alien to open an account online.

Remember that you can also open a Chase Savings account at the same time. It'll have no maintenance fees as long as you link the College Checking account for overdraft protection.

If you are 17, you will need to open the account as a joint account with an adult.

How to Deposit or Withdraw Money

Chase makes depositing and withdrawing funds easy, so you can easily access your money when you need it. For checking accounts, you get unlimited transactions as long as you have the funds.

There are a number of online and in-person ways:

Depositing Money:

  • Direct deposits of paychecks.

  • Mobile deposit by taking photo of your check.

  • In person at a branch.

  • Deposit cash or checks at an ATM.

  • Electronic transfers from other bank accounts.

  • Receive money through QuickPay with Zelle®.

Withdrawing Money:

  • Electronic transfer into another bank account.

  • In person at a branch.

  • At an ATM with your Chase debit card.

  • At an ATM by tapping your phone (at ATMs with cardless symbols).

  • Send money through QuickPay with Zelle®.

Other Fees

Here are some other common bank fees you may encounter, including:[1]

  • $3 fee per withdrawal at a non-Chase ATM in the U.S., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Surcharge Fees from the ATM owner/network still apply. $5 fee per withdrawal at a non-Chase ATM outside of the U.S., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Surcharge Fees from the ATM owner/network still apply.

  • $34 for insufficient funds and returned items (max 3 per day).

  • $30 per stop request.

  • $5 for debit card replacement.

  • 3% foreign transaction fee.

  • $6 for paper statements.

Bottom Line

Chase College Checking is a great product for college students. There is no maintenance fee for students 17–24, so you don't have anything to lose. It's great for those looking for a bank with a wider presence, lots of features, and easy on-the-go mobile banking.

Checking accounts help make managing your day to day spending a lot easier. And it's also helpful to establish a relationship with Chase early, so you are open to more possibilities later after graduation (such as better credit cards and loan rates).

References

  1. ^ Chase. Additional Banking Services and Fees, Retrieved 7/15/2022

Write to Anna G at feedback@creditdonkey.com. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for our latest posts.

Note: This website is made possible through financial relationships with some of the products and services mentioned on this site. We may receive compensation if you shop through links in our content. You do not have to use our links, but you help support CreditDonkey if you do.

Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. This site may be compensated through the Advertiser's affiliate programs.

Editorial Note: This content is not provided by Chase. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by Chase. This site may be compensated through the Advertiser's affiliate programs.


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Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed on this page are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer.

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