Are you an international student studying in Canada? That’s great news, because the BMO Performance Chequing Account for International Students is a bank account designed especially for newcomers to Canada like you. Part of the BMO New Start® Program, this account offers perks like $125 in cash bonuses as well as 6 months worth of pizza, just for signing up for the account and completing a few simple actions. This BMO chequing account offers no monthly fees, as well as unlimited transactions and unlimited Interac e-Transfers, which can help you get off to a great start as a new student in Canada.
To qualify for this program, simply open your first BMO student chequing account, or if you haven’t arrived in Canada yet, register with BMO’s Pre-Arrival International Student Program, and then activate your account in-person once you arrive.
BMO Performance Chequing Account for International Students features
There are quite a number of features included in the BMO Performance Chequing Account for International Students, including no-fee banking, a nice cash bonus, and other perks to make student banking in Canada as easy as possible:
Why You Want ItGet a welcome bonus of $125 and 6 months of pizza from Domino's.Special FeaturesEligibilityProvincesAB, BC, MB, NB, NL, NS, NT, NU, ON, PE, QC, SK, YTFeaturesMinimum Balance To Waive FeeN/A# Of Free Monthly TransactionsUnlimited# Of Free Monthly Interac E-TransfersUnlimitedMonthly Fee$0.00Excess Transaction FeeN/AExcess Interac E-Transfer FeeN/AMaximum Credit Card Annual Fee Waiver$40Maximum Welcome Bonus$125Promo End Date October 31, 2025 Physical Locations
Automatic Budgeting SystemMinimum Interest RateN/AEarn Rewards On Debit Purchases
Free ChequesFree Bank DraftsMax Rebates For Other AccountsN/ADiscounts For SeniorsDiscounts For YouthOther Discounts
BMO Performance Chequing Account for International Students product rating: 3.8 stars
There’s no doubt that student life keeps you busy with studying, shopping, taking care of rent, and maybe even treating yourself once in a while. The unlimited transactions and the unlimited Interac e-Transfers included with the BMO Performance Chequing Account for International Students help support your busy student lifestyle, and you won’t have to worry about extra fees for going over a transaction limit.
There are no monthly banking fees for this account, which is one less expense that you won’t have to worry about as long as you’re a full-time student in Canada, and BMO even honours this for the first year after graduation. The cash and pizza sign-up bonuses also make this account worth looking at.
Beyond that, though, there aren’t a lot of other features that come with this account alone, unless you pair it with other BMO products, such as a savings account, GIC, or credit card.
Rating methodology
To assess chequing accounts, we examine more than 30 data points to provide a reliable Genius Rating. We take into account all aspects of the account, such as fees, benefits, interest rates, customer satisfaction, accessibility, and promotions, to determine its overall value. The features of the account are then rated in comparison to other available options.
Learn more about our rating methodology.
The pros of the BMO Performance Chequing Account for International Students
What features stand out in the BMO Performance Chequing Account for International Students?
Pros
A $125 welcome bonus plus pizza
If you open your account by November 3, 2025, make a deposit of any amount into the account, and either send two e-Transfers of $50 or more, make one eligible bill payment of more than $50, or set up one pre-authorized debit (PAD), you’ll receive a $125 welcome bonus and get access to one pizza from Domino's every month for 6 months.
No monthly fee student chequing account
One of the best features of this international student account is the $0 monthly fee. As long as you remain a full-time student, you’ll have this monthly fee waived for up to 4 years, and you’ll even get to enjoy another full year of paying no monthly fee after you graduate. Because let’s face it, that first year after graduation can be just as financially challenging as the years you spent studying!
Unlimited transactions for your day-to-day spending
With unlimited transactions on all your day-to-day spending including in-branch transactions, BMO ATM withdrawals, online and phone banking, debit transactions, cheques, and pre-authorized debits, the BMO Performance Chequing Account for International Students gives you peace of mind as a student knowing that you can use your chequing account whenever you need, for pretty much all of your spending and banking, without worrying about extra fees.
Unlimited e-transfers with daily limits
You can also send unlimited Interac e-Transfers, up to $3,000 total per day, with the BMO Performance Chequing Account for International Students. Whether you’re splitting the cost of a meal, buying things off of Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace, or paying your rent, knowing you won’t get dinged for making too many e-Transfers is a real relief.
Credit card rebate with your chequing account
As versatile as chequing accounts can be, sometimes it can be an advantage as an international student to have a Canadian credit card as well. With the BMO Performance Chequing Account for International Students, you can add on an eligible BMO credit card and get a $40 rebate off of your annual credit card fee. This includes the following cards: The BMO Ascend™ World Elite™* Mastercard®*, the BMO AIR MILES®† World Elite®* Mastercard®* and the BMO CashBack® World Elite®* Mastercard®*.
But if you only need a simple credit card, then as an international student, one of your best options for a student credit card in Canada is the BMO CashBack® Mastercard®* For Students – which already has a $0 annual fee.
The cons of the BMO Performance Chequing Account for International Students
Okay, so there are definitely some things to love about the BMO Performance Chequing Account for International Students. But like every other chequing account, there are some things to be aware of, including proof of eligibility, fees for non-BMO ATMS, and more.
Cons
Extra fee for non-BMO ATM usage
The BMO Performance Chequing Account for International Students gives you just one Canadian withdrawal for free from a non-BMO ATM, but after that, the charges can add up quickly if you’re a frequent ATM user: $2 per withdrawal in Canada and $5 everywhere else. And those charges are on top of any convenience fees that the ATM network might charge you for using their machine. Stick to BMO ATMs when you can to avoid these fees.
Proof of enrollment required for eligibility
You’ll need to have some documentation on hand when you open a BMO Performance Chequing Account for International Students. That includes things like proof of registration in a full-time academic program, a Canadian address where you reside, and a Canadian social insurance number. You also might need to provide proof of registration each year you’re in your program, and to waive account fees past your grad date, you’ll have to provide proof before November 30 of the year you plan to graduate. If you don’t keep on top of this, BMO can charge you the full monthly fee, and previous fees can’t be refunded if you missed the deadline.
BMO Performance Chequing Account for International Students alternatives
To be sure the BMO Performance Chequing Account for International Students is right for you, it’s best to see how it compares to other student chequing accounts, in terms of fees, features, and perks. Here are the most comparable products:
Account Scotiabank Preferred Package for Students and Youth RBC Advantage Banking for students First Nations Bank of Canada Student Bank Account Genius Rating Why You Want It 
$50 GeniusCash + Get up to a $175* welcome bonus + Earn Scene+ points on all debit purchases.A full featured bank account for students with no monthly fees. Unlimited transactions + Supports an Indigenous-owned Canadian bank. Minimum Balance To Waive Fee $0 $0 $0 # Of Free Monthly Transactions Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited # Of Free Monthly Interac E-Transfers Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited Monthly Fee $0.00 $0.00 N/A Excess Transaction Fee $0.00 $0.00 N/A Show More I Want This Deal
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Comparison to other BMO chequing accounts
Of course, the BMO Performance Chequing Account for International Students isn’t the only account that BMO offers. Here are some other chequing accounts offered by BMO that might be worth a look:
Account BMO Premium Chequing Account BMO Performance Chequing Account BMO Plus Chequing Account Genius Rating Why You Want It $50 GeniusCash + $700 in cash + a Walmart Delivery Pass Subscription for up to 12 months*. *T&Cs apply. $50 GeniusCash + Up to $700 in cash + a Walmart Delivery Pass Subscription for up to 12 months*. *T&Cs apply.Get a $100 welcome bonus + 25 transactions per month. Minimum Balance To Waive Fee $6,000 $4,000 $3,000 # Of Free Monthly Transactions Unlimited Unlimited 25 # Of Free Monthly Interac E-Transfers Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited Monthly Fee $30.95 $17.95 $11.95 Excess Transaction Fee N/A N/A $1.25 Show More I Want This Deal
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FAQ
What are the monthly fees for the BMO Performance Chequing Account for International Students?
As an eligible international student, there are no monthly fees for the BMO Performance Chequing Account for International Students, as long as you remain enrolled full-time in an academic program in Canada for up to four years, and up to a year after you graduate.
Is there a minimum balance required?
The BMO Performance Chequing Account for International Students requires no minimum balance to be kept in the account to qualify for the $0 monthly fee.
How do I open a BMO Performance Chequing Account for International Students account?
You can open your BMO student chequing account by visiting a branch or applying online. To open an account you will need a SIN, a Canadian address, and proof of registration in a university, college, or vocational school. If you’re applying online on the BMO website, you have 6 months to bring your proof of registration to a local branch.
What are the Interac e-Transfer fees?
There are no fees for your day-to-day transactions with the BMO Performance Chequing Account for International Students, and that includes e-Transfers. You do have a daily e-Transfer limit of $3,000, but otherwise you can send or receive e-Transfers as often as you like.
What are the ATM fees for the BMO Performance Chequing Account for International Students?
Free withdrawals from BMO ATMs are included with this chequing account. You do get one free non-BMO ATM withdrawal per month, but after that, you’ll be charged $2 in Canada or $5 outside of Canada.
Editorial Disclaimer: The content here reflects the author's opinion alone, and is not endorsed or sponsored by a bank, credit card issuer, rewards program or other entity. For complete and updated product information please visit the product issuer's website.
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