Top 10 Student Rewards Credit Cards
Student rewards credit cards are designed specifically for college students and offer incentives like cashback, points, or miles for purchases. These cards often have simpler qualification requirements, making it easier for students with limited or no credit history to obtain them.
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These cards can be an excellent tool for young adults to build their credit history while getting rewarded for their spending. Many student rewards credit cards offer benefits such as no annual fees, lower interest rates, and rewards tailored to common student expenses like dining, textbooks, and travel. Additionally, some cards provide extra perks like free credit score monitoring, financial education resources, and even bonuses for maintaining good grades. However, it's crucial for students to use these cards responsibly, paying off their balances in full each month to avoid high interest charges and potential debt accumulation. Proper usage of a student rewards credit card can set the foundation for a strong financial future, helping students transition smoothly into post-college financial independence.
Discover it® Student Cash BackView AllDiscover it® Student Cash Back - Student credit card with cashback and no annual fee.
Chase Freedom® Student credit cardView AllChase Freedom® Student credit card - No annual fee, rewards on purchases, credit-building benefits.
Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for StudentsView AllBank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students - No annual fee, unlimited 1.5 points per dollar.
Bank of America® Cash Rewards Credit Card for StudentsView AllBank of America® Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students - Student card with cashback on purchases, no annual fee.
Deserve® EDU Mastercard for StudentsView AllDeserve® EDU Mastercard for Students - Student credit card with no fees, cash back rewards.
Journey® Student Rewards from Capital One®View AllJourney® Student Rewards from Capital One® - Student credit card with cashback rewards and credit-building tools.
Citi Rewards+℠ Student CardView AllCiti Rewards+℠ Student Card - Student credit card with points rounding and no annual fee.
Wells Fargo Cash Back College CardView AllWells Fargo Cash Back College Card - Student-focused card offering cash back on purchases.
Discover it® Student chromeView AllDiscover it® Student chrome - Student credit card with cash back on gas and dining.
Top 10 Student Rewards Credit Cards
1.
Discover it® Student Cash Back
The Discover it® Student Cash Back is a credit card designed for students, offering 5% cash back on rotating quarterly categories and 1% on all other purchases. Benefits include no annual fee, an introductory 0% APR on purchases for six months, and a dollar-for-dollar match of all cash back earned in the first year. Additionally, it provides tools for building credit, such as free FICO® score access, and rewards for good grades, making it an ideal choice for students looking to establish credit.
Pros
Cashback rewards- No annual fee
- Good grades reward
- Introductory APR
- Freeze it® feature.
Cons
Limited 5% categories- Foreign transaction fee
- Requires fair credit
- Limited acceptance abroad
- Potential high APR after intro period.
2.
Chase Freedom® Student credit card
The Chase Freedom® Student credit card is designed to help students build credit while earning rewards. It offers 1% cash back on all purchases, with no annual fee. Cardholders can earn a $50 bonus after making their first purchase within the first three months. The card also includes features like free access to your credit score, no penalty APR, and automatic credit line reviews for potential increases. Ideal for students starting their credit journey responsibly.
Pros
- No annual fee
- Rewards on purchases
- Good for building credit
- Simple cashback program
- Introductory APR offer.
Cons
- Limited rewards categories
- Low credit limit
- High APR after intro period
- Foreign transaction fees
- Requires good financial habits.
3.
Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students
The Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students is designed to help students earn unlimited 1.5 points per dollar on all purchases, with no annual fee. The card offers 25,000 online bonus points if you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening, redeemable for a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases. It also features no foreign transaction fees, making it ideal for students who travel abroad.
Pros
- No annual fee
-
1.5 points per dollar on all purchases
-
No foreign transaction fees
-
Introductory APR period
-
Flexible redemption options.
Cons
- No bonus categories
-
Limited travel benefits
-
High APR after intro period
-
No airport lounge access
-
Requires good credit.
4.
Bank of America® Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students
The Bank of America® Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students is designed to help students build credit while earning rewards on everyday purchases. It offers 3% cash back in a category of your choice, 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 in combined quarterly purchases), and 1% on all other purchases. With no annual fee, this card provides a practical way for students to manage expenses and gain financial literacy while enjoying cash-back benefits.
Pros
- 3% cash back in a chosen category.
No annual fee.
Intro APR on purchases.
$200 online cash rewards bonus.
2% cash back at grocery stores.
Cons
- Foreign transaction fees.
High regular APR.
Limited bonus categories.
Minimum redemption amounts.
Rewards capped at $2
- 500 per quarter.
5.
Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students
The Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students is a credit card designed specifically for college students, offering 1% cash back on all purchases. It requires no credit history or security deposit, making it ideal for those new to credit. Benefits include Amazon Prime Student subscription reimbursement (up to $59) and no foreign transaction fees. The card helps students build credit responsibly while enjoying various perks tailored to their needs.
Pros
- No annual fee
- 1% cashback
- no SSN for international students
- cell phone protection
- Amazon Prime Student offer.
Cons
-
High APR
- limited credit limit
- no intro APR
- no rewards categories
- no travel perks.
6.
Journey® Student Rewards from Capital One®
Journey® Student Rewards from Capital One® is a credit card designed specifically for students looking to build their credit history while earning rewards. Cardholders earn 1% cash back on all purchases, with the opportunity to boost it to 1.25% each month they pay on time. The card has no annual fee, offers flexible payment options, and provides access to credit monitoring tools to help students manage and improve their credit responsibly.
Pros
- 1% cash back
- no annual fee
- rewards for on-time payments
- accessible to students
- no foreign transaction fees.
Cons
- High APR
- limited rewards categories
- no intro APR
- limited travel benefits
- requires fair credit.
7.
Citi Rewards+℠ Student Card
The Citi Rewards+℠ Student Card is a credit card designed for students, offering 2X ThankYou® Points at supermarkets and gas stations for the first $6,000 per year, and 1X points on all other purchases. Unique to this card, every purchase is rounded up to the nearest 10 points. It also features a 0% introductory APR on purchases for the first 7 months, making it a great option for students looking to build credit and earn rewards.
Pros
- No annual fee
- Easy rewards earning
- Round-up rewards feature
- Intro APR on purchases
- Flexible redemption options.
Cons
-
Foreign transaction fee
- Limited travel rewards
- High APR after intro period
- Requires good credit
- Limited benefits compared to other cards.
8.
Wells Fargo Cash Back College Card
The Wells Fargo Cash Back College Card is designed for college students, offering a straightforward rewards program with 1% cash back on all purchases. It features no annual fee and provides tools to help build credit responsibly. Cardholders can also benefit from a 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first six months. Additionally, the card includes features like cell phone protection and access to Wells Fargo’s financial education resources.
Pros
- No annual fee
- 3% cash back on select categories
- 1% cash back on other purchases
- cell phone protection
- $200 cash rewards bonus.
Cons
- High APR for some
- limited rewards categories
- foreign transaction fee
- no intro APR for purchases
- cash back must be redeemed in $25 increments.
9.
Discover it® Student chrome
The Discover it® Student chrome is a credit card tailored for students, offering 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants (up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter) and 1% on all other purchases. It features no annual fee, a Good Grade Reward for maintaining a GPA of 3.0 or higher, and an introductory 0% APR on purchases. Additionally, Discover matches all the cash back earned in the first year, making it a valuable tool for building credit responsibly.
Pros
- 2% cash back on gas and restaurants
- No annual fee
- Good grades reward
- Intro APR offer
- No late fee on first late payment.
Cons
- Limited international acceptance
- Requires fair credit
- Higher APR after intro period
- Cash back categories capped
- Limited travel benefits.