Best Credit Cards For Students

The Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Card is ideal for students studying abroad. With no foreign transaction fees, a $250 welcome bonus for travel, and flexible redemption options, this card is perfect for reducing travel costs and earning points you’ll want to redeem.

Rewards: Earn 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no expiration.

Fees

• No foreign transaction fee, which is ideal for students studying abroad.
• No annual fee.

Pros

• Unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent
• No foreign transaction fee
• No annual fee

Cons

• 1.5 points per $1 is a smaller offer than some competitors

To receive the $250, 25,000 point, welcome bonus, you’ll need to spend at least $1,000 within the first 90 days of opening the account.

The Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students has a 0% APR offer and a simple cash back program, making it ideal for balance transfers. Unlike competing cards, it has a 3% foreign transaction fee, which means it isn’t ideal for students that might study abroad.

Rewards: Unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases.

Fees

• 3% foreign transaction fee.
• No annual fee.

Pros

• No annual fee
• Simple, 1.5% cash back rewards
• 0% APR offer for the first 18 billing cycles

Cons

• Foreign transaction fee

To earn the $200 online cash reward, you’ll need to spend at least $1,000 in the first 90 days of opening the account.

The Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card is best for students that spend more on dining and entertainment. While the card has a small welcome bonus and limited rewards, its offer is still strong for a no-annual fee credit card.

Rewards

• Unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services, and grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target)
• 10% cash back on purchases made through Uber and Uber Eats, until 11/14/2024
• 8% cash back on entertainment purchases made through the Capital One Entertainment portal
• 1% cash back on everything else

Fees

• No foreign transaction fee, making it ideal for students studying abroad.
• No annual fee.

Pros

• Don’t need a high credit score to qualify
• No annual fee

Cons

• Small welcome bonus
• Limited cash back categories

This card comes with a complimentary Uber One membership through 11/14/2024, which is perfect for students that may request Uber rides or order meals through Uber Eats.

The Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card doesn’t require a high credit score to qualify, making it ideal for students with no credit.

Rewards

• Unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases
• 10% cash back on all purchases made through Uber and Uber Eats through 11/14/2024

Fees

• No foreign transaction fee, making it ideal for students that might study abroad.
• No annual fee.

Pros

• No annual fee
• No foreign transaction fee
• Solid rewards
• Welcome bonus is easy to achieve

Cons

• Low welcome bonus in comparison to competitors

To receive the $50 welcome bonus, you’ll need to spend $100 in the first three months after opening the account. While this welcome bonus is smaller than some competing cards, the required spend is also smaller, making it ideal for students on a budget.

This card also comes with complimentary Uber One membership credits through 11/14/2024.

The Discover It Student Cash Back Credit Card is a perfect first credit card, as it doesn’t require customers to have a credit score at all to qualify. The card comes with a solid cash back rewards program, no annual fee, and a first-year cash back match.

Rewards

• 5% cash back in rotating categories (eg. gas, grocery stores, etc.)
• 1% cash back on all other purchases

Fees

• No foreign transaction fee, making it ideal for students that might study abroad.
• No annual fee.

Pros

• No annual fee
• No foreign transaction fee
• Solid rewards
• Welcome bonus is easy to achieve

Cons

• 1% cash back is lower than some competitors

Rather than offering a specific welcome bonus amount, Discover’s Cashback Match program will match all cash back earned in the first year, dollar-for-dollar. There isn’t a maximum amount — regardless of how much you earn, they’ll match it.