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Scene+ Student Banking Bundle: Up to $625 in Bonuses

Scene+ Student Banking Bundle: Up to $625 in Bonuses
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We track Canadian banking packages account by account. This one stands out for back-to-school season. Scotiabank has boosted its student banking bundle: the total bonus now climbs to $625 for a student who opens three accounts and meets the conditions. Our take: the value is real and the fees are nil. Everything rests on transactions you have to complete within 60 days, though.

Three accounts go together. First the Preferred Package for Students and Youth, then the Money Master Savings Account. Finally, an eligible credit card such as the Scotia Momentum No-Fee Visa Card.

To compare with the rest of the market, see our page on the best credit cards.

What does the student banking bundle pay?

The offer breaks down into four separate bonuses, and they only add up if all three accounts are open. Here is the detail, bonus by bonus.

BonusAccountValue
$200 cashPreferred Package for Students and Youth$200
5% cash back for 3 monthsScotia Momentum No-Fee Visa Cardup to $100
2,500 Scene+ pointsMoney Master Savings Account$25
30,000 Scene+ points (bundle bonus)All three accounts together$300
TotalAll three accountsup to $625

The points math rests on our valuation of the Scene+ loyalty program, roughly 1 cent per point applied to a purchase. The 32,500 points in the bundle are therefore worth about $325.

The three accounts to open

None of the three products carries a fee in this setup. That sets the offer apart from standard banking package bonuses, where fees eat into part of the reward.

Scene+ Student Banking Bundle from Scotiabank

The Preferred Package for students

This chequing account is the hub of the offer. It carries the $200 bonus and it triggers the bundle bonus. Open it first.

  • No monthly fees: if you are under 25 or study full time
  • Unlimited transactions: debit transactions and Interac e-Transfers
  • Scene+ points on debit: on your everyday purchases

The Money Master Savings Account

Second piece of the setup, this savings account pays 2,500 Scene+ points at opening. It also has to be opened within 60 days of the chequing package for the bonus to hold.

  • No monthly account fees: and no minimum balance required
  • Unlimited free transfers: to your other Scotiabank accounts
  • Bank the Rest program: rounds up your debit purchases and saves the difference

The eligible credit card

Five Scotiabank cards count toward the bundle. Each carries its own welcome offer.

For a student, the Scotia Momentum No-Fee Visa Card remains one of the best options in the group. It costs nothing to keep, and its 5% cash back over three months is the largest bonus of the set.

Click a card name to see the detail of its offer and its insurance coverage.

Our credit card selection
Credit cardAnnual feeWelcome offer
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Annual fee$0Welcome offer
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Annual fee$29 $0Welcome offer
No welcome offerEnds Jan 3, 2027
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If you would rather compare student cards from other issuers, our dedicated page ranks them all.

The transactions to complete

The $200 bonus does not land when you open the account. First, you have to open the package between July 2 and November 1, 2026. Then you need to complete two of the following three activities within 60 days.

  • An eligible direct deposit: recurring monthly for at least three consecutive months
  • An eligible pre-authorized transaction: recurring monthly for at least three consecutive months
  • Five online Visa Debit purchases: the quickest condition to clear

The 30,000 Scene+ point bundle bonus follows the same mechanics: all three accounts open, plus two eligible transactions in the chequing package, within 60 days.

This offer is for you if

Scotiabank applies strict eligibility criteria to this package, and its credit card approval process stays demanding. Check these points before you apply.

  • You study full time or are under 25: that is the condition for $0 monthly fees
  • You receive recurring income: a job, a scholarship or a student loan, for the direct deposit
  • You can open all three accounts quickly: the bundle bonus depends on it
  • You are already a Scotiabank client: a chequing account or a credit card held in the last two years rules you out
  • Your credit file is still thin: a declined application leaves a mark, so build your file first
  • You only want one account: without all three products, the bonus drops to $200

If your credit file is just getting started, read this before applying for a card.

What the bundle is really worth

First-year net gain is easy to calculate, since fees are nil on all three products. Here is the result for a student who meets every condition.

ItemAmount
Welcome bonuses$625
Chequing package monthly fees$0
Savings account fees$0
Card annual fee$0
Net gain, year 1$625

A student who spends $300 a month on the card instead of $667 earns roughly $45 in cash back rather than $100. The realistic total then drops to around $570, which still beats most banking package bonuses on the Canadian market.

Scene+ points or cash back

Which card to pick depends on what you want at the end. Cash back from the No-Fee Momentum lands straight on your statement, with no math to do.

The Scotiabank Scene+ Visa Card, on the other hand, doubles your points at IGA and Sobeys. It also earns 5,000 points in the first year. That choice suits you better if you go to the movies often.

Annual fee
$0
Our valuation
$50
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$50Total$50Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
Up to 5,000 points
Ends Nov 1, 2026
Apply Now

on Scotiabank's website

Terms of the offer

  • Earn 2,500 bonus SCENE points with your first $500 in everyday purchases in first 3 months◊
  • Earn 1 SCENE point for every $1 you spend on credit card purchases
  • Earn 5 SCENE points for every $1 you spend on SCENE Visa purchases at participating Cineplex Entertainment theatres or online at cineplex.com
  • Rates, fees and other information are effective as of July 2, 2020. Subject to change.
 

Looking for a Scene+ credit card with no annual fee? The Scotiabank Scene+ Visa Card is ideal for students or those who don’t want to pay annual fees.

For a limited time, you can earn up to 5,000 bonus Scene+ points within your first 3 months (2,500 points after $250 and an additional 2,500 points after $1,000 in spending). Enough to get you about $50 towards a trip or your grocery purchases.

With the Scotiabank Scene+ Visa Card, you earn 2 points for every dollar spent at Sobeys, Safeway, IGA, Foodland, participating Co-ops, FreshCo and more.

You also earn 2 points for every dollar spent at Home Hardware and at Cineplex.

And you get 1 point Scene+ on all your other purchases.

It’s a great Visa credit card with no annual fee to get Scene+ points.

Annual fee

Primary card$0
Additional card$0

Annual income required

Individual$12,000
Household$12,000

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 2xGroceries
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$404
2nd Year Value$240

To place this offer among the bank’s other packages, our comparison covers all five options.

Our take on this offer

At $625 for three fee-free products, this offer ranks among the most generous of the back-to-school season on the student account side. The setup does demand some discipline: three openings, two eligible transactions and a 60-day window.

Our reservation concerns the bundle bonus, which accounts for $300 of the advertised $625. A student who opens only the chequing package leaves close to half the value on the table. If you go for it, do all three at once.

The card to favour, in the end, is the one that costs nothing to keep once the promotional period is over.

Annual fee
$0
Our valuation
$100
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$100Total$100Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
Up to $100
Ends Nov 1, 2026
Apply Now

on Scotiabank's website

Terms of the offer

  • 7.99% introductory interest rate on purchases for the first 6 months◊
  • Cash back on everyday spending with no annual fee
  • 1% cash back on eligible gas station, grocery store and drug store purchases and recurring bill payments
  • 0.5% cash back on all other eligible everyday purchases
  • Rates, fees and other information are effective as of July 2, 2020. Subject to change.
 

The Scotiabank Momentum No Annual Fee Visa Card is an excellent cash back credit card in Canada. Right now, you can get 5% cash back on all your purchases for the first three months (up to $2,000 in total purchases).

With the Scotiabank Momentum No Annual Fee Visa Card, you get:

  • 1% cash back on purchases at grocery stores and pharmacies, as well as on meal delivery services and subscriptions to ready-to-cook meal services
  • 1% cash back on gas, electric vehicle charging, and public transit such as bus, taxi, and ridesharing trips
  • 1% cash back on eligible recurring bill payments such as utilities and gym memberships
  • 1% cash back on eligible subscriptions such as video streaming or music streaming services
  • 0.5% cash back on all other eligible purchases

It is an excellent no annual fee Visa credit card for cash back. Also note that you can use your cash back at any time (the cash back balance must be at least $25).

In addition, you can benefit from an introductory rate of 0.99% on balance transfers for the first nine months (2% fee per cash advance).

Annual fee

Primary card$0
Additional card$0

Annual income required

Individual$12,000
Household$12,000

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 1xGroceries
  • 1xGas & EV
  • 1xPharmacy
  • 1xTransit
  • 1xBills & recurring payments
  • 1xStreaming
  • 0.5xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$364
2nd Year Value$180

To go further

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Student banking bundle – Frequently asked questions

Which accounts do I need to open to get the $625?

All three: the Preferred Package for Students and Youth, the Money Master Savings Account and an eligible Scotiabank credit card. Without all three, the 30,000 Scene+ point bundle bonus does not apply and the maximum bonus falls back to $200 plus the card’s own offer.

Is the chequing package really free?

Yes, provided you are under 25 or study full time. Monthly fees then drop to $0, with no minimum balance requirement. The bank’s other packages instead ask you to keep several thousand dollars in the account.

Which credit cards are eligible?

Five Scotiabank cards count toward the bundle. On the cash back side: the Scotia Momentum No-Fee Visa Card and the Scotia Momentum Visa Card. On the Scene+ points side: the Scotiabank Scene+ Visa Card and the Scotiabank American Express Card. The Scotiabank Value Visa Card completes the list. Each keeps its own welcome offer. Only the no-fee version delivers the 5% cash back counted in the $625 total.

How long do I have to meet the conditions?

You have 60 days after opening the chequing package to complete two eligible transactions and open the other accounts. Be careful, though: a direct deposit or a pre-authorized transaction then has to run for at least three consecutive months to count.

What are 32,500 Scene+ points worth?

About $325, based on a point worth roughly 1 cent applied to a purchase. Scene+ points also convert into movie tickets, groceries at Sobeys or IGA, or travel bookings. The value you get then varies with the redemption method you choose.

How long is the offer valid?

The chequing package has to be opened between July 2 and November 1, 2026 to qualify for the $200 bonus, and the 30,000 point bundle bonus runs over the same window. Since the conditions then take up to three months, open the accounts well before the deadline rather than in the final week.

Can I get this offer if I am already a client?

No, in most cases. The conditions exclude anyone who holds or has held a Scotiabank chequing account in the last two years, which includes the student package itself. The same two-year exclusion applies to Scotiabank credit cards, including a transfer from an existing card or the reopening of a closed account. The Money Master Savings Account also has to be new, with no holding in the last six months.

Do I have to keep the accounts after the bonus?

Nothing obliges you to keep them. None of the three products carries a fee after the promotion, as long as you meet the age or student status criteria. Closing a chequing account also shortens your banking history, which is useful for a future card or loan application.

Our featured card

Annual fee
$0
Our valuation
$125
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$125Total$125Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
Up to $125
Apply Now

on CIBC's website

The CIBC Dividend® Visa* Card for Students is one of the best cash back Visa student credit cards in Canada. Apply for the card and get up to $125 in value:

  • $25 cash back after you make your first purchase within the first 4 monthly statements
  • A 10% cash back welcome bonus for the first 4 monthly statements, up to $100

With this CIBC Student Credit Card, you get:

  • 2% cash back on eligible grocery purchases
  • 1% cash back on eligible gas, electric vehicle charging, transportation, and dining purchases and on eligible recurring payments
  • 0.5% cash back on all other purchases

What’s more, with this CIBC Student Credit Card, you get a free SPC+ membership, plus over 450 deals on everyday purchases, bigger discounts, special experiences and exclusive giveaways.

And this CIBC Student Credit Card offers some insurance coverages:

  • Purchase Security and Extended Protection Insurance

Annual fee

Primary card$0
Additional card$0

Annual income required

Individual$0
Household$0

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 2xGroceries
  • 1xTransit
  • 1xBills & recurring payments
  • 1xGas & EV
  • 1xRestaurants
  • 0.5xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$461
2nd Year Value$263

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years

Our editorial integrity

Our reviews and rankings are based on an objective assessment. Advertisers do not influence our content. We may receive compensation through some links; our analysis and opinions remain independent.