Student Credit Cards

The easiest credit cards for students to get are student credit cards for applicants with limited or no credit history and secured credit cards, which are available to people with no credit or even bad credit. Since college students tend to have higher incomes in the long term, issuers are willing to extend them better offers than most people without established credit could get. Think of it as an investment in a student’s future financial needs, which could prove quite profitable for a bank that gets in on the ground floor.

The best student credit cards, including Capital One Journey and Bank of America’s student travel rewards card, will be easy to get as long as you’re enrolled in school and have at least a small income as well as a credit score that’s anything but bad. In fact, you can get them even if you don’t have a credit score yet because you’ve never had a loan or line of credit before. And if you do have bad credit, a secured card will still be pretty easy to get.

Here are some easy credit cards for students to get:

• Journey Student Rewards from Capital One: No annual fee or foreign transaction fee. 1% cash back on all purchases (1.25% when you pay your monthly bill on time). You can get this card with limited credit.
• Discover it chrome for Students: No annual fee or foreign transaction fee. 2% cash back on $1,000 spent on gas and dining at restaurants each quarter. 1% everywhere else. 1st year earnings matched. $20 bonus each year your GPA is 3.0+. You can get this card with limited credit.
• Bank of America Cash Rewards credit card for Students: No annual fee. 3% foreign transaction fee. $150 bonus when you apply online and spend $500 in the first 90 days. 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, plus 3% on gas (first $2,500 in combined purchases). 1% cash back on all other purchases. You can get this card with limited credit.
• Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card for Students: No annual fee or foreign transaction fee. 20,000 points when you apply online and spend $1,000 in the first 90 days. 1.5 points per $1 on all purchases. You can get this card with limited credit.
• Capital One Secured Mastercard: No annual fee and no foreign transaction fee. No rewards. Minimum security deposit of $49, $99, or $200. You can get this card with bad credit.
• Discover it Secured Card: No annual fee or foreign transaction fee. 2% cash back on $1,000 spent at restaurants and gas stations every three months. 1% on all other purchases. Discover matches all your cash back from the first year. You can get this card with bad credit.

The easiest credit cards for students to get allow young people to begin building credit before entering the real world. If you use your card responsibly and pay your bills on time, you should be able to get a better deal once you graduate. And that’s true whether you’re starting with a student credit card or a secured card.

A student credit card is a credit card branded specifically for use by college and graduate students with limited credit history or better. Student credit cards are easier to get than the average credit card, and they usually have $0 annual fees, rewards equal to at least 1% cash back on purchases, and minimum credit limits of $300 or so. Some student credit cards offer low introductory APRs, but the regular APRs on student credit cards tend to be above average.

Students generally have less credit history and less income than professionals and older adults. But students also come with assumed future earning potential, so credit card companies are more willing to approve a student with no credit history than a non-student newcomer. Student credit cards work just like regular credit cards, however, because they are regular credit cards. They’re just aimed at students.

Student credit cards can help students with fair, limited, or no credit build their credit history. The right student card can also teach responsible credit card habits to people who are new to the game. For example, some give bonus rewards for on-time bill payments and/or good grades.

You’ll need to be at least 18 years old to apply for a student credit card—or any credit card— on your own. If you’re under 21, you’ll need an independent income that the credit card company can verify. Income from even a part-time job will help your approval odds. And of course, you should be a student; you’ll most likely be asked about your school information on the application. Limited or no credit history usually is not an issue with student cards, but if you already have bad credit, you may not get approved. In that case, you may want to aim for a secured credit card, like the Discover it Secured card.

It’s important to remember that student credit cards are definitely real credit cards. Like all unsecured cards, you can get in over your head if you aren’t using it responsibly. And the higher APRs of student cards can be a big extra weight if you carry a balance.

College students should have credit cards because it is the best way to begin building credit history. Simply owning a credit card account and keeping it in good standing can allow a student to go from having no credit at the start of college to fair credit or even good credit by graduation. As a result, responsible credit card use will give students a leg up when they enter the real world. Without a strong credit profile, students may have a difficult time renting an apartment, getting a car loan, finding cheap car insurance, and even landing a job.

Despite cautionary tales of student spending run amok, nearly half of all parents agree that college students should have their own credit cards. Roughly 40% of parents say young people should get their first credit card between the ages of 18 and 20, according to a WalletHub survey, while 7% say it’s good to have a card even earlier.

It’s actually a myth that college students can’t get credit cards. To qualify, you have to be at least 18 years old and demonstrate the ability to afford monthly bill payments. More specifically, anyone between the ages of 18 and 21 must prove their ability to independently pay back debt before they can own a credit card, per the Credit CARD Act of 2009.Or, an applicant may have a co-signer who is at least 21 years old. The cosigner would be financially liable for the account. Most credit card companies don’t allow co-signers anymore, though.

At the very least, college students should have a credit card as an authorized user on a parent’s account. You can build credit as an authorized user while the primary cardholder is responsible for making payments. The primary cardholder can also monitor the account. If there’s any sign of reckless card use, they can remove the authorized user at any time.

Missing payments and racking up debt are the biggest reasons people say not to get a credit card as a college student. But there are easy ways to minimize the risk while still reaping all the benefits. For example, you’ll be less likely to miss any due dates if you set up automatic payments from a bank account. You could also pay any annual fee the card may have and then lock the card away somewhere safe – to resist the temptation to overspend. You’ll still build credit that way.

Finally, it’s worth noting that if you wait until after college to get a credit card, you could be costing yourself when it comes it annual fees and rewards. Credit cards for college students tend to be a lot more attractive than other credit cards for people with limited or no credit.

The best ways to build credit as a college student are to become an authorized user on a parent’s account and to use your own credit card account responsibly when the time comes. You don’t need to be a certain age to build credit. You can actually do it before getting your own credit card account, which you become eligible for once you turn 18 years old. Being an authorized user can help you establish credit and even build a good score. The primary accountholder just has to pay the bills on time. So if one of your parents will add you as an authorized user on one of their credit card accounts, that’s one way for you to build credit while in college.

Your other option is to get your own account. Student credit cards are designed for applicants with limited or no credit history. So a lack of experience shouldn’t keep you from being approved. You just need enough income (or assets) to pay the minimum monthly bills. Those are usually $10-$15 for students. Student cards often give terms that are much better than other cards for limited credit. That’s because credit card issuers know college students are more likely to have higher incomes after they graduate.

How to build credit as a college student:

1. Become an authorized user. For fast credit building, without having to apply for your own card, ask a parent or other adult to add you as a user. You’ll share a credit limit with the primary cardholder. Only the primary cardholder is required to pay, but both of you build credit.
2. Apply for a credit card. If you have no existing credit history, you will probably qualify for a student card with good terms as long as you have an income. But you can also apply for a secured card if you’re worried about approval odds, as secured cards are easiest to get.
3. Use the card responsibly. The biggest thing to worry about is not overspending. Don’t spend more than you can afford to pay off. And try not to exceed 30% of your credit limit, if possible.
4. Always pay on time. Missing a due date is very bad for your credit. It’s essential to make at least the required minimum payment on time each month. But paying in full is better, because it means you won’t owe interest.
5. Monitor your credit and statements closely. Check your credit report for free with WalletHub on a regular basis. Make sure there is no inaccurate information. Go over your credit card statements in depth to make sure there are no purchases that you didn’t authorize.
6. “Graduate” to better cards. Once you’re out of school, your credit card company may offer to upgrade your card based on the credit history you’ve built. Or, you could simply apply for a second card with better terms.

You can learn more from our full guide on how to build credit as a student.

If you want to take your credit-building efforts to the next level, sign up for a free WalletHub account. WalletHub is the only site with free credit scores and reports that are updated daily. And we’ll perform a personalized credit analysis, telling you what to improve, how to do it and how long it will take.

You can apply for a student credit card online, at a branch or (in some cases) by phone. To be eligible for approval, student credit card applicants must be at least 18 years old, earn enough income to afford monthly bill payments, and have limited credit or better (just not bad credit). To fill out a student credit card application, you will need to provide your annual income, your Social Security number (or an applicable alternative for international students) and other personal information – usually along with information about your school.

As with any credit card, when you apply for a student credit card, you could receive a decision instantly if you apply online, or it could take as long as 10 business days. It usually takes 7-10 business days to receive a card in the mail after approval.

Student credit card issuers obviously expect applicants to be students, and many require proof. But they all do it a little differently. For example, the Citi Rewards Student Card asks for your school’s details and your expected graduation date on the application, and its terms say the card is for currently-enrolled students only. At least one student credit card, the Capital One Journey Student Credit Card, doesn’t require applicants to be students in its terms and conditions.

Applying for a student credit card might sound complicated and intimidating, especially if it’s your first credit card application. Try not to sweat it, though—the process is fairly simple in reality.

How to Get a Student Credit Card:

1. Apply online, over the phone, or in-person. Make sure to have your SSN (or accepted alternative) and annual income at hand. If you’re under 21, you’ll need to have independent income to get approved for a credit card. 
2. Wait for a decision. Sometimes, you’ll get an instant decision. If not, the typical waiting period for credit card applications is 7-10 business days.
3. Watch your mailbox. If you’re denied, the credit card company will send you a letter explaining your denial. If you’re approved, you’ll receive your credit card in the mail 7-10 days after you’re approved.

Student credit cards are a good way for students without much credit history to build credit. Their rewards can also work in a student’s favor. Some offer statement credits for good grades and perks for paying the bill on time. And you definitely need to pay all the bills on time if you want to be successful after you apply for a student credit card.

Here’s what to put for income on a credit card application as a student: income from full or part-time jobs (including work-study), investment dividends, and most other funds that are regularly deposited into your bank account. Excess scholarship money that ends up in your bank account after tuition expenses generally counts as income, too. Some credit card companies may even consider the entire amount as income if it lands in your bank account first. Social Security payments and pensions from deceased relatives, and public assistance payments also count as income. Money from grants may or may not count, depending on the credit card company.

In general, if the money is available to pay a debt you owe, and is not earmarked exclusively for education expenses, it usually counts as income on a credit card application. The exception is borrowed money, including student loans.

Student loans don’t count as income

There’s no law against including student loan disbursements in your total annual income. But student loan money shouldn’t be counted as income on a credit card application because it’s not income—it’s debt. Any money that must be repaid should not be counted as income. Many students use loan money for personal expenses while in school, but that doesn’t mean it’s income.

What portion of scholarship or grant money counts as income?

Customer service representatives from different credit card companies have different opinions on this. For example, Chase reps say it depends on where the awarded money lands first. If the money goes directly to your school to pay for tuition and fees, you can only include whatever amount ultimately lands in your bank account. If the money comes to you first, you can include the entire amount—even if you pay tuition with it.

A Capital One rep said that no matter where scholarship money lands first, it’s up to the student to decide what gets counted in the application. That said, the rep did distinguish that grants do not count as income: “Neither student loans nor grants count as income because they are not considered a stable, continuous source of income."

If you’re in doubt, it’s best to call your credit card company’s customer service line and ask directly.

A student’s age impacts income on credit card applications

It’s worth noting that shared income can only be included on a credit card application if you’re over 21 years old. Those under 21 must have independent proof of income or a cosigner to get a credit card. That rule dates back to the Credit CARD Act of 2009. Credit card companies now have a more formal obligation to assess an applicant’s ability to pay their debt before extending a credit line.

How credit card companies interpret the law

There is a bit of a grey area between the CARD Act’s rules and credit card company guidelines for annual income. The law requires credit card companies to consider independent income for applicants under the age of 21. But based on the way major card issuers seem to interpret it, independent income doesn’t necessarily mean money earned directly by a student for doing a job.

For example, a Chase customer service representative suggested including any type of allowance you might receive from someone else to help pay your bills, if it’s deposited in your own bank account. Similarly, a Capital One representative noted that money must be “reasonably available” to you for it to count as independent income. That means the money must be regularly deposited into your personal account, or an account you share with the person depositing the funds.

So if your parents regularly deposit money into your bank account, you can use that amount in your annual income figure, according to Chase and Capital One reps. And if you’re 21 or older, you're allowed to report shared household income as your own on a credit application, as long as you have a reasonable expectation of access to the money. Sharing a bank account is not required in that case.

Does my annual income have to be 100% accurate?

Theoretically, credit card companies can take steps to verify what you put for income on your application. If they have a reason to doubt the number you give them, they can request information from your tax returns or use data from your credit report to create an estimate of your income. Keep that in mind because it’s against federal law to put false information on a credit card application. The law isn’t commonly prosecuted, but technically, breaking it is punishable by up to 30 years in federal prison per offense.

Having income from at least a part-time job will help a student get a credit card. But many students are unemployed while they’re in school. A 60% majority of full-time college students don’t have jobs, according to a 2019 study by the National Center for Education Statistics. That puts many college students at a disadvantage when it comes to getting a credit card. If your income is too low, try to find a cosigner or become an authorized user on a friend or family member’s account.

Yes. You have to be a student to get a student credit card most of the time. Most student credit cards require applicants to provide the name of their school, their expected graduation date, or some other proof of enrollment.

The terms and conditions for some student credit cards also state that the card is specifically for currently-enrolled students. It’s illegal to lie on a credit card application, so applicants are legally compelled to be honest about their college enrollment status.

Even if a student credit card application doesn’t ask you about your enrollment status, student cards are meant for students. If you don’t qualify as a currently-enrolled student, there are plenty of alternatives for people just starting to build their credit. You can get a secured credit card or a starter credit card, for example, without needing to be a student.

The best Chase credit card for students is the new Chase Freedom Student Card, which launched in June 2019. The Chase Freedom Student Credit Card has a $0 annual fee and gives 1% cash back on all purchases. It has some nice rewards bonuses, too, starting with 5,000 bonus points (worth $50 as a statement credit) simply for making a single purchase within three months of opening an account. Plus, keeping your account in good standing by paying your monthly bills on time is good for a $20 bonus each year for up to five years.

Those rewards rates and fees are pretty good, though not quite on par with the best student credit cards on the market right now. Perhaps the worst thing about the offer is the fact that you can’t apply for the Chase Freedom Student Card online. You have to visit a Chase branch location to get it.

Before Freedom for Students, there had been no Chase student credit card available for years, ever since the old Chase +1 Student Mastercard was discontinued. That old Chase credit card for college students had no annual fee and gave points to cardholders who paid their bill on time, took financial literacy quizzes, etc.

When it was still being offered, the +1 Student Card was available to newcomers with limited or no credit history. That’s important because the replacement that Chase tried to pawn off on college students afterward, the Chase Freedom Unlimited Card, requires at least good credit history for approval. Chase Freedom Unlimited, one of the best cash back credit cards overall, was never officially branded as being for students. But Chase recommended it for these scholarly credit newcomers on its website for a while.

Now, however, things are looking up for college students shopping for a credit card. Chase, one of the largest credit card companies around, has now officially rejoined the ranks of student credit card issuers. As a result, 6 of the 7 biggest credit card issuers in the U.S. have at least one credit card offer for college students.

The best Discover student credit card is the Discover it® Student Cash Back credit card because it gives 5% cash back on different types of purchases each quarter (up to $1,500 spent quarterly, and $6,000 annually). That bumps up the card’s earning potential to the top tier of student credit cards. You have to sign up for the new categories each quarter, but there’s an extra cherry on top for those who do: Discover it Student Cash Back will match the cash back that new cardholders earn the first year. That can be a huge benefit if you’re maxing out the card’s 5% back categories. All other purchases earn 1% cash back.

The other Discover student card contender is the Discover it Chrome for Students credit card, which gives a consistent 2% cash back on up to $1,000 spent at gas stations and restaurants combined each quarter. All other purchases get 1% back. While this rewards setup could work to a commuting student’s advantage, the maximum a cardholder can earn in normal bonus rewards annually is $80. On the plus side, this card won’t make you register for cash back every quarter. Chrome for Students also doubles the first year’s cash back, though the bonus has less earning potential than with the Student Cash Back card.

Best Discover Student Credit Card: Student Cash Back vs Chrome for Students

Discover it Student Cash Back: 5% back on up to $1,500 spent per quarter in rotating categories.

Discover it Chrome for Students: 2% back on up to $1,000 spent per quarter at gas stations and restaurants combined.

Features on Both Cards: 1% cash back on non-bonus purchases, 0% APR for first 6 months, first-year’s rewards doubled, $20 annual statement credit for a 3.0 GPA, no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee.

Overall, students who are organized and eager to enter the world of credit card rewards will do well getting the Discover it Student Cash Back card. The Discover it Chrome for Students card might be the better option for commuting students who spend a lot at gas stations and restaurants, but the cash back opportunities aren’t quite as promising.

The best Visa credit card for students is Journey Student Rewards from Capital One because it has great cash back rewards, gives you extra for paying on time and doesn’t charge an annual fee. But there a lot of good options to consider. For example, Bank of America Cash Rewards for Students is great for 0% interest at the start, and the Travel Rewards BofA Student Visa has terms well-suited to study abroad.

In general, despite having little credit experience, college students can expect better-than-average rates, fees and rewards because they have high earning potential and many years of financial needs ahead of them. Banks want to get in early, in other words. And you can take advantage of that by getting a great student credit card and saving lots of money.

Here are the best Visa credit cards for students:

• Most Cash Back – Journey Student Rewards from Capital One: The normal cash back rate is 1%, but you can get 1.25% if you pay your bill on time. There’s no annual fee and you don’t need a credit history in order to be approved.
• Intro APR – Bank of America Cash Rewards Credit card for Students: This card won’t charge you any interest for 12 months, both on purchases and on balance transfers. You get 3% cash back on your first $2,500 in gas, 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, and 1% on everything else. There’s also a $150 bonus when you spend $500 in the first 90 days. And there’s no annual fee, nor do you need a credit history.
• Travel Benefits – Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card for Students: If you’re planning to travel often, this card is for you. You get unlimited 3 points per dollar on Amex Travel 1.5 points per dollar on all other purchases. And you get 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days. The card doesn’t have an annual fee and there’s no credit history necessary for approval.
• Insurance Benefits – State Farm Bank Student Visa Credit Card. You get 3 points per dollar on up to $4,000 in insurance premium payments per year, and one point per $2 on other purchases. You’ll also get student discounts on various products. There’s no annual fee, and you don’t need a credit history.

Any of these choices are good for students, but Journey Student Rewards and Bank of America Cash Rewards are probably the best two because they offer cash back rewards and don’t charge annual fees. You’ll be able to get the most consistent value out of them. But it’s good to look at cards from networks other than Visa, too. Some of the best choices include Discover it for Students and the Capital One Secured Mastercard.