International student bank account

Welcome to Australia! Open a Westpac Choice account within 12 months of arrival, and you could get $50 from us to help you settle in#.

Why Westpac Choice is a smart choice

$0 account-keeping fee

You’ll pay no account-keeping fee for as long as you’re under 30 or a fulltime student. Other fees may apply.1

Bank in your language

Access ATMs and phone banking that speak your language, covering up to 9 different languages.

Instant Digital Card®

Get access to a digital version of your card5 via the Westpac App before your Debit Mastercard@2 arrives in the mail.

Get exclusive offers

Get access to discounts and cashbacks just for being a customer, including exclusive ShopBack offers.

Get $50 on us

Open a Westpac Choice account online or in branch by 31 March 2025

Make a single deposit of $100

Into your new Westpac Choice account within 10 days of opening it.

Must be 18 years or older T&Cs and eligibility criteria apply.#

We’ll credit $50 into your account

As a welcome to Australia’s largest banking network.

Open now

Account features

Apple and Google PayTM

Link your card to Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung PayTM, Fitbit Pay and Garmin Pay to make fast contactless payments with your mobile or wearable.3

Simple and secure

Now you can sign into the Westpac App, safely and securely using facial recognition, your fingerprint or 4-digit passcode.4

ATM network at home and overseas

Pay no ATM withdrawal fee at Westpac Group ATMs in Australia, and overseas through our Global ATM Alliance. Other fees may apply.6

Pay and get paid in seconds

Use PayID® to get paid instantly by your friends and family with just your mobile number. You can also tap and go using your mobile or your Debit Mastercard.

 

What you’ll need to open your account

Eligibility criteria

You must:

  • Be in Australia and have an Australian residential address
  • Be 14 years or over to open online, or you’ll need to open in branch.

Documentation

Open online or in branch

Open online now in just a few minutes or visit a branch.
Open now

Need a savings account, too?

Enjoy a total introductory interest rate of up to 5.20% p.a. - for the first 5 months if you open a Westpac eSaver account within 12 months of arriving in Australia.

Find out more

Account fees

Standard fees (fees may change) Amount
$0 Account-Keeping Fee for the first 12 months (usually $5 per month). After this, the fee will continue to be waived if you; deposit at least $2,000 each month, ​are under the age of 30 or are a full-time tertiary student
 $0


Other fees and charges may apply. Please refer to the Terms and Conditions (PDF 645KB)

Safe and secure banking

  • Online Banking Security Guarantee: If your Westpac account is compromised by online banking fraud, we promise to return any missing funds. This guarantee only applies if you’ve followed our  Online Banking Terms and Conditions. This includes: 1. Keeping your sign-in details, including passwords or Westpac Protect™ Security codes, private, 2. Not contributing to the loss, and 3. Telling us right away if you think there’s an unauthorised transaction or fraud on your account.
  • Westpac Protect™ Security Code: Keep your Online Banking safe with a Security Code when using the Westpac App or your Online Banking service. This Security Code confirms that it's you transacting or making changes to your profile.
  • Fraud Money Back Guarantee: Shop securely using your Debit Mastercard or Credit Card, backed by 24/7 fraud monitoring and our Fraud Money Back Guarantee. Westpac promises to return any missing funds to you if you've not contributed to the loss and contact Westpac right away. Check your card’s terms and conditions for full details.
  • Card Lock: Can’t find your card? Sign into the Westpac App or Online Banking and select 'Lock a card temporarily' under Cards services on your eligible personal credit or debit card. You can search for your card knowing that your account is safe. Then, if you can’t find it, report it lost or stolen.  

Help when you need it

More options

Rates, tools and calculators

Handy guides and articles

Westpac Choice for International students

Open in just a few minutes

Open now

Give us a call

1300 558 724

8am – 8pm (Sydney time) 7 days (you can ask for an interpreter for translation services if needed)

Find a branch

Visit your local branch

Things you should know
Deposit Accounts for Personal customers Terms and Conditions (PDF 645KB) 
Westpac Debit Mastercard® Terms and Conditions (PDF 210KB)
Online Banking Terms and Conditions (PDF 620KB) 
Find out what information you need to provide to become a customer (PDF 657KB)

Before making a decision about any of our products or services, please read all the terms and conditions and consider whether the product or service is right for you. Fees and charges apply and may change.

 

1.$0 account-keeping fee will automatically apply for as long as any account holder on the account is Under 30, or whilst you are a full-time tertiary student. You will need to have your full-time tertiary student ID verified at any Westpac branch to enjoy the $0 Account-Keeping Fee. Other fees and charges may apply.   

 

2. Debit Mastercard®: Westpac Choice Youth account, the eligible card age is 8. For any other transaction account, the eligible card age is 14. You must have an Australian residential address.

 

3. Google Pay: Read the  Terms and Conditions (PDF 125KB) (PDF 125KB) before making a decision and consider if it is right for you. Available for  eligible cards. To use Google Pay you will need to use a compatible device with a supported operating system.  

4. Finger print login: Fingerprint sign in is available on compatible devices only. Customers must be registered for Westpac online banking and have set up fingerprint ID to use the service.

 

5. The Digital Card: The Digital Card is only available on the Westpac App and supported with the latest version of Westpac Mobile Banking. The terms and conditions applicable to your product also apply to the use of your digital card.  Online Banking Terms & Conditions also apply. You may not always be able to access your digital card.

 

6.  Global ATM: A 3% Foreign Transaction Fee applies to overseas debit or credit card withdrawals. A 3% cash advance fee applies to credit card withdrawals where the "Credit" option is selected. A list of Global Alliance members is available. It is important to know that the functionality to withdraw money from a linked Westpac account via Credit Card is not available when using overseas ATMs, including Global Alliance ATMs. To ensure access to Savings and or Cheque account funds when overseas please speak to us about obtaining a Debit Mastercard®.

 

# $50 Cashback offer: Fees and charges apply. Read the  Deposit Accounts for Personal Customers Terms and Conditions (PDF 645KB) before making a decision and consider whether the product is right for you. To receive AUD$50, you must: open a new Westpac Choice account between 1 December 2024 and 31 March 2025, have never held a transaction account with Westpac before, and deposit a minimum of $100 into the new account within 10 days of account opening.  The offer is available for customers who are new to Australia   (arrived in the last 12 months) and over 18 years of age. Customers must hold a valid foreign issued identification document in our identification checklist (PDF 657KB). For joint accounts, both account holders must not have held a Westpac transaction account before. The AUD$50 promotion amount will be paid into the Customer’s Westpac Choice account within 50 days of meeting these Terms and Conditions. The Westpac Choice account must remain open during that period to receive the cashback reward. Limited to only one eligible account per eligible individual (including where it is a joint account) and paid to the Westpac Choice account that was opened first. Not available in conjunction with any other offer unless we determine otherwise. We reserve the right to withdraw, amend or extend this offer at any time. We recommend you seek an independent, professional tax advice to determine tax implications on the cashback based on your personal circumstances. 

 

Read the  Apple Pay Terms and Conditions (PDF 42KB) before making a decision and consider if it is right for you. To use Apple Pay you will need an eligible card and a compatible device with a supported operating system. See our  Apple Pay FAQs for more information. Apple, the Apple logo, Apple Pay, Apple Watch and iPhone are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.



Mastercard® is a registered trademark and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated.

 

Samsung and Samsung Pay are trademarks or registered trademarks of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

PayID® is a registered trademark of NPP Australia Limited and any use of its marks by Westpac is under license.

 

Fitbit and Fitbit Pay are registered trademark(s) or trademark(s) of Fitbit LLC and/or its affiliates in the United States and other countries.

 

Google Pay™ is a trademark of Google LLC.