The Best Credit Cards For Students (2020 Edition) (2024)

Establishing credit is important, especially as you start getting to your adult years and getting through college. But the tough part is choosing a card that is right for your needs. The entire process can be confusing and there are tons of options to look at. That is why we have put together a list of the best credit cards for students so you don’t have to go hunting.

Typically students have limited experience when it comes to credit cards. So your credit history is probably non-existent or minimal at this point in life. However, life is tougher in general when you don’t have good credit. So think of building credit as a way of setting up your future. You just need the right credit card to get started.

The best credit cards for students have low fees and interest rates, including perks that make them worthwhile. Here are some top picks.

Related Post: How To Budget Your Money

1. Journey Student Rewards (Capital One)

This card gives you cash back on all purchases. You generally get 1%, but when you pay on time it increases to 1.25%. The Journey Student Rewards card is a great fit for students because there is no annual fee, no foreign transaction fees. Also, it comes with zero fraud liability.

You will get an automatic credit increase after five months of paying your bills on time. Other notable features of this card include but may not be limited to the following.

• Helps you build credit fairly quickly.
• You can pick your monthly due date.
• Use their free CreditWise app to monitor your credit.
• 26.96% APR (Annual Percentage Rate)

2. Discover it Student Cash Back

Discover it Student Cash Back gives you a high rate of cash back rewards. Specifically, you will earn 5%t on rotating purchase categories quarterly, and 1% on everything else.

Discover also matches all the cash you have earned back dollar-for-dollar in the first year. Plus each school year that your grade/GPA is higher than 3.0, they will give you a $20 cash back reward.

Details worth noting include the following.

• Their cash back match offer is only an introductory offer for the first year.
• 2% cash back on gas station and restaurant transactions (up to $1000 quarterly, combined).
• Discover’s Good Grades Rewards is only available for the first five years.
• No annual fees and no APR hike for late payments.
• Dark Web Alerts for fraud protection.
• 0% introductory APR for six months. Standard APR is 15.24% – 24.24%.
• Monthly access to your FICO score
• Freeze your card whenever needed

3. Citi Rewards+ Student Card

The Citi Rewards+ Student credit card rewards you on gas and grocery purchases by giving you points. Virtually everyone spends on gas and groceries so this is a perfect perk for students. Points are rounded up to the nearest 10 and you get a 10% bonus on points up to 100,000 points redeemed each year.

• Get 0% APR for seven months when you sign up.
• Spend $500 on eligible purchases within three months of signing up and you will receive 2,500 bonus reward points (that is about $25).
• Earn twice the points on eligible grocery store and gas purchase categories for up to $6,000 combined per year.
• Receive 1X points for all other purchases.
• Zero annual and foreign transaction fees.

This card is packed with some worthwhile benefits and is certainly one of the best credit cards for students.

4. Deserve EDU MasterCard For Students

This credit card is a great option for students who lack a US credit history. Deserve uses its own underwriting process to evaluate people for creditworthiness.

The credit card provides you with cash back rewards that can only be redeemed for statement credit ($25 minimum).

Deserve EDU MasterCard For Students has a lot of features that make it one of the best credit cards for students. Things to note include the following:

• International students don’t need a SIN (Social Insurance Number) to apply!
• Get reimbursed for Amazon Prime subscription fees (up to $59 max).
• Receive 1% cash back on all purchases.
• Max credit limit is $5000 or less.
• No annual fees and zero foreign transaction fees.
• You don’t need a co-signer or security deposit.
• Enjoy roadside assistance, car rental collision damages waiver, price protection, travel assistance services, extended warranty, and Identity theft protection.
• Free cell phone insurance of up to $600.

5. Capital One Secured MasterCard

This is a secured card, unlike the others on our list, which means you have to deposit all or a partial amount of your credit limit. For example, you may have to deposit $300 or $500 into an account to get a $500 Capital One Secured MasterCard credit limit.

You may have your credit limit increased without requiring a deposit if your first five payments are made on time.

• No annual fee.
• Build your credit like you would with any other credit card.
• Regularly reports to all three major credit bureaus.
• Poor, fair, and above credit scores will qualify.

This card is great for any student that wants to limit their debt liabilities but build their credit.

6. State Farm Student Visa Credit Card

You can build up your credit score and earn rewards with the State Farm Student Visa Credit Card. You get three State Farm Loyalty Rewards points for every one dollar spent on insurance premium payments. Plus one point for every two dollars spent on purchases. Though not all purchases are eligible.

The only caveat is that there is a 3% foreign transaction fee, which becomes a burden if you are studying abroad. Other features include the following:

• Up to $4,000 annually allowed for insurance premium points gained.
• Annual percentage rates are competitive.
• Get several student discounts from Visa.

Furthermore, their rewards aren’t the greatest but less than good credit applicants will qualify. Overall, it is a great opportunity to build credit.

Set Yourself Up For The Future With the Best Credit Cards for Students

You can build a positive credit history with these student credit cards. Simply use them as you would a debit card – nver spend more than you have in the bank. If you commit to making on-time payments (simply turn on auto-pay), you will have an 800+ credit score before you graduate. So find the card that’s best for you (i.e. find which card get’s you the most free cash back!).