SECU in Maryland: $250 Total Checking Account Bonus & $50 Referrals (Open Membership Available Nationwide)

SECU will give you a $250 bonus when you open an SECU Total Checking & Rewards account, set up eStatements and have at least 2 qualifying payroll direct deposits totaling at least $500 per month post to your checking account, plus they’ll give you a $50 bonus for each friend or family member that you refer to SECU for up to $500 per month.

Important Update – 7/25/2023: The new $250 SECU Total Checking Bonus is only available to Maryland residents and residents of surrounding states (DC, DE, PA, VA, WV), as well as University of Maryland College Park students. However, the referral program is still available nationwide.

While SECU is Maryland’s largest credit union with 25 branches throughout Maryland, they offer open membership to anyone in the U.S.A. through a 1-time $10 minimum donation to the SECU MD Foundation (this was confirmed via chat with SECU customer service – see below).

If you are an SECU member, please feel free to exchange contact information to share SECU referrals in the below comments section, and you may also share your SECU membership experiences with other readers.

SECU Membership Eligibility

You are eligible to join SECU if you meet any of the following criteria:

• Family member is an SECU member.
• Employed by a MD State Agency/Organization (past/present).
• Attended/employed by a MD College/University (past/present).
• Employed at an Affiliated Employer.
• Donating to the SECU MD Foundation (open to anyone in the U.S.A.).

To establish your SECU membership, you’ll need to open a membership share savings account with a $10 minimum deposit, and you’ll need to maintain that $10 share savings account deposit as long as you are a member.

SECU Open Membership Nationwide via SECU MD Foundation

While SECU offers membership to a variety of Marylanders through work, the college you attended, an organization your affiliated with and other ways, they also offer open membership to anybody in the U.S.A. through a 1-time $10 minimum donation to the SECU MD Foundation.

I confirmed this information with SECU’s customer service via chat after seeing a donation to the SECU MD Foundation as a membership eligibility option listed on the SECU Membership Eligibility Page (see chat transcript below).

Although I have not opened an account myself, you can see this option listed during the online membership application on the “Eligibility” page, where you can click a link to the SECU MD Foundation and make your 1-time $10 donation (it comes out to $10.50 if you opt to cover the fees associated with your donation).

All donations to the SECU MD Foundation are tax-deductible, and it’s important to note that donations to the SECU MD Foundation are non-refundable and do not guarantee SECU membership, so please ensure that you complete your application for SECU membership, as making a donation alone does not qualify you for membership.

SECU Customer Service Chat Transcript

Me: Hello, I noticed that you can join SECU by making a 1-time donation to the SECU MD Foundation. Does that apply only to residents of Maryland? If you lived in another state, could you join that way? Or do you have to live in Maryland specifically to join?

SECU: Hi there, let me confirm this for you. One moment. Thank you for your patience. I got confirmation that you DO NOT have to live in MD to join. You just have to donate. If you don’t meet the other eligibility criteria.

Me: Thank you very much, so you basically have open membership throughout the U.S.A. by making a donation to the MD Foundation.

SECU: That is correct! :)

SECU $250 Total Checking & Rewards Account Bonus

This $250 offer is only available to Maryland residents and residents of surrounding states (DC, DE, PA, VA, WV), as well as University of Maryland College Park students.

1. Open an SECU Total Checking & Rewards account through this $250 Promotional Page for new members or current members by October 31, 2023.

2. Set up eStatements and have qualifying payroll direct deposits totaling at least $500 per month and at least 2 separate direct deposits post to your checking account.

3. All criteria must be met within 90 days of opening the SECU Total Checking & Rewards account.

4. SECU will credit 1 cash bonus of $250 to the primary owner of the new SECU checking account within 60 days of meeting the requirements, and the bonus will appear as an interest adjustment.

5. If you’re new to SECU, you’ll need a $10 membership share savings account with your SECU Total Checking & Rewards account, which they will include in your application.

6. The SECU Total Checking & Rewards account has no monthly maintenance fees, 1 free order of checks per year, access to 50k+ ATMs, debit cash back, a competitive interest rate, and 4 different Rewards Levels that reward you based on your account activity and participation.

SECU $50 New Member Bonus via Referral Program

If you are a new SECU member who is referred by a current member, you can earn a $50 bonus when you join SECU and open a new account (e.g., checking, CD, credit card, etc.).

When the current member refers you to SECU, be sure that they refer you using the same email address and correct name spelling that you use during your SECU membership application.

As a referred new member, you must open a membership with SECU via a share savings account and open at least 1 additional account within 60 days of the referral date.

In addition, your accounts must remain open for at least 60 days in order for the $50 bonus to be deposited to your share savings account within 60 days of all criteria being met.

Members who have closed their SECU membership within 3 months prior to being referred are not eligible.

SECU $500 Per Month in Referral Rewards

Once you become an SECU member, you can refer your friends and family to join via the SECU Referral Form to earn up to $500 in bonus rewards per month when your referrals meet the qualifications.

For each new member that you refer who joins SECU and opens at least 1 account besides their share savings account, you will each earn a $50 cash bonus.

In order to qualify, the new member that you refer must establish a share savings account with SECU and at least 1 additional account (e.g., checking, CD, credit card, etc.) within 60 days of the referral date.

The referred new member’s accounts must remain open for at least 60 days, and the $50 bonuses will be deposited into both of your share savings accounts within 60 days of all criteria being met.

Be sure to use the email address and correct name spelling that the new member will use to establish membership when submitting the referral form.

As an SECU member, you can earn up to 10 referral bonuses per month or up to $500 in bonus rewards every month.

Your referrals must be new members, and members who have closed their SECU membership within 3 months prior to being referred are not eligible.

All SECU referral bonuses are considered interest and will be reported on IRS form 1099-INT.

When you become an SECU member, you can also apply for this SECU Credit Card Promotion to earn a $250 cash bonus after you make qualifying purchases on a new SECU credit card account.

If you are an SECU member, please feel free to exchange your contact information in the below comments in order to share SECU referral rewards with potential new members, and you may also share your SECU membership experiences in regards to joining SECU and earning bonus rewards.