Banking for Stanford Students

Essential to your everyday finances
Keep any balance you want in these accounts
No fees (we mean it!)
Use your debit card at ATMs anywhere in the world with every fee reimbursed up to $5
Earn cashback for shopping, eating and referring friends
Talk us up on campus, earn a cash bonus

Even the non-math majors love this equation—refer five Stanford students to us and get $500 when they open accounts.

Reliable and always available, like a good friend

For everyday spending and future saving, these accounts show up, stay organized, and just make life easier. They’re built to support your day‑to‑day and what’s ahead, without adding stress to your schedule.

$100 new member bonus for students!1
Student Spending

Perfect if you're a Stanford University undergrad or graduate student pursuing a master's degree (converts to a free Everyday Spending Account when you graduate).

  • Enjoy what it doesn't have, like no minimum balance or direct deposit requirements, no monthly fees and no overdraft fees
  • We're in the neighborhood with on-campus branches and ATMs 
  • Save without trying with Round Up—every debit card swipe rounds up and sends the spare change to your savings
  • Travel the world and get unlimited access to ATMs with fees reimbursed up to $5 each
  • Rake in extra cash through our Cardinal Cash Bonus program  
  • Manage money anytime with Digital Banking
Student High Yield Savings

Great for Stanford students who want their savings to do a little more heavy lifting. But first, you’ll need a Student Spending Account.

  • Grow your balance faster with high interest on every dollar
  • Skip the hurdles—no minimum balance to maintain and no monthly fees
  • Move money easily between your Student Spending Account and savings
  • Watch your savings grow and manage it all with Digital Banking
Effective Date: 5/18/26
Account Balance
Dividend Rate
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
Balances up to $10,000 3.20% 3.25%
Balances > $10,000-$50,000 1.80% 1.81%
Balances > $50,000 1.80% 1.81%
Disclosures

A Student Spending account is required to open a Student High Yield Savings account which will convert to a regular Savings account when the Student Spending account converts or closes. Limit one Student High Yield Savings account per primary member.

Student Club Spending

Get your officials together and talk about opening this account for your Stanford University club or association. It's the easiest way to manage your funds, without a monthly fee or balance requirement.

Cardinal Cash Bonus2

Imagine getting paid to be a college student doing college student stuff. It's reality at Stanford FCU. Snack, book a ride, stream a movie, shop—and earn 25% cash bonuses when you pay with your Stanford FCU debit or credit card

  • Spend $50, get $12.50 deposited into your account; spend $100+ and get $25...up to $300 per year in extra cash 
  • Qualify with purchases from Amazon/Prime, Apple.com (online only; not retail stores), Audible, ChatGPT/Open AI, Disney+, DoorDash, ESPN+, Hulu, Instacart, Netflix, Peacock, Spotify and Uber
Proud Parent Perks3

Link accounts with your parents and everyone wins. Here's how: 

  • Your Student Spending account number gets added to their new or existing Stanford FCU rewards credit card account2
  • You get 1% cashback (up to $50 a month) on all your parents' credit card purchases
  • Your parents get their ATM fees rebated
Lifetime Financial Rewards4

We're serious about being part of your financial journey every step of the way, even after you graduate from Stanford. Stanford4Life means rewards for every major milestone.

  • Your first car payment is on us—no questions
  • We'll give you $500 to use toward rent in your first apartment
  • And we'll give you $2,500 toward your first mortgage
  • Welcome your first child and receive $500 for baby's savings
  • Always enjoy unlimited access to ATMs around the world with every fee reimbursed up to $5
Financial wellness

Earn pineapple points redeemable for lots of gift cards, all while learning about finances through quick modules. 

That's the world of Zogo (in Digital Banking).

And when you want to dig into deeper detail, check out Stanford University's Mind Over Money program. Develop good financial habits through on-campus workshops, resources and financial coaching.

After reading all that, there's only one logical next step

Managing your money is easier than ever with Stanford Federal Credit Union's checking accounts. Contact us or visit a Bay Area CA branch to open an account.

Spend more time doing what you want, and less time managing your money.

4.6 app rating
Download our Digital Banking app for your phone

Our members and their stories matter most.

Frequently asked questions

You can find a Stanford FCU ATM, and 30,000 more fee-free ATMs by visiting our ATM and Branch Locator.

If you have a debit card, you can also receive cash back at no charge when you make a purchase at a retail location.

For your convenience, we also participate in shared branching with Co-op, a cooperative effort between credit unions nationwide to assist each other’s members. As a result, you can conduct business on your Stanford FCU accounts at other credit unions throughout the country as though you were at your local branch.

For a list of shared branch locations, visit our ATM and Branch Locator.

In addition to STAR® and Plus, we also use Co-op, with over 30,000 fee-free ATMs nationwide. You can get cash back when you make a purchase at many retailers like grocery stores.

We also participate in shared branching with Co-op, a cooperative effort between credit unions nationwide to assist each other’s members. As a result, you can conduct business on your Stanford FCU accounts at other credit unions throughout the country as though you were at your local branch (some service limitations may apply).

For a list of shared branch locations, visit our ATM and Branch Locator.

You can transfer funds between your Stanford FCU accounts, to another Stanford FCU member (if you know the account number), or to and from your accounts at another financial institution. If you want to send money to someone who is not a Stanford FCU member, you can use Zelle® or send a Wire Transfer.

International students who are coming to the United States to attend school at Stanford University are welcome! You can open your account online with a few extra steps since our online system doesn’t accept new members with foreign addresses.

Please follow these steps to open your account on our mobile app (App Store | Google Play:

  • Enter StanfordIS (Stanford International Student) in the Referred by field in the application
  • Enter your Stanford University email address
  • Enter Stanford University’s physical address: 450 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA 94305
  • Enter the following U.S. phone number so the application will accept you as a member: 650.785.1078
  • Upload a copy of your Passport for identification purposes
  • Select Stanford student as your eligibility

After you submit your application, please send an email to [email protected] to provide your name, correct international address, phone number and email address so we can update your membership profile with your current contact information.

No! You’re a member for life and we don’t want to see you go! You can access your accounts and perform most transactions worldwide 24/7 through Digital Banking or schedule an appointment at our Virtual Branch. We also have over 6,000 shared branch locations with other credit unions, where you can conduct business as if you were at one of our local branches.

Yes! You can open a savings or checking (spending) account without leaving the comfort of your home. Review our savings and checking account options first. Current members can open accounts through Digital Banking. Non-members can also join and open an account online.

You can also become a member by opening a Savings or Money Market Account.

A trust is an estate-planning tool used primarily to avoid the delays and costs of the probate process, which is what happens when someone passes away with only a will or no will.

Choosing and creating a trust can be a complex process; the guidance of an attorney with estate planning expertise is highly recommended.

Types of Stanford FCU Trusts

  1. Revocable - at least one Trustor of the Trust must be a member of Stanford FCU
  2. Irrevocable - either all of the Trustors or all of the Beneficiaries of the Trust must be members of Stanford FCU

Upon creating the agreement, the member transfers title to their Stanford FCU assets to be held in trust.

If you’ve created a trust agreement and would like to transfer title of your credit union assets to be held in trust, you will need to complete a Trust Agreement.

If you’re not yet a member and need to establish an account that you would like held in trust, you will need to become a member and complete a Trust Agreement.

Questions? Contact our Member Care Team at 888.723.7328 or schedule an appointment at a local branch.

Please click here for our fillable Trustee’s Account Agreement form, or Trust Agreement form.

A trust is an estate-planning tool used primarily to avoid the delays and costs of the probate process, which is what happens when someone passes away with only a will or no will.

Choosing and creating a trust can be a complex process; the guidance of an attorney with estate planning expertise is highly recommended.

Types of Stanford FCU Trusts

  1. Revocable - at least one Trustor of the Trust must be a member of Stanford FCU
  2. Irrevocable - either all of the Trustors or all of the Beneficiaries of the Trust must be members of Stanford FCU

Upon creating the agreement, the member transfers title to his Stanford FCU assets to be held in trust.

You can open a savings or checking account at the same time you become a member. Once you become a member, you can open additional accounts and apply for loans through Digital Banking. You can also open accounts at any Stanford FCU branch.

Stanford FCU doesn't offer Student Loans at this time. However, we're committed to offering better banking for students:

Our simply free Student Spending account for Stanford University undergrad and graduate students pursuing a master's degree has free unlimited worldwide ATMs, plus no monthly minimums or fees, no overdraft or wire fees, and no direct deposit required. In fact, there are no fees! Switching is easy, free, and takes less than 3 minutes! Open your account today.

The Student Cash Rewards credit card is a safe and easy way to build credit and earn cashback. There are no fees, a low rate, and even 5% cashback on select on-campus dining! Stanford FCU Credit Union does not offer Student Loans at this time. However, we’re committed to offering better banking for students. Consider switching to a checking account that saves you money!

Yes! To find a deposit-taking ATM near you, please use our ATM and Branch Locator. You will find a list of our branches and thousands of fee-free and deposit-taking ATMs throughout the country.

Our policy is to make funds from your cash and check deposits available to you on the first business day after the day we receive your deposit. Funds from deposits (cash or checks) made at ATMs that we do not own or operate may not be available until the fifth business day after the day of the deposit. If the deposit is made at a non-Stanford FCU ATM, we may also extend the hold depending on the type of check deposited.

You can also make deposits electronically using mobile deposit within our mobile app. Just download the Stanford FCU mobile app from the App Store or Google Play, then follow the prompts to enroll.

The maximum daily ATM withdrawal is $500. If you need to withdraw more, please call us at 888.723.7328 or visit a branch.

Out of town? No problem!

For your convenience, we participate in shared branching with Co-op, a cooperative effort between credit unions nationwide to assist each other’s members. As a result, you can conduct business on your Stanford FCU accounts at other credit unions and ATMs throughout the country as if you were at your local branch (with some service restrictions).

For a list of participating shared branch locations, please visit our ATM and Branch Locator.

You can get a free Cashier’s Check from a local Stanford FCU branch, any shared branch in the U.S., or request one through Digital Banking (if the check will be payable to you). You’ll receive an email confirmation after your request is received, and you should receive your check within 7 to 10 business days.

If you need a Cashier’s Check made payable to another person, you can use Chat or send a secure Message through Digital Banking.

If you are a member of Stanford FCU, then all Stanford FCU ATMs are free! If you are a member of the Co-op Shared Branch Network, then our ATMs are free for you as well.

Stanford FCU members with Student Spending accounts and members with an Ambassador relationship get free unlimited worldwide ATMs, with all ATM fees reversed.

All Stanford FCU members have access to 30,000 fee-free ATMs nationwide. Use our ATM Locator to find one near you.

If you use your debit card, you can also receive cash back at no charge when you make a purchase at a retail location.

If you are a non-member you will be charged $3.00 per transaction (unless you are a member through Co-op). The only time our members will be assessed an ATM fee is when you withdraw cash from an ATM that is not in our network (the fee will be charged by the other bank, not Stanford FCU).

Please refer to our Schedule of Fees for a complete list of fees.

Stanford FCU does not charge our members to use non-Stanford FCU ATMs, however the owner of the other ATM may charge a fee. We waive those bank fees for members with Student Spending Accounts, and those with an Ambassador or Partner Loyalty+ relationship (and provide other benefits!). All members can find over 30,000 fee-free ATMs by using our ATM and Branch Locator.

There are no fees for replacing a lost or stolen card.

You can view our current ATM and Debit Card fee(s) on our Schedule of Fees. All fees are subject to change without notice.

Stanford FCU charges a monthly $5.00 inactivity fee for an account with less than $2,500 and no activity for the past 12 months. For current information about our fees, please see our Schedule of Fees.

The inactivity fee was disclosed in the Member Agreement you received at the time you opened your account. If you have other active accounts or loans, you will not be charged this fee.

Avoid Inactivity Fees

You can avoid the fee by making at least one transaction every six months, or opening other active accounts such as:

Get smart about managing your money.

Learning Center

Make educated financial decisions, protect your personal information, and more with help from these handy resources. 

Send and receive money with Zelle® in minutes.

A convenient way to send and receive money with friends, family and others you trust.

Disclosures

1New student member offers are managed by Cashback+ within Digital Banking. To qualify for an offer’s reward, each offer must be activated and completed within the eligibility period. The eligibility period begins on the date of membership enrollment and continues for 120 days. The expiration of each offer is clearly displayed within CashBack+. Each offer is earned independently. Completion of all offers is not required to receive an individual reward. Any activity after the eligibility period ends will not qualify. All offers, requirements, and rewards are subject to change without notice. Rewards will typically be credited to the member’s Cashback+ wallet on the fifth day after the end of the month in which all offer requirements were fulfilled. For example, if an offer is activated and the requirement is met on March 15 then the reward will be credited no later than April 5. If an offer is activated and the requirement is met on March 31, then the reward will be credited no later than April 5. The new membership account(s) must be open, active, and in good standing at the time rewards are credited in order to receive the reward. Cashback+ balances can be redeemed or transferred to a Stanford FCU account via Digital Banking. New student member offers are not available to existing student members. New student member offers are limited to one per member and are not applicable to additionally opened or joint accounts. No offer may be combined with any other Stanford FCU promotion. Any taxes owed on earned rewards are the sole responsibility of the recipient. Stanford FCU will report rewards to applicable state and federal agencies as required by law. Membership eligibility and a valid U.S. phone number are required. New student member CashBack+ offers available to new student members who open a Student Spending account beginning 2/2/26: 1. $25 when you apply for a Stanford FCU credit card. 2. $25 when your parent signs up for Proud Parent Perks. 3. $10 when you open a Student High Yield Savings account. 4. $10 when purchase a CashBack+ gift card. 5. $10 when you send money through Zelle® for the first time. 6. $10 when you enroll in eStatements to receive electronic statements and notifications. 7. $10 when you set up savings Round Up.

2The Cardinal Cash Bonus is available to Stanford University students with an active Stanford FCU Student Spending account. The bonus is calculated based on select purchases made with your Student Spending account debit card and/or any Stanford FCU credit card, minus any credits and returns, and excluding cash advances and balance transfers. The bonus is paid at the beginning of the month for the prior month's spending activity. Qualifying purchases must be from Amazon/Prime/Audible, Apple.com (not physical Apple retail stores), ChatGPT/OpenAI, Disney+/Hulu/ESPN, DoorDash, Instacart, Netflix, Peacock, Spotify, or Uber. You must have an active Student Spending account at the time the cash bonus is paid at the beginning of each month. Cash bonus is capped at $25 per month and $300 per year, and deposited into your Student Spending account. Any taxes due on the bonus deposit are the sole responsibility of the recipient. The bonus is discretionary and subject to change without notice.

3The Proud Parent Perks are available to eligible Stanford students with an active Student Spending account. The bonus is limited to one parent and one student for the duration of the student’s Student Spending account. The parent must link their Stanford FCU credit card to their student’s Student Spending account through Digital Banking to trigger the automatic deposit of 1% of their credit card purchases into the student's account. The cash bonus is calculated based on purchases made with the parent's Stanford FCU credit card, minus any credits and returns, and excluding cash advances and balance transfers. The student must have an active Student Spending account at the time the cash bonus is paid at the beginning of each month. Cash bonus is capped at $50 per month and $600 per year. All ATM fees for the parent member will be rebated for the duration of the parent’s credit card contributions to the linked Student Spending account. Eligibility for these offers is at the sole discretion of Stanford FCU. Any taxes due on bonus deposits are the sole responsibility of the recipient. Stanford FCU will report the bonus deposits to the appropriate state and federal agencies, as required by applicable law. These offers cannot be combined with any other offers. Stanford FCU may change or discontinue these offers at any time without notice.

4Stanford4Life benefits are available to eligible Stanford students who open a Student Spending account and continuously maintain their Stanford FCU membership without interruption. Eligibility is at the sole discretion of Stanford FCU. The auto loan payment benefit is available only once and up to $500 toward the amount of the first loan payment and will be credited to the member's spending or savings account 90 to 120 days after the Stanford FCU auto loan funds. The $500 apartment lease benefit is available only once after receipt of a residential lease agreement signed within the past 90 days for the member's primary residence and will be credited to the member's spending or savings account 90 to 120 days after verification of the lease agreement and three consecutive months of a minimum $2,500/month direct deposit (either right before or right after the lease sign date). The $2,500 mortgage benefit is available only once for first lien Stanford FCU mortgages used as a primary residence and will be credited to the member's spending or savings account at the time the Stanford FCU mortgage loan funds. The child's savings account benefit is available only once for one child and will be deposited into a Stanford FCU Kids' Savers account up to $500 to match the account balance at the time the benefit is automatically applied 90 to 120 days after the Stanford FCU Kids' Savers account is opened. All accounts require the qualified Stanford4Life member to be the primary or joint account owner to receive the benefits and the spending or savings account must remain open and in good standing up to and including the date any earned benefit is paid. Any taxes due on the bonus deposit are the sole responsibility of the recipient. Stanford FCU will report the bonus deposits to the appropriate state and federal agencies, as required by applicable law. These offers cannot be combined with any other offers. Stanford FCU may change or discontinue this offer at any time without notice.