Credit cards for college students has always been a hot button topic. Some advocate that credit cards are evil and providing them to college students is an unethical practice. Others would argue that offering credit cards to young adults allows for the management of finances at a young age, thus preparing them better for when they’re off on their own.
Regardless of what side of the fence you sit, educating students about credit cards is extremely important. If you are a student and need a credit card to make your everyday purchases, we have a great list of credit cards for you to consider below. Each credit card has its advantages, but there’s one that really sticks out as the best.
Discover IT™ for Students
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- The new Discover it card is out to change the way people think about credit cards
- Fair...No annual fee. No overlimit fee. No foreign transaction fee & no pay-by-phone fee. No late fee on your first late payment. And we won't increase your APR for paying late*
- Generous...5% cash back in categories that change throughout the year up to $1,500 in purchases with free and easy sign-up. And 1% cash back on all other purchases.*
- Plus a Cash Back ConciergeSM who guides a free, personalized online tour to help you get the most rewards for how you use your card
- Flexible...Choose your own due date and pay up to midnight ET online or by phone
- Human...talk to a real person any time with 100% U.S.-based service
- Safe...Because you'll never pay for unauthorized purchases with our $0 Fraud Liability Guarantee
- 0% Intro APR* on purchases for 6 months. Then the variable purchase APR applies, currently 12.99%-18.99%. *Click apply for Terms & Conditions
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Citi Forward® Card for College Students
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- No Cosigner required
- 5 ThankYou® Points for every $1 you spend at restaurants and on entertainment; 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.
- APR reduction on purchases when using credit wisely
- 100 ThankYou Points each billing period that you pay on time and stay under your credit line.
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Citi® Dividend® Card for College Students
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- Earn bonus cash back each quarter on new must-have categories- like department stores, travel and more, with enrollment
- Earn a full 1% cash back on all other purchases
- Free enrollment each quarter for new categories that earn additional cash back
- Manage your account online, on your tablet or on your Smartphone
- No Annual Fee
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JourneySM Student Rewards from Capital One®
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- Designed to help students build good credit with responsible use
- Access to your monthly credit score, plus an interactive tracking tool to help monitor your credit
- Customizable text and e-mail alerts to help keep you on track
- Get 1% cash back on all purchases, plus a 25% bonus each month you pay your bill on time
- No annual fee
- $0 Fraud Liability if your card is lost or stolen
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Student UPside Visa® Prepaid Card
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- A card truly designed for the 13-25 age group and their parents
- Full parental control. Safer than cash
- Parents can load the card online from their own credit card or checking account
- Instant online funding, great for emergencies when your child is away from home
- If your child is in high school, you can set allowances and monitor his/her spending online. Also perfect if he/she is traveling without you
- If your child is already in college, he/she can receive free direct deposits from an employer, write checks and most importantly stay out of debt
- Apply online now. Only $2.99 a month or $29.95 a year
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* See the online credit card application for details about terms and conditions. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain accurate information. However all credit card information is presented without warranty. When you click on the “Apply Now” button, you can review the credit card terms and conditions on the issuer’s website.
Discover is a paid advertiser of this site.
Rob founded the Dough Roller in 2007. A litigation attorney in the securities industry, he lives in Northern Virginia with his wife, their two teenagers, and the family mascot, a shih tzu named Sophie.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I am probably going to try to avoid credit card for awhile
I think this is a good article as far as giving info on credit cards that are great for students to get. But I would like to say this, being a college grad I would stay away from credit cards all together. This is part of the reason for my credit card debt now. And for what a t-shirt and a water bottle, that was the incentives they were giving out back in 98 for signing up for a credit cards. I’m not sure what they are giving today, maybe gift cards.
James, staying away from credit cards is never a bad choice. I had one in college because I went to school 15 hours away from home and was concerned about handling financial emergencies. Today it’s a lot easier to get money from home if you need it.
I’m currently in college and have applied for two credit cards. First i applied for discovery student credit card and was denied because i have no credit. When i told the lady that’s why i needed a credit card she said you do not have student loans to which i replied no i’m on scholarship. Then i went to bank of america for a secured card and was denied because i did not make enough. I really want to start building credit so i’ll have a credit history when i graduate, move out on my own and can buy furniture. How will i do that if i keep getting denied?
Both my parents either have bad credit or no credit cards they can sign me on to as well. :/
Bianca, if your parents have bad credit or no credit, they probably won’t be much help to you. Another option to build your credit is a secured credit card. You have to deposit cash with the credit card company equal to your credit limit. But these cards do help build credit. And once you move to a traditional credit card, you get your deposit back.
what about people who come from different continent?for example i am a kenyan can i access credit card for my education?
Walter, once you establish an address in the U.S., I think you can apply for a U.S. credit card.