Starting salaries for graduates are set to rise by 6% to an average of £26,500, while the jobs market is starting to stabilise, according to new research.
Santander is offering a £50 sign-up bonus to university-goers who open a Student Current Account before 30 June, in a revival of the student cash bonus.
Hundreds of thousands of students who start university this year are likely to face interest rates of 6.6% on their loans from September, higher than many mortgage rates.