Overseas Student Account

BOC U.S.A offers overseas student account services for Chinese students studying abroad in the U.S. Your BOC U.S.A. checking account, debit card and online banking service will be ready to use before your arrival in the U.S.!

KEY FEATURES

Open your U.S. Bank Account in China

Students can initiate the application via the BOC U.S.A. overseas student application portal, and visit a Bank of China branch in mainland China to complete the application process. Students can track the account opening status using the application code generated after the application is submitted successfully. Once the account is opened, students can activate the account and gain access to the online banking services immediately. A MasterCard^® debit card and a check starter kit will be ready to use once arriving in the U.S.!

Comprehensive Account Features

Debit cards can be used at any ATM¹, POS machine and online stores that accept MasterCard^®.
Checks provide an easy and convenient way for overseas students to pay bills.
Online banking provides comprehensive features and user-friendly experience.
Students are able to pay utility bills, phone bills, internet bills, etc. by using the Bill Pay function which is as easy as clicking a button.
E-Check provides a fast and convenient way for students to pay tuition online.
Supports Zelle^® and Venmo P2P (Peer-to-Peer) payment to make sending and receiving money easier.

Fee Advantages

No BOC U.S.A. fees for BOC ATM transactions.
BOC U.S.A. will waive or credit² up to 6 ATM surcharge fees per month imposed to BOC U.S.A. customers when using debit cards to withdraw funds from other bank’s ATMs that are part of BOC U.S.A.'s shared ATM service network.
No intermediary fees or incoming remittance fees³
Pay tuition online via e-Check with no additional service fee.
The $10 monthly maintenance fee can be waived by maintaining an average daily balance of $1,000.

Value-Added Services

For any questions on managing your account, our customer service representatives can be reached by calling our branches or emailing the designated overseas student email at [email protected]. Both Chinese and English services are available.

Safe and Convenient

A 24-hour hotline for reporting a lost or stolen debit card and fraud monitoring to block potential fraudulent transactions. Students can also manage their debit card transactions using the MobiMoney™ app, available on the App Store and Google Play.

HOW TO APPLY

Log into the Overseas Student Application Portal and submit an application form by selecting your domestic branch.
Visit the selected domestic BOC branch with:
a. A valid Chinese ID card (at least 18 years old)

b. A valid passport including your U.S. F-1 or J-1 Visa and the I-20 form or DS-2019 form.
Your domestic branch will submit your account application to a BOC U.S.A. branch. You can check your application status via the portal.
After your account is opened, the BOC U.S.A. branch will mail your welcome package including welcome letter, debit card, checkbook, PIN and etc. to your domestic branch. You will be notified when the package is ready for pickup.
To activate your account, please wire in at least $1,000 once you receive the package ($10,000 is recommended for more benefits). You will also need to update your address to a U.S. address within three months after account opening.

Click for more details and Overseas Student Application Portal Manual.

¹BoC imposes no fee for use of its MasterCard® Debit Card at any ATMs, however, owner of ATM may impose a service fee for ATM transactions. For additional information, please refer to the Service Charge Schedule provided to you.

² Additional transactions may involve a surcharge fee imposed by other banks. For additional information, please refer to the Service Charge Schedule provided to you.

³Fees may be subject to change.

⁴ Subject to limited availability, and to the terms, conditions and restrictions imposed by Supplier.