U.S. Bank Options and Phone Plans

Opening a bank account in the US

There are many options for opening a bank account in the US. The ISSA office has compiled the following resources to help guide you in the process. We suggest discussing any questions you may have with current international students when you are on campus and making a decision based on your individual needs. 

  • To open a bank account in the US you will need the following documents
    • A copy of your I-20 form, signed by yourself, the student, and the ISSA office
    • Your passport and visa
    • A US address (please use your on-campus address. Check Bionic for your mailbox number)
  • There are several banks located near Bryn Mawr Campus,
    • Chase 
      • This bank is located near Haverford campus. You can take the Blue bus (free) to Haverford campus and walk to the bank
    • Wells Fargo
      • This bank is located near Haverford campus. You can take the Blue bus (free) to Haverford campus and walk to the bank
    • Bank of America
      • This bank is about a 15 minute walk from Bryn Mawr Campus
  • Below are some recommendations from current international students regarding opening a bank account 
    • Open a debit card first to get some practice with not overspending your money.
    • Wait until you have been in the US for few months, then open a credit card.
      • You will need proof of address to open a credit card. You will receive mail from your bank when you open an account and obtain a debit card. Save this mail to use as your proof of address when applying for a credit card.
    • If you are working on campus, set up a direct deposit as soon as possible so that you can access paychecks immediately upon payment. 
    • Open a checking account and a savings account
      • For saving accounts, some students suggest looking for high-yield accounts, as they have higher APYs and allow you to build more money overtime.

General Information about U.S. Banking Services 

As there are expenses that must be met immediately upon your arrival in the U.S., we recommend that you bring a major credit card for use in purchasing linens and/or other items for your room. Do not carry large sums of cash with you. A few U.S. banks have branches in foreign countries. These should be used if the U.S. bank is located within the vicinity of the College. If not, all large U.S. banks have what are called "correspondent" foreign banks with which they have established financial connections. A transfer of money from one correspondent bank to another requires obtaining a draft from the home bank and presenting it, with personal identification, to the U.S. bank. The U.S. bank will then give credit in U.S. dollars. You may also request that your bank at home "wire" money to you once you have opened an account at a bank in Bryn Mawr.

Some factors to consider when deciding whether and where to open a bank account:

  • Location/convenience
  • Personal banking patterns (e.g., you tend to use a bank branch to cash checks or you make deposits via mail or ATM)
  • Check to see if the bank offers a remote-deposit app so you can use a smartphone or laptop for depositing checks
  • Fees associated with
    • Opening and/or maintaining the account
    • Accessing your account from the ATM you expect to use most often
    • Transferring money from one account to another
    • Overdraft protection services
  • Minimum opening or ongoing balance requirements
  • Interest earnings potential

Important Bank Terms

Obtaining a US phone number


There are many options for obtaining a local phone number in the US. The ISSA office has compiled the following resources to help guide you in the process. We suggest discussing any questions you may have with current international students when you are on campus and make a decision based on your individual needs. 

  • Phone plans - many of our current international students use Mint Mobile or Visible. 
    • These are pre-paid plans, about $15/ month, with upfront payment based on plan duration and data allowance. 
    • Post-paid plans (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile) are not recommended by our current international students as typically a U.S. credit history is required to create an account or there is a deposit requirement 
  • SIM cards – You can order a SIM card online to be mailed to your Bryn Mawr address (check Bionic for your mailbox number). 
    • You will need to make sure that your phone is unlocked and that you are able to change the SIM card
  • Tip: If possible, keep your international number open by paying the minimum payment to ensure when you return home that your international number still works