Jem M

Hi there, I'm an international PhD student from the UK studying in Sydney, on a student visa. I have tried to obtain a credit card from a few institutions and keeping getting rejected which is a source of frustration. I have no debt, no student loans and sizeable savings for my age group (25). However my PhD stipend (which is tax-free) is not counted as income in the eyes of lenders. Furthermore companies like AMEX don't give credit cards to student visa holders, even though I already have an AMEX UK credit card. I was wondering if anyone had any advice or difficulties similar to me in obtaining credit? It seems like their 'responsible lending' criteria is much stricter than the UKs.