5 Best Credit Cards for Students

Getting your own credit card while you are in college is a great way to build a positive credit history. As long as you handle it responsibly! A card is easier to get when you are in school because most issuers tweak their approval requirements for you. Here are the best credit cards for students available today.

Our 5 Best Credit Cards for Students

• Discover it® Student Chrome: No credit history required
• Journey Student Rewards from Capital One: Pay on time for extra rewards
• Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students: Great choice for international students
• Discover it® Student Cash Back: Lots of perks and no fees
• Chase Freedom Unlimited®: 0% APR for the first 15 months

Best Credit Cards for Students: Our Top Picks

Discover it® Student Chrome — Excellent First Credit Card

Because no credit history is required to obtain the Discover it® Student Chrome credit card, it is an excellent first credit card option. No annual fee is charged and the APR starts at a low 12.99%. Each quarter, a cardholder earns 2% in cash rewards on up to $1,000 spent at gas stations and restaurants and 1% in cash bonuses everywhere else. For all charges made in the first six months, new cardholders enjoy a 0% APR and Discover matches the cash rewards earned in the first year as well.

Journey Student Rewards from Capital One — Extra Rewards for Responsible Cardholders

The Journey Student Rewards from Capital One has a high 26.99% interest rate, so this card works best if you plan to pay the balance in full each month. There is no annual fee or foreign transaction charges and cardholders receive a 1% cash bonus on all purchases. When you handle your credit card responsibly, you receive an extra .25% in cash rewards, $5 a month in your first year for select streaming services and the possibility of a higher credit limit in six months.

Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students — No foreign transaction fees

The best credit card for international students is the Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students. The Social Security number application requirement is waived for them and no foreign transaction fees are charged. There is no annual fee for the card, but it has a higher than most APR of 18.74%. Cardholders earn cash rewards of 1% on every purchase and receive a free year of Amazon Prime Student after spending $500 in their first three months.

Discover it® Student Cash Back — Perks and No Fees

This student credit card comes loaded with perks, has no annual fee and a 12.99% starting APR. Cardholders earn 5% in cash rewards with differing merchants each quarter and 1% on all other purchases. Every year a student’s GPA is 3.0 or higher, he or she receives a $20 statement credit. New cardholders get 0% APR on purchases made in the first six months, and Discover matches all cash rewards earned in the first year.

Chase Freedom Unlimited® — Intro APR of 0% for 15 Months 

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® card offers the most rewards, has a 14.99% APR and no annual fee. Earn 1.5% cash rewards on purchases, 5% on travel booked through Chase and 3% at drugstores and restaurants. New cardholders receive 5% in cash bonuses for up to $12,000 spent at grocery stores in their first year, an extra $200 if they charge $500 in the first three months and an impressive 0% APR for 15 months.

The Bottom Line

Any of these best credit cards for students will help you build your credit history without being charged an annual fee or paying a security deposit. Each offers some rewards or perks and would be a great choice for your first credit card.

Quick Questions

Choosing the right student credit card may feel confusing due to all the choices available to you. Check out our blog post on the best cards for people with no credit history.