Best credit cards for students of December 2024
Rewards, perks and a chance to build your credit with responsible use of a credit card. CardRatings editors compare the best student credit cards. … View More
The relationships you build with banks during college can directly impact future life events such as the job offers you’ll get, the kind of credit card deals you’ll qualify for, and the amount of interest you’ll pay on a home or car loan. Because of this, establishing a healthy credit history as a young adult has never been more important, and is why we are bringing you our top picks for the best credit cards for students from our partners.
Student credit cards often have low fees, reasonable APRs and perks that appeal specifically to college students. Some even offer cash-back or other rewards programs that can help with school expenses, accumulate miles toward a spring break trip or study abroad experience or just put more money in your pocket for the things that you love.
Choosing a student credit card can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. You need to understand your goals, your current credit score/history as well as having a firm grasp on your budget. And it should go without saying, but it’s important so we’ll say it anyway: You also MUST have the responsibility and maturity to treat your credit card like cash; meaning that you only spend within your budget and don’t go overboard trying to earn rewards or show off your spending power to impress your friends. View Less
Jennifer Doss
Last Updated:
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The Bonus: Earn an early spend bonus of $50 when you spend $100 in the first three months.
The Annual Fee: AnnualFees
Foreign Transaction Fees: foreign_fee
The Rewards: Earn a flat 1.5% cash back on purchases.
Credit Needed: CreditScoreNeeded
PROS:
- This card has no annual fee.
- Easy-to-understand rewards that don't expire for the life of the account.
- Be considered for a credit line increase in as little as six months.
CONS:
- The rewards earning is nice, but isn't sky high. There are student cards out there that offer higher rewards-earning opportunities.
- High APR of RegAPR
| Current Scores | Past Scores | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Score | 77.2 | n/a |
| Features Satisfaction | 7.1 | n/a |
| Customer Service | 8.3 | n/a |
| Website/App Usability | 8.3 | n/a |
| Likelihood of Continuing to Use | 8.2 | n/a |
| Recommend to a Friend/Colleague | 7.8 | n/a |
*Scores above reflect the results of surveys with actual cardholders. Full methodology below.
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Read our full CardName review.
PROS:
- You can pay the bill up until midnight on the day it's due. It's never pleasant paying a credit card bill at, say, 5:37 p.m., only to realize that you were supposed to pay it by 5 p.m. and now have a late fee.
- You can earn cash back on purchases you likely make quite often.
- This card doesn't charge foreign transaction fees, so you can feel free to take it along on your next trip abroad.
CONS:
- Discover isn't as widely accepted as Visa and Mastercard, especially overseas, so that's always something to consider.
- The cash-back earning structure is simple, but it isn't necessarily the most lucrative. Make sure you'll be able to max out the gas and restaurant earning if you want to earn top rewards.
| Current Scores | Past Scores | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Score | 72.6 | 80.9 |
| Features Satisfaction | 6.4 | 8.0 |
| Customer Service | 7.7 | 8.3 |
| Website/App Usability | 7.8 | 8.3 |
| Likelihood of Continuing to Use | 8.2 | 8.6 |
| Recommend to a Friend/Colleague | 7.8 | 7.7 |
*Scores above reflect the results of surveys with actual cardholders. Full methodology below.
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The Bonus: Earn an early spend bonus of $50 when you spend $100 in the first three months.
The Annual Fee: AnnualFees
Foreign Transaction Fees: foreign_fee
The Rewards: Earn 3% Cash Back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services. Earn 1% back on other purchases. Additionally, earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options (terms apply). Plus earn 8% cash back on entertainment purchases when you book through the Capital One Entertainment portal.
Credit Needed: CreditScoreNeeded
PROS:
- This card has no annual fee, nor foreign transaction fees
- Excellent cash-back earning on everyday spending categories
- Responsible use can help improve your credit
CONS:
- While the rewards earning could be lucrative, it's also a lot of tiers and levels to keep up with to max it out. If you want simple rewards, there are other options.
- High APR of RegAPR
| Current Scores | Past Scores | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Score | 72.8 | 76.0 |
| Features Satisfaction | 6.4 | 7.6 |
| Customer Service | 7.6 | 7.7 |
| Website/App Usability | 8.2 | 7.4 |
| Likelihood of Continuing to Use | 8.1 | 7.9 |
| Recommend to a Friend/Colleague | 7.8 | 7.5 |
*Scores above reflect the results of surveys with actual cardholders. Full methodology below.
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Read our full CardName review.
The Bonus: Receive one year of Amazon Prime Student on Deserve after spending $500 in the first three billing cycles with your EDU card, plus enjoy complimentary cellphone insurance up to $600.
The Annual Fee: AnnualFees
Foreign Transaction Fees: foreign_fee
The Rewards: Earn 1% cash back on every purchase you make.
Credit Needed: CreditScoreNeeded
PROS:
- Some helpful perks that come standard with Mastercard, including car rental collision damage waiver, price protection, extended warranty, travel assistance services and ID theft protection.
- A high credit line is possible, as high as $5,000. Unless you're a big spender and make a lot of money, you're unlikely to be given that much credit. Still, if you want a high credit limit, this card may be able to give that to you.
- No annual fee, which tends to be the case with student credit cards. Still, that's helpful to know and a good reason to get a student credit card rather than one for designed for people beyond their college years.
CONS:
- While the APR isn't insanely high, it isn't insanely low either. So be careful about carrying a balance with this card (or any card, for that matter)
- Balance transfers and cash advances can't be done with this credit card, and they can with most credit cards. But balance transfers and cash advances are easy ways to wreck your credit if you aren't careful. So, really, take this as a win. You're better off without them.
We have not polled this card yet, but would love to hear your thoughts on it if you are a cardholder. Comment below or email us at [email protected] to share more about your experience.
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PROS:
- The on/off switch that the credit card provides, which prevents new purchases, cash advances or balance transfers instantly, is a nice touch if you're worried about identity theft.
- And if you're really worried about identity theft, you may appreciate that the card will send you an alert (if you activate the feature to send alerts) if your Social Security number is found on any Dark Web site.
- Earn a statement credit each time you refer a friend and they're approved.
CONS:
- If you're understandably more focused on school than credit card rewards, you might forget to activate your cash back bonus categories.
- About the quarterly categories, they're the same for the student card as they are for Discover's other cards that follow this rewards structure; that means the categories aren't necessarily geared toward typical student purchases.
| Current Scores | Past Scores | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Score | 74.3 | 78.9 |
| Features Satisfaction | 6.9 | 7.7 |
| Customer Service | 6.5 | 7.7 |
| Website/App Usability | 8.1 | 8.6 |
| Likelihood of Continuing to Use | 8.7 | 8.5 |
| Recommend to a Friend/Colleague | 8.4 | 7.8 |
*Scores above reflect the results of surveys with actual cardholders. Full methodology below.
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Read our full CardName review.
The Bonus: Get a $50 bonus after making your first purchase in the first three months.
The Annual Fee: AnnualFees
Foreign Transaction Fees: foreign_fee
The Rewards: Earn 1% cash back on all eligible purchases. Additionally, earn a $20 Good Standing Reward each account anniversary for up to five years.
Credit Needed: CreditScoreNeeded
PROS:
- This is a cash-back card, but the rewards actually come through as Chase Ultimate Rewards points, which gives cardholders a nice opportunity to explore a popular rewards currency via a student card.
- This is an excellent APR for a student card; mind you, it doesn't mean you should carry a balance, but it's nice that the APR isn't through the roof just in case you do.
- Earn a credit limit increase after making five monthly payments on time (within 10 months of account opening and when meeting credit criteria).
CONS:
- Foreign transaction fees mean that this isn't going to be a great traveling companion when you head overseas.
- The rewards earning isn't stellar. If rewards are your primary goal, there are better student cards out there.
| Current Scores | Past Scores | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Score | 76.8 | 80.1 |
| Features Satisfaction | 6.7 | 8.0 |
| Customer Service | 8.1 | 8.2 |
| Website/App Usability | 8.0 | 8.2 |
| Likelihood of Continuing to Use | 8.7 | 8.1 |
| Recommend to a Friend/Colleague | 8.6 | 7.6 |
*Scores above reflect the results of surveys with actual cardholders. Full methodology below.
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Read our full CardName review.
The Bonus: It's not a traditional bonus, but you can earn extra cash back when you pay your bill on time.
The Annual Fee: AnnualFees
Foreign Transaction Fees: foreign_fee
The Rewards: Cardholders earn 1% cash back on every purchase, regardless of the category, and can boost cash back to a total of 1.25% each month just for paying on time. Plus, earn 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
Credit Needed: CreditScoreNeeded
PROS:
- Feel free to pack this card for your semester abroad or summer vacation overseas adventure; it doesn't charge foreign transaction fees.
- You can set the date you want to make your monthly payments. Many other credit cards will choose the due date for you.
- This card encourages responsible payment by offering higher cash-back rewards when you pay your bill on time.
CONS:
- Like many student cards, this card has a fairly high APR and is not a card you want to carry a balance on. That said, you really don't want to carry a balance on any credit card. It's not great for your credit score, if you do that, and it's expensive.
- This card has no signup bonus.
| Current Scores | Past Scores | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Score | n/a | 79.4 |
| Features Satisfaction | n/a | 8.0 |
| Customer Service | n/a | 7.9 |
| Website/App Usability | n/a | 7.9 |
| Likelihood of Continuing to Use | n/a | 8.3 |
| Recommend to a Friend/Colleague | n/a | 7.7 |
*Scores above reflect the results of surveys with actual cardholders. Full methodology below.
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What is the difference between a student credit card and a regular credit card?
If you’re wondering if you can get a regular, non-student credit card if you are a college student, you can. There’s no rule prohibiting that.
That said, a student credit card is designed for first-time users who are in college. Some of these cards offer cash-back rewards for good grades, many have lower fees or even waive some fees if you’re late with a payment, and they generally don’t have an annual fee, whereas many of the best regular credit cards do.
In other words, the best credit cards for students generally factor in that you’ve just started using credit cards – and they tend to be a little easier on you if you make a mistake.
Also, their underwriting – that is, the requirements for even qualifying for approval – tend to be a bit less strict. Certainly there are lots of laws and protections in place around how credit cards can be marketed to students, but assuming all of that aligns, the bar for credit score, income and more should be more in tune with a typical new-to-credit student.
Learn more about student credit cards vs regular credit cards.
Why is it wise to build credit as a student?
Students who build credit while in college graduate with a head start on their personal finances during their young professional years. During college, many students have the benefit of a financial safety net in the form of their parents, which means that even if they do make a few personal finance mistakes, their parents can possibly help bail them out and guide them toward not making the same mistakes in the future.
You credit history and score will follow you throughout your life and play a role in whether you can get future loans or mortgages, whether you qualify for certain credit cards, how much you pay on some insurance premiums and even, in some cases, whether you’re hired for a job.
Taking an opportunity to build your credit while still a student means that you can start your professional years with one less worry on your mind.
Learn more about 5 things young adults should know about credit.
What is the best credit card for a student to use while studying abroad?
In short, any student credit card that doesn’t charge a foreign transaction fee.
If you’re going to study abroad and your student credit card does have a foreign transaction fee, then you really should think about applying for a for a different credit card, one without this fee. Foreign transaction fees are usually around 3%, and are charged on any purchase made in a foreign currency. This may not seem like much, but say you spend three months in Rome, and use your credit card for dining and grocery store purchases, spending $500 with your card each month that you’re there. On those purchases alone you’re looking at an extra $45 in fees. That’s $45 that could instead go towards say, your next moped rental, or several extra cups of gelato.
Learn more about the best credit cards for students studying abroad.
What to do with your student credit card after graduation?
What you do with a student credit card after graduation depends on a number of factors, but the universal advice is DON’T just close the account.
If you opened a card while in college, you’ve had the past couple of years to build a credit history that shows (hopefully!) consistent on-time payments and responsible use. What has also happened is that you’ve built a couple of years worth of history just by having the card, and the length of your credit history is an important factor contributing to your score. Closing your card stunts that history, so you’re going to want to keep the account open if at all possible.
The problem, of course, is that the card that worked well during your college years probably isn’t going to be ideal for your young professional years. So what do you do?
Well, the good news is that some cards will simply roll your account over to a non-student credit card when you graduate. In some cases, this may happen automatically or you may be required to contact the credit card company and request to have your account reclassified. In fact, getting familiar with the product change process and pros and cons is something that will serve you well throughout your life. The new card you change to may offer better rewards, a lower interest rate or any number of other features that your old student card didn’t have, and you can have all those things without losing out on that length of credit history you’ve established.
Learn more about what to do with your student credit card after graduation.
What to understand about your credit card bill
Your credit card bill is not just a way to know how much you need to pay every month – it also has a lot of useful information to help you make decisions about how you should use your card and any possible fees you could be assessed. You will find the following information on each credit card statement:
- Account summary: This is the up-to-date information on what you have going on with your card, based on the activity that took place in the most recent billing cycle. Through this section of your credit card bill, you will learn what your current balance is, what interest and other fees you have been charged, how much credit is available, and if there is a past due amount.
- Payment information: This section includes the minimum payment that must be made by the due date. If this payment is not made on time, late fees will be assessed and your missed payment will be reported to credit bureaus, so it will impact your credit score.
- Warnings: Your bill will include minimum payment and late payment warnings, which are disclosures that let you know what the ramifications will be if a payment is missed or if the minimum is not paid.
- Interest: This part of your bill outlines what your annual percentage rate (APR) is and if there have been any changes to that rate. This allows you to see how much interest you are paying every month.
- Fees: If you have been charged late or over-the-limit fees, as well as an annual fee or transaction fee, in any given billing period, they will be listed here.
- Transactions: The details of the purchases you made will be listed here. It’s important to check this part of your bill to make sure that no fraudulent charges have been made on your account, so you can dispute anything if necessary. You can also get information about balance transfers and cash advances here.
- Rewards: If you have a rewards card, such as a card with cash back or travel points rewards, what you have earned for each month will be listed in this part of the bill.
Learn more about what is in your credit card’s fine print.
What happens if you don’t pay your bill?
Missing payments on your credit cards can be costly and have serious consequences on your credit history. Some of those consequences include:
- Late fees. Many banks assess a fee when a cardholder fails to make the minimum payment by the due date. That fee does nothing to reduce your balance – it’s just extra money you’ll owe on top of whatever charges you put on your card.
- Interest charges. Every dollar you leave on your balance past the due date is subject to an interest charge. Credit card interest compounds quickly, so you could find that your relatively small balance balloons to a mountain of debt if you aren’t paying it off regularly (ideally, in full every billing cycle). Even if you can’t pay in full, at least make a payment on time to cut down on the balance that will be subject to interest.
- Penalty APRs. Sometimes missing a payment triggers a penalty APR that means you’ll pay a higher interest rate on your balances going forward.
- Forfeited rewards. Most credit card rewards programs state in the fine print that you could forfeit rewards if your account doesn’t remain in good standing.
- Lost introductory/special rates. Sometimes credit cards will offer a short-term 0% interest period, but most of the fine print states that you’ll lose that rate if you miss payments.
- Credit damage. Miss enough payments and your credit score will take a hit. One of the big upsides of having a card in college is the opportunity to build credit before graduation, but you can also damage your credit before graduation if you don’t handle your card responsibly.
- Referral to collections. If you keep running up a bill and failing to make payments, the bank could refer you to a collections agency.
One other thing to keep in mind: If your credit card is co-signed by, say, your parents, your failure to pay a bill on time could also impact their credit score.
Learn more about what happens if you don’t pay your credit card bill.
Jennifer Doss is a credit card analyst and the executive editor of CardRatings.com. She has worked as both a print and online journalist and has over a decade of experience in the media industry. Her published work has covered a broad range of topics, from finance and technology to travel and dining. Through extensive travel experiences and her personal interest...Read more
Survey Methodology: CardRatings commissioned Op4G in September 2023 to conduct surveys among 1,869 cardholders nationwide. CardRatings website analytics from Jan. 1, 2023-Aug. 31, 2023 were used to determine a selection of the most popular cards and additional cards were included to add survey breadth. Responses to each of nine questions were given on a scale of 1-10 and respondents’ scores were then averaged under broad topics. To determine the overall score, responses from questions 1-8 were summed and the answer to “How likely are you to recommend this card to a friend, coworker or family member?” was double weighted. “Current Scores” reflect scores from the most recent survey (2023); “Past Scores” reflect scores from the 2022 survey.
Ranking Methodology: CardRatings experts review the fine print, details, perks, rewards and features of hundreds of cards and compare them side-by-side with similar cards. A card that makes an excellent balance transfer card may not make a great cash-back rewards card even though it offers those rewards. While the Best of the Year list is announced annually, that list – and all other “best of” lists on CardRatings – are regularly reviewed and updated as issuers change the terms and features of each card often.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
Disclaimer:
The information in this article is believed to be accurate as of the date it was written. Please keep in mind that credit card offers change frequently. Therefore, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this article. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain accurate information. See the online credit card application for full terms and conditions on offers and rewards. Please verify all terms and conditions of any credit card prior to applying.
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