Jem M Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rammygirl Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 Try smaller banks and go in and speak to them rather than apply on line. It is a problem. My son had problems with getting a rental as they didn’t like the stipend (which lasted longer than the rental contract!). Silly as the stipend is more secure than a wage at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Jones Posted Thursday at 02:37 Share Posted Thursday at 02:37 On 17/04/2024 at 14:12, Jem M said: 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. have you got your name on any utility bills, or an NBN account, or a contract mobile phone? One of the reasons could be a lack of credit history. When we came here my wife went straight into work while i got the house and set up all the services and accounts. I could get anything, she could get approved for nothing, not even a phone....despite being the sole wage earner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrussell Posted Saturday at 00:50 Share Posted Saturday at 00:50 Why not use your UK AMEX? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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