If you're a young adult student without established credit, this guide will introduce you to the best student credit cards designed for people like you.
When evaluating the best student credit cards for new applicants, Business Insider's personal finance experts considered key factors such as simplicity, earning potential, and overall value.
Our guide prioritizes student credit cards that offer straightforward rewards and easy terms. And since students are usually on tight budgets, we focused on credit cards for college students that earn rewards without charging annual fees.
The best credit cards for students earn bonus rewards on expenses that align with typical student spending habits. We also factored in welcome bonuses, which are great for padding tight budgets. Finally, we considered additional benefits such as 0% APR offers, travel rewards, and cash-back options to suit different student needs.
Here's our final list of the best student credit cards you can apply for right now.
Best Student Credit Cards of June 2025
| Best For | Card | Annual Fee |
| Best well-rounded pick | Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card | $0 |
| Best for cash back | Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card | $0 |
| Best welcome bonus | Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students | $0 |
| Best for travelers | Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students | $0 |
| Best for long 0% intro APR | BankAmericard® Credit Card for Students | $0 |
| Best for reward maximizers | Discover it® Student Cash Back | $0 |
| Best for everyday use | Discover it® Student Chrome | $0 |
Check for Student Credit Card Offers
Best Well-Rounded Student Credit Card
The Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card is the best student credit card for earning cash back on food, travel, live shows, and other common expenses.
New cardholders can earn a $50 cash bonus once you spend $100 on purchases within three months of account opening. This welcome bonus is particularly easy to earn thanks to the low spending requirement.
The no-annual-fee Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card also offers strong benefits for a college student credit card, including extended warranty, travel accident insurance, and no foreign transaction fees, making it an ideal companion for studying abroad.
Learn more in our Capital One Savor Student Card review.
Best Student Credit Card for Cash Back
The Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card is one of the best student credit cards for flat-rate rewards, earning unlimited 1.5% cash back on purchases.
New cardholders can earn a $50 cash bonus once you spend $100 on purchases within three months of account opening.
This no-annual-fee card offers many useful benefits, including no foreign transaction fees, 50% off select drinks at Capital One Cafés, travel accident insurance, extended warranty, and the ability to book travel through the Capital One Travel portal.
Learn more in our Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards credit card review.
Best Student Credit Card Welcome Bonus
The Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students offers a generous welcome bonus, but is relatively light on benefits for a credit card for college students.
New cardholders can earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after making $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days from account opening, plus 0% intro APR for 15 billing cycles on purchases and any balance transfers made within 60 days of account opening, followed by a 18.24% - 28.24% variable APR.
Cardholders earn easy rewards on an ongoing basis: unlimited 1.5% cash back on purchases. While this card doesn't have an annual fee, it does charge foreign transaction fees, so it isn't a good choice for international travel.
Learn more in our Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards for Students review.
Best Student Credit Card for Travel Expenses
The Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students doesn't charge foreign transaction fees, comes with generous perks for new cardholders, and earns straightforward rewards. But it's light on benefits, so look elsewhere if you need benefits like travel insurance or purchase protection.
The earning structure is simple: unlimited 1.5 points per dollar spent on purchases. You can redeem points toward your statement credits to pay for restaurant charges (including takeout), flights, hotels, vacation packages, cruises, rental cars, and baggage fees.
New cardholders can earn 25,000 online bonus points after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days from account opening, plus a 0% intro APR for 15 billing cycles on purchases and balance transfers made within 60 days of account opening (then a 18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR).
Learn more in our Bank of America Travel Rewards for Students review.
Best Student Credit Card for Long 0% Intro APR
The no-annual-fee BankAmericard® Credit Card for Students offers one of the longest zero-interest credit card periods available, even among non-student credit cards.
New cardholders receive a 0% intro APR for 18 billing cycles on purchases and balance transfers made within 60 days of account opening (then a 15.24% - 25.24% Variable APR).
This benefit may be exactly what you need if you have high-interest credit card debt or for large expenses such as tuition that you can't pay off all at once.
However, the BankAmericard® for Students doesn't come with a welcome bonus or earn rewards for spending, so it's not a good choice for long-term use.
Learn more in our BankAmericard for Students review.
Best Student Credit Card for Reward Maximizers
$0
0% intro APR for six months on purchases
17.24% - 26.24% Variable APR
Earn Unlimited Cashback Match®
Fair/New to Credit
Pros
Cons
The Discover it® Student Cash Back is a great choice if you're a student with limited credit history and want to earn a strong rate of cash back on your everyday spending without paying an annual fee.
Discover it® Student Cash Back- Intro Offer: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. So you could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or turn $100 cash back into $200.
- Earn 5% Cashback Bonus® at Grocery Stores and Wholesale Clubs, April 1 through June 30, 2025, on up to $1,500 in purchases, when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
- No credit score required to apply.
- Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. Activate by mobile app for free.
- No annual fee and build your credit with responsible use.
- 0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months, then the standard variable purchase APR of 17.24% - 26.24% applies.
- Terms and conditions apply.
The Discover it® Student Cash Back is the perfect credit card for college students willing to do a little extra work to earn big rewards.
Cardholders earn 5% cash back on purchases from rotating categories each quarter up to $1,500 when you activate and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Our Discover cash back calendar tracks each quarter's 5% bonus categories, which often include grocery stores, restaurants, and Amazon (from April 1 to June 30, 2025, earn 5% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs on up to $1,500 in purchases after enrollment, then 1%).
The card doesn't offer a traditional welcome bonus, but through Discover's Cashback Match Program Discover will automatically match all the cash back earned at the end of new card members' first year.
New cardholders can also take advantage of a 0% intro APR for six months on purchases (then a 17.24% - 26.24% Variable APR).
Learn more in our Discover it Student Cash Back card review.
Best Student Credit Card for Everyday Use
$0
0% intro APR for six months on purchases
17.24% - 26.24% Variable APR
Earn Unlimited Cashback Match®
Fair/New to Credit
Pros
Cons
The Discover it® Student Chrome is a great starter credit card to help you build credit while learning how to responsibly use a credit card. It's worth noting that this student credit card is nearly identical to the regular Discover it® Chrome in almost every way, with the addition of a few student-specific perks.
Discover it® Student Chrome- Intro Offer: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. So you could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or turn $100 cash back into $200.
- Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. Plus earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
- No credit score required to apply.
- Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. Activate by mobile app for free.
- No annual fee and build your credit with responsible use.
- 0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months, then the standard variable purchase APR of 17.24% - 26.24% applies.
- Terms and conditions apply.
The no-annual-fee Discover it® Student Chrome is best for students who drive and eat out on a regular basis, since cardholders earn 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter automatically and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
The Discover it® Student Chrome's spending cap on 2% categories is relatively low: just $1,000 per quarter, or about $333 a month. But if you can maximize this bonus, that extra 1% cash back is worth an extra $10 per quarter, or $40 a year.
And since this card is also eligible for the Discover Cashback Match program, you could earn an additional $40 in your first year after Discover matches the rewards you earned.
Learn more in our Discover it Student Chrome card review.
Importance of Building Credit as a Student
Building credit is an important step toward financial stability. A healthy credit score unlocks a wealth of financial opportunities in your future, such as landing the best rates from mortgage lenders.
When shopping for a student credit card, start by focusing on your personal habits. Your first credit card sets the tone for your financial future, and building healthy money habits is much more important than earning the best return on every dollar you spend.
You'll typically need a good to excellent credit score to be approved for the best credit cards with annual fees and premium benefits, so building responsible habits now can set you up well to be approved for better financial products down the road.
How to Compare Student Credit Cards
The best student credit cards earn rewards on every dollar you spend and offer benefits that suit your financial habits. And since there are so many strong options available with no annual fees, you should not have to pay anything out of pocket to get these benefits.
If you enjoy the thrill of chasing down the best rewards for every purchase, look for student credit cards that earn bonus rewards on specific expense categories. But if you value simplicity and minimal stress in your financial life, focus on flat-rate cash back student credit cards.
If you need some time to pay off big expenses or outstanding debt without incurring more interest, consider student credit cards that offer 0% intro APR periods.
Having a period of 0% interest can come in handy for paying school-related expenses before financial aid comes through, although it's important to save enough money to pay off what you owe on your student credit card before the zero APR period expires.
Who Should Apply for a Student Credit Card
If you're a student over the age of 18, you should definitely apply for a credit card for college students to build credit.
Student credit cards are designed to help you enter the world of credit without requiring much (if any) income or financial assets — a rare trait since most lines of credit are extended based on these factors.
Used responsibly, your student credit card can help you manage large expenses such as tuition and housing costs while building credit for the future. And once you graduate, the responsible history you've built through your student credit card may help you be approved for far better lines of credit, including premium credit cards.
Student Credit Card Alternatives
In some cases, student credit cards may not be the best fit for you.
If you aren't in school, for example, some issuers will not allow you to apply for a credit card for students. If that's the case, our guide to the best starter credit cards can help you find a good credit card designed for first-time applicants who have minimal credit.
The Chase Freedom Rise℠ is one of the best credit cards for young adults who aren't attending college or university. Not only does this beginner credit card allow you to earn rewards while building credit, Chase automatically considers you for an upgrade to the Chase Freedom Unlimited® after several months of responsible use, where you pay off what you owe in full each month in a timely manner.
You can learn more about both cards in our Chase Freedom Rise review and our Chase Freedom Unlimited review.
If you're new to credit cards but already have an established credit history, you may be able to skip the entry-level products altogether and jump directly to premium credit cards with airport lounge access, or apply for small business credit cards if you start your own company later on.
If you aren't sure if you are eligible for certain cards, you can reference our guide to the best preapproved credit cards to check your chances of being approved without dinging your credit.
Student Credit Card Customer Reviews
In addition to drawing on our credit card expertise to compile this guide, Business Insider's personal finance team reviewed current cardholder posts on popular social forums such as Reddit to see what they had to say.
Discover is Friendly Toward New Credit Applicants
Several commenters say that they were able to apply for Discover credit cards and receive instant approval, even with no prior credit history. Many Discover cardholders said they liked the Discover it® Student Cash Back for simple rewards.
The primary difference between the Discover it® Student Cash Back and the non-student version of the Discover it® Cash Back is the amount of credit typically extended to the applicant and the APR.
Bonus Categories are Perfect for Student Budgets
The top Reddit recommendation for a good student credit card aligns with our own in this guide: The Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card is perfect as a first credit card for students.
Several commenters say the Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card's lack of annual fees and foreign transaction fees made this student credit card easy for young adults to maintain.
Current customers also say the card's bonus categories align well with the typical student's budget, earning 3% cash back on dining, groceries (excluding superstores), streaming subscriptions, and entertainment such as live shows, sports games, and concerts.
Once you've built sufficient credit history with the Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card to qualify for a travel rewards credit card such as the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, you can combine your rewards from both cards to book travel through the Capital One portal or by transferring miles to Capital One transfer partners.
Why You Should Trust Us: How We Chose the Best Student Credit Cards
We evaluated several factors when selecting the best student credit cards currently available to new applicants:
- Simplicity — The best student credit cards make it easy to redeem rewards and offer straightforward award programs. There shouldn't be many complicated terms and conditions to navigate.
- Earning potential — The best student credit cards earn rewards and bonus categories, if any, align with typical student spending habits.
- Welcome bonus — The best student credit cards offer a welcome bonus or other incentives are appealing, especially for those on a tight budget who could use a rewards boost.
- Credit card options for different types of students — One or more of the best student credit cards should appeal to all kinds of users, from options with 0% APR offers to credit cards for students that earn travel rewards or cash back.
Learn more about how we rate credit cards at Business Insider.
FAQs
What should I use a student credit card for?
You can use student credit cards for all types of educational and non-educational life expenses. The best student credit cards are versatile financial tools that can help young adults manage everyday expenses and build credit simultaneously.
Should a college student have a credit card?
Yes, most college students should consider opening a student credit card as a great first step in establishing a solid credit history for years to come. The best student credit cards improve your credit score and make it easier to qualify for other types of credit in the future if you use your credit card responsibly, avoid carrying a balance, and make your payments on time.
Which is the best credit card for students?
The best student credit cards include the Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card for bonus rewards on groceries, dining, and entertainment expenses, as well as flat-rate rewards cards like the Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card or Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students.
Is it a good idea for a high school student to get a credit card?
Yes, it can be a good idea to let your high school student apply for a student credit card once they're at least 18 years old. If your student is under 18, a parent or guardian can add them as an authorized user on their credit card until they're old enough to apply on their own. The primary cardholder's credit score impacts their authorized users, so choose wisely when linking your credit to anyone else.
What happens to student credit cards when you graduate?
What happens to your student credit card after graduation depends on your credit card issuer. After you graduate, some banks convert student credit cards into standard credit cards with equivalent benefits. You may also be able to keep your student card as-is with no changes.
