BEST COLLEGE STUDENT CREDIT CARDS OF JUNE 2024

Best Credit Cards for College Students in 2024

Best Overall: Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students

Why we chose it: The Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card offers a welcome bonus of $200 (after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days) and earns 1.5% cash back on all purchases. Rewards never expire, and there’s an introductory APR offer on purchases and balance transfers, which is not very common among student credit cards.

Best for Rotating Category Rewards: Discover it® Student Cash Back

Why we chose it: The Discover it® Student Cash Back earns 5% cash back on up to $1,500 spent in activated, quarterly bonus categories that change throughout the year (then 1% cash back). Cardholders will also earn 1% cash back on all other purchases. Read our Discover it® Student Cash Back review.

Best for Earning Cash Back: Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

Why we chose it: We chose the Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card as the best option for earning cash back due to its flat rewards rate of 1.5% cash back on all purchases with no annual fee. A $50 cash bonus is available for students who charge at least $100 in purchases on their card within three months of account opening. Cardholders will also enjoy 10% cash back on Uber and Uber Eats purchases, and have their Uber One membership fee covered each month through November 14, 2024.

Best for Travel: Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students

Why we chose it: While the Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students doesn’t come with all the premium perks of top travel credit cards, it lets students ease into earning travel rewards with an easy-to-manage rewards program and no annual fee. In fact, cardholders earn 1.5 points per $1 spent, and rewards can be redeemed for travel and dining statement credits after these purchases are charged to the card.

Best for Dining and Entertainment: Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

Why we chose it: We chose the Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card due to its exceptional rewards rate of unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores. Cardholders also earn 1% on all other purchases. This makes the card ideal for students who spend a lot in these categories and want to maximize cash back with no annual fee.

Best Secured Card for Students: Discover it® Secured Credit Card

Why we chose it: The Discover it® Secured Credit Card is the best secured card for students rebuilding credit or establishing credit for the first time. There’s no annual fee required, and cardholders can get started with a refundable deposit of just $200. Purchases at restaurants and gas stations earn 2% cash back rewards, while other purchases earn 1%. Then, get a dollar-for-dollar match of cash back earned at the end of your first year. Read our Discover it® Secured Credit Card review.

Best Chase Credit Card for Students: Chase Freedom Rise℠ Credit Card

Why we chose it: The Chase Freedom Rise℠ Credit Card is for students and people new to building credit. It offers a flat rate of 1.5% cash back on all purchases and the chance to qualify for a higher credit limit in as little as six months. There’s no annual fee, and a $25 statement credit is offered for enrolling in automatic payments.

Best for Simplicity: Discover it® Student Chrome

Why we chose it: The Discover it® Student Chrome card keeps things simple with an easy-to-understand rewards rate, no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees. Users earn 2% cash back on up to $1,000 spent at gas stations and restaurants each quarter, then 1% back on additional purchases in those categories. They also earn 1% cash back on all other purchases. Applicants can even get approved with no credit history and no credit score. Read our Discover it® Student Chrome review.

Best for Customized Rewards: Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students

Why we chose it: The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students is unique because it lets college students pick the category in which they earn the most cash back. Essentially, this card earns 3% cash back in a top category of choice and 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs. A spending cap of $2,500 each quarter per category applies, then earn unlimited 1% back. It also earns 1% cash back on all other purchases. There’s no annual fee and an APR offer applies to new purchases and balance transfers.

Best Intro APR Offer for Students: BankAmericard® Credit Card for Students

Why we chose it: Students who are willing to forgo rewards to get 0% APR for 18 billing cycles should consider the BankAmericard® Credit Card for Students. There’s no annual fee, and the card comes with a long introductory APR offer on purchases and balance transfers (when made within the first 60 days). A balance transfer fee does apply, but is lower than some other cards at 3% (no minimum).

Best for Rebuilding Credit: Self – Credit Builder Account with Secured Visa® Credit Card

Why we chose it: This secured card was designed for people working to rebuild credit and uses your progress on payments with a Credit Builder Account to help build your credit. Your credit history will soon reflect both revolving and installment credit accounts.

Best for Online Shopping: Amazon Prime Store Card

Why we chose it: As a store credit card you can only use at Amazon, this card may be easier to qualify for than the Amazon Visa card. Still, it offers great perks, such as an immediate $10 Amazon gift card upon approval, 5% cash back (with a Prime membership) on Amazon purchases or 0% promotion financing on larger purchases.

A Closer Look at the Best Credit Cards for Students

Best Overall: Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students

Why we love this card: While the Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students requires a credit history to get approved, it is easily the most rewarding student credit card for most individuals today. New users can start off earning $200 after they spend $1,000 on purchases within 90 days of account opening, and all purchases earn a flat rewards rate of 1.5% cash back. The card’s introductory APR offer for purchases and balance transfers also makes it an excellent choice for paying down large purchases or consolidating balances, which could be useful for college students who are struggling with debt or dealing with cash flow issues.

Who should have this in their wallet: The Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students is for college students who have some credit history already and want the chance to earn cash back for their spending while building credit for the future. Students who want to avoid paying interest for a limited time will also benefit from this card.

Other cards to consider: Students can consider different cards in this ranking based on the rewards they can earn and how earning rates align with their normal spending habits. The Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card is worth checking out because it offers the same cash back rewards rate on all spending, whereas the Discover it® Student Cash Back offers bonus rewards in categories that change every three months.

Best for Rotating Category Rewards: Discover it® Student Cash Back

Why we love this card: The Discover it® Student Cash Back card is a good option for people who want to be strategic with their rewards, earning 5% cash back on up to $1,500 spent in activated, quarterly bonus categories that change every three months (then 1% back) and 1% cash back on other purchases. While bonus categories change over time, they typically include popular options like Amazon purchases, gas, restaurants and wholesale clubs throughout the year. Discover will also double all rewards earned in the first 12 months through its Cashback Match program.

Who should have this in their wallet: The Discover it® Student Cash Back card is best for people who want to maximize rewards throughout the year by using their card for strategic purchases. Bonus rewards do have to be “activated” online or through the Discover app each quarter, so this card is also for people who don’t mind keeping up with changing categories and activating their bonus regularly.

Other cards to consider: Plenty of student cash back credit cards don’t require activation of bonus rewards or make members keep up with changing categories. Some alternative cards to consider include the Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card, the Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card and the Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students, just to name a few.

Best for Earning Cash Back: Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

Why we love this card: We like the Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card because it doesn’t charge an annual fee and lets users earn a flat 1.5% cash back on all their purchases. A welcome bonus of $50 is also available for students who charge at least $100 in purchases on their card within three months of account opening. Several additional perks are part of the deal, including Uber benefits that offer 10% cash back on Uber and Uber Eats purchases as well as a complimentary Uber One membership through November 10, 2024.

Who should have this in their wallet: This student credit card is great for young people who want to earn cash back rewards with no annual fee and build credit in the process. There are no foreign transaction fees, making the Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card a particularly good choice for students who might travel outside the United States.

Other cards to consider: The Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students is also worth considering since it has an identical rewards rate for all purchases with no annual fee. Another card worth considering is the Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card, which offers a flat rewards rate on all spending plus bonus rewards on dining, entertainment, grocery and streaming services purchases.

Best for Travel: Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students

Why we love this card: The Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students starts students off with 25,000 online bonus points when they spend $1,000 on purchases within 90 days of account opening. That’s on top of the 1.5 points per $1 spent that applies to all purchases. An introductory APR offer also applies, which can make this card good for paying down new purchases or consolidating debt for a limited time. Rewards are redeemable for travel and dining statement credits, so this card’s rewards program should also be easy to use.

Who should have this in their wallet: The Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students is for college students who want to earn points for travel that they can redeem however they want. Essentially, this card lets you use earned points to cover some or all of your charged travel and dining expenses after the fact (at a rate of one cent per point).

Other cards to consider: Several other student credit cards offer statement credits as an option for rewards, which can be useful for people who want the utmost flexibility. For example, the Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students also offers this redemption option, as does the Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card.

Best for Dining and Entertainment: Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

Why we love this card: The Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card stands out among the best student credit cards due to its exceptional rewards rate in the categories where many students spend frequently. This card earns 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (with an exclusion on superstores like Target and Walmart), plus 1% back on everything else. A $50 welcome bonus is also offered for students who charge at least $100 in purchases within three months of account opening.

Who should have this in their wallet: This card is best for students who spend a lot at grocery stores, dining out, entertainment purchases and streaming subscriptions like Hulu, Netflix and Disney+. Students who frequently rideshare can also benefit from this card since it comes with 10% cash back on Uber and Uber Eats purchases as well as complimentary Uber One monthly membership fees through November 10, 2024.

Other cards to consider: If you want to earn bonus rewards in various categories versus a flat rewards rate on all your spending, make sure to look into the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students. This student credit card lets you pick the category you earn the most in every quarter, with no annual fee required.

Best Secured Card for Students: Discover it® Secured Credit Card

Why we love this card: The Discover it® Secured Credit Card is geared toward students or anyone who wants to build their credit. It’s a great choice for people who have potentially made credit mistakes in the past or have no existing credit history. There’s no annual fee required, and users can begin building credit with a minimum security deposit of at least $200. Users also earn 2% cash back on up to $1,000 spent at restaurants and gas stations each quarter (then 1% back), as well as 1% cash back on other purchases. Discover will also double any rewards earned in the first year through its Cashback Match program.

Who should have this in their wallet: The Discover it® Secured Credit Card is for students who have poor credit or no credit score at all. Discover reports payments and balances to the three credit bureaus, like other cards on this list, helping to boost your credit history over time. Discover also allows you to get your security deposit back and upgrade to an unsecured card in as little as seven months with on-time payments.

Other cards to consider: Some student credit cards are easier than others to qualify for, which is important when you have poor credit or very limited credit history. Other cards in this ranking that have the lowest requirements to get approved include the Chase Freedom Rise and the Discover it® Student Chrome.

Best Chase Credit Card for Students: Chase Freedom Rise Credit Card

Why we love this card: We like the Chase Freedom Rise because of its flat rewards rate of 1.5% cash back and the fact that it’s geared toward students and people new to credit. There’s no annual fee and a $25 statement credit is available to people who enroll in automatic payments. The Chase Freedom Rise also has more perks than one might think, including purchase protection against damage or theft, extended warranties, trip cancellation and interruption insurance and three months of DoorDash DashPass membership.

Who should have this in their wallet: This card is for people who want to earn cash back rewards and build credit while working toward a higher credit limit. While the Chase Freedom Rise is easier to get approved for than some other student cards, Chase says you can boost your approval odds even more if you open a Chase checking account and deposit at least $250 before you apply.

Other cards to consider: Several other student credit cards offer a flat rate of 1.5% cash back or 1.5 points per $1 spent with no annual fee required. If you want a similar rewards rate, check out the Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students, the Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students and the Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card.

Best for Simplicity: Discover it® Student Chrome

Why we love this card: The Discover it® Student Chrome is a good card for students because it doesn’t even require applicants to have a credit score to get approved. Cardholders earn 2% cash back on up to $1,000 spent at gas stations and restaurants each quarter (then 1% back), as well as 1% cash back on other spending. Like with other cash back cards from Discover, the issuer doubles all rewards earned in the first year through its Cashback Match program.

Who should have this in their wallet: The Discover it® Student Chrome is for college students who want to start earning rewards and building credit with responsible use. There are no credit score requirements to get approved, making this an ideal first credit card for college students.

Other cards to consider: Several other credit cards in our ranking don’t require a credit score for approval, including the Discover it® Secured Credit Card and the Discover it® Student Cash Back. Both of these cards also earn cash back rewards with no annual fee.

Best for Customized Rewards: Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students

Why we love this card: The Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students earns 3% cash back in a top category of choice and 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, on up to $2,500 in spending each quarter (after that, a 1% cash back rate applies). Cardholders also earn 1% cash back on other purchases. Categories available for 3% cash back in include gas and EV charging stations, online shopping, cable, internet, phone plans and streaming, dining, travel, drug stores and pharmacies, or home improvement and furnishings. New cardmembers can also earn a $200 cash bonus after spending $1,000 on purchases within 90 days of account opening.

Who should have this in their wallet: The Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards for Students is for anyone who wants to customize their rewards based on planned purchases throughout the year. The card even lets users change their top bonus category every calendar month through the online account management page or the Bank of America mobile app.

Other cards to consider: The Discover it® Student Cash Back card is another student credit card that offers bonus rewards on different types of purchases throughout the year, although the categories are preselected and not customizable. If you like the idea of getting an introductory APR offer and earning cash back on spending, other student credit cards worth checking out include the Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students and the Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students.

Best Intro APR Offer for Students: BankAmericard Credit Card for Students

Why we love this card: The BankAmericard Credit Card for Students stands out due to its incredible intro APR offer, which is a 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers made within 60 days of account opening for 18 billing cycles (followed by a variable APR of 16.24% to 26.24%). The card’s 3% balance transfer fee is also competitive, making this card a good option for students who need to consolidate and pay down high-interest debt from other cards.

Who should have this in their wallet: The BankAmericard Credit Card for Students is for college students who are currently in debt and want a way to pay it down with a low intro APR for a limited time. Students who need to pay for large purchases and want time to pay their balances down without interest should also consider this card.

Other cards to consider: Some student credit cards offer intro APRs and rewards for spending, although you’ll get the intro APR for a shorter period of time. The best student credit cards that fall into this category include the Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students, the Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students and the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students.

Best for Rebuilding Credit: Self – Credit Builder Account with Secured Visa® Credit Card

Why we love this card: The Secured Self Visa Credit Card is a companion product to Self’s Credit Builder Account. A Self Credit Builder Account adds each month’s payment to a bank account. You get your money back, minus a finance charge, at the end of the payment term with the goal of helping you build credit. There are also early payoff options available.

Who should have this in their wallet: If you’re considering a Credit Builder Account to improve your credit score, this secured card effectively lets you add a credit card and loan to your credit history at the same time while reporting to all three credit bureaus.

Other cards to consider: The Secured Self Visa Credit Card isn’t perfect, and one of the main drawbacks is that you need to get a Credit Builder Account in good standing from Self Financial as one of the eligibility requirements to qualify. You might consider an alternative like the Discover it Secured Credit Card if you want a secured card that doesn’t require signing up for a credit builder account.

Best for Online Shopping: Amazon Prime Store Card

Why we love this card: This card offers a great rate of cash back on every Amazon purchase, so long as you have a Prime membership. Given that Amazon already offers many perks for students who purchase Prime, this card can help you earn a lot of cash back during your college years.

Who should have this in their wallet: This card is a great fit for students who rely on Amazon to have items delivered to the dorms. If you have a Prime membership before getting this card, you’ll find the Amazon Store Card to be rewarding.

Other cards to consider: If you tend to avoid online shopping or don’t have Amazon Prime, consider some alternatives. For example, the Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card, which offers a flat rate of cash back on all purchases, online or offline.

Who Should Apply for a Student Credit Card?

Student credit cards are for college students who are attending traditional colleges and universities, community colleges, trade schools and other institutions of higher education. However, some cards have additional requirements for students to become eligible, and most require you to list specific information about your college experience on your credit card application. For example, applications typically ask you to list the school you attend, your year in college and your expected graduation date.

Also be aware that you aren’t required to have a job to get most student credit cards, but you do need to show a source of income. If you are over the age of 21, you can list household income on your credit card application, including the income of a spouse or partner who lives with you. If you’re under the age of 21, however, you can only include income you earn and money you have regular access to on your application (e.g. recurring allowances deposited into your own bank account by parents).

Why Do College Students Need a Credit Card?

College students can benefit in many ways from having a credit card, although some depend on the student’s unique needs and where they are in their journey toward building credit.

• Building credit for the future: Credit card issuers report payments and balances to the three credit bureaus each month, which helps students establish credit they’ll need later in life. Of course, college students should expect good results if they pay their credit card bills on time each month and keep their balances in check. When it comes to building a good credit score, most experts recommend keeping credit utilization below 30% of available credit limits at all times, or under 10% for the best possible results.
• Covering emergency expenses: Having a credit card in college can come in handy when emergency expenses arise, whether we’re talking about unexpected car repairs, surprise bills for medical care or something else.
• Earning rewards: The ability to earn rewards is another reason for college students to get a credit card for spending, especially since they’re going to make a certain number of purchases each month anyway. College students can redeem their rewards for options like statement credits and gift cards, which is better than paying with cash or debit and getting nothing in return.
• Learning positive credit habits: Having a credit card also helps college students ease into using credit and learning positive habits they’ll need in the future. For example, credit cards help people learn to track their spending and make bill payments based on a due date each month.

How Do I Choose the Best Student Credit Card For Me?

Student credit cards vary greatly, so choosing one means thinking about what you want and need the most. Here are the main factors to consider as you make your pick.

Eligibility Requirements

Look at the best student credit cards on this list and you’ll find that some don’t require applicants to have any credit history at all, while others require some credit history and at least a “fair” credit score. Knowing the eligibility requirements for cards you’re considering can help you figure out which ones you qualify for and where you’re most likely to get approved.

Also note that some student credit cards allow you to get pre-approved online before you apply. While getting pre-approved doesn’t guarantee you’ll get the card in the end, taking this step can help you gauge your approval odds without a hard inquiry on your credit report.

Rewards Rates

Most top student credit cards offer rewards, but earning rates are still highly unique and vary between cards. Decide whether you want to earn a flat rate of rewards on all purchases, bonus rewards in certain categories or bonus cash back in different categories throughout the year. This will go a long way toward helping you find the right card for you.

Redemption Options

Make sure you understand how you can redeem rewards, and that you can see yourself using the available options with ease. Fortunately, most student credit cards offer flexible options like cash back, statement credits or even gift cards.

Interest Rates

Finally, research the interest rates different cards charge and when these rates apply. If your card has an introductory APR offer, you’ll want to know how long that lasts and whether it applies to balance transfers, purchases or both. At that point, you can create a plan to utilize the intro APR while also paying off your charges or transferred debts completely before the introductory period is over. If a card you’re considering comes with 0% APR for 15 months, for example, be sure to only charge or transfer amounts you can pay off during that time.

If the cards you’re considering don’t have an introductory APR, you’ll want to have a plan to pay your balance off in full each month. Otherwise, high credit card interest rates will make everything you buy cost more over time.

Pros and Cons of Student Credit Cards