Consumer Financial Protection Bureau launches inquiry into student credit cards and bank accounts

English: 'I'm Lovin It' — HM1(FMF) Fred Turner swipes his gift card in McDonald's new card machine, April 4. The new machine now allows customers to use debit, credit or gift cards to purchase food. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Jan 31 2013

Your two cents on student cards and bank accounts

By Rohit Chopra and Patrick Campbell

College is a time when many of us signed up for our first bank account. Often schools set up agreements with financial companies to offer cards and accounts to their students. Today, some students can use their student ID card to pay for everything from washing a load of laundry to shopping online.
With credit cards, financial companies have to publicly disclose these types of agreements with schools. However, we know less about these arrangements when it comes to other things, like debit cards to access your student loan funds and student checking accounts. We’ve heard from students that sometimes these arrangements are a convenience, while other times we’ve heard that they didn’t feel they had a choice. We want to see if students are getting a good deal and what schools can do to help them through the process.
That’s why we need your help. We want to hear about your experience with financial products designed for college students.
Email us at CFPB_StudentsFedReg@cfpb.gov by March 18 to tell us about any aspect of your experience .
Today, we’re launching an initiative on student cards and bank accounts and we want your input. We’ve published a Notice and Request for Information Regarding Financial Products Marketed to Students Enrolled in Institutions of Higher Education in the Federal Register. The title might sound a little formal, but the reality is simple: we want to hear from you.
We’ll use your comments to work with school officials on ways they can make sure that schools and students are getting off on the right foot when it comes to managing their money during college. We’ll also publish a summary for everyone who contributes and let you know how you can continue to help make sure the market is working for everyone.
Tell us your two cents today, and learn more about the CFPB’s work for students.