Skip to main content
ClearValue Cards

Student Credit Cards

First cards for college students. Honest about which grad-discharge tricks are real and which are marketing.

Build a comparison

Add up to 4 cards, then open the side-by-side grid. Sorted by ClearValue Score — never by commission.

1
Discover
Solid pick
88
/100
Annual fee
$0
Ongoing APR
Variable*
Foreign txn fee
None
Best for

College students with limited or no prior credit who want the strongest year-one return on a no-fee card — 5% on rotatin

Fees sourced from issuer terms · 2026-07-08

ClearValue Score · how we rate →

Discover

Discover it Student Cash Back

College students with limited or no prior credit who want the strongest year-one return on a no-fee card — 5% on rotatin

Key specs

Annual fee
$0
Ongoing APR
Variable APR — verify current range at discover.com
Foreign transaction fee
None

Pros

  • College students with limited or no prior credit who want the strongest year-one return on a no-fee card — 5% on rotating quarterly categories (up to $1,500/quarter, activation required), 1% on everything else, no foreign transaction fee, and Discover's year-one Cashback Match doubling everything earned.

Trade-offs

  • Students who won't activate the rotating category each quarter (outside the bonus it's a 1% card) and anyone traveling abroad often, since Discover acceptance overseas is limited.

The catch

The Cashback Match is a one-time year-end bonus, not a permanent rate. The real return on any student card is the payment history reported to all three bureaus — the rewards are a bonus, not the reason to hold it.

Find my match

CardRatings partner match · Take the quiz to see your matches

Read full review
Reviewed by ClearValue Editorial Team ·
2
Capital One
Solid pick
87
/100
Annual fee
$0
Ongoing APR
Variable*
Foreign txn fee
None
Best for

Students who spend on dining out, entertainment, streaming, and groceries and want consistent category rewards with no a

Fees sourced from issuer terms · 2026-07-08

ClearValue Score · how we rate →

Capital One

Capital One SavorOne Student

Students who spend on dining out, entertainment, streaming, and groceries and want consistent category rewards with no a

Key specs

Annual fee
$0
Ongoing APR
Variable APR — verify current range at capitalone.com
Foreign transaction fee
None

Pros

  • Students who spend on dining out, entertainment, streaming, and groceries and want consistent category rewards with no activation — 3% on those categories and 1% elsewhere, at a $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fee, accessible to limited-credit applicants.

Trade-offs

  • Students whose spend doesn't concentrate in dining/entertainment (a flat-rate or rotating-category card may return more) and warehouse-club grocery shoppers, since the 3% grocery rate excludes superstores.

The catch

The earning structure mirrors the adult Capital One Savor line, but the point of a student card is the credit history it builds — pay in full, and the 3% dining rewards are a bonus on top of the real return: a solid FICO score by graduation.

Find my match

CardRatings partner match · Take the quiz to see your matches

Read full review
Reviewed by ClearValue Editorial Team ·
3
Capital One
Solid pick
84
/100
Annual fee
$0
Ongoing APR
Variable*
Foreign txn fee
None
Best for

Students who want the simplest possible cash-back card — a flat 1

Fees sourced from issuer terms · 2026-07-08

ClearValue Score · how we rate →

Capital One

Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards

Students who want the simplest possible cash-back card — a flat 1

Key specs

Annual fee
$0
Ongoing APR
Variable APR — verify current range at capitalone.com
Foreign transaction fee
None

Pros

  • Students who want the simplest possible cash-back card — a flat 1.5% on every purchase, unlimited, with no category management, no quarterly activation, no annual fee, and no foreign transaction fees. Approval is accessible for limited credit history, and it reports to all three bureaus.

Trade-offs

  • Students whose spend concentrates in dining or groceries — Capital One's own Savor Student earns 3% on dining and entertainment and will usually out-earn a flat 1.5% for people who go out a lot.

The catch

1.5% flat is the highest consistent base rate among no-fee student cards, but it's a base rate — there are no rotating bonuses or round-up tricks to juice it. The point of a student card is the credit history you build; pay in full and the cash back is a bonus on top of the real return.

Find my match

CardRatings partner match · Take the quiz to see your matches

Read full review
Reviewed by ClearValue Editorial Team ·
4
Bank of America
Solid pick
80
/100
Annual fee
$0
Ongoing APR
Variable*
Foreign txn fee
None
Best for

Students who plan to travel after college and want to start accumulating flexible travel points — 1

Fees sourced from issuer terms · 2026-07-08

ClearValue Score · how we rate →

Bank of America

Bank of America Travel Rewards for Students

Students who plan to travel after college and want to start accumulating flexible travel points — 1

Key specs

Annual fee
$0
Ongoing APR
Variable APR — verify current range at bankofamerica.com
Foreign transaction fee
None

Pros

  • Students who plan to travel after college and want to start accumulating flexible travel points — 1.5 points per dollar on everything, redeemable as a statement credit against travel and dining, with a $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fee.

Trade-offs

  • Students who want category rewards or cash simplicity (a 3% dining or 5% rotating student card returns more where spend concentrates) and zero-history applicants, since it prefers some prior credit.

The catch

Points redeem as a statement credit against travel and dining purchases rather than transferring to airlines or hotels. The base 1.5x scales with Bank of America Preferred Rewards status, but most students won't have the qualifying balances to reach those tiers.

Find my match

CardRatings partner match · Take the quiz to see your matches

Read full review
Reviewed by ClearValue Editorial Team ·
5
Citi
Solid pick
80
/100
Annual fee
$0
Ongoing APR
Variable*
Best for

Students who make frequent small purchases — coffee, transit, study supplies — and want the round-up feature that rounds

Fees sourced from issuer terms · 2026-07-08

ClearValue Score · how we rate →

Citi

Citi Rewards+ Student Card

Students who make frequent small purchases — coffee, transit, study supplies — and want the round-up feature that rounds

Key specs

Annual fee
$0
Ongoing APR
Variable APR — verify current range at citi.com

Pros

  • Students who make frequent small purchases — coffee, transit, study supplies — and want the round-up feature that rounds every purchase up to the nearest 10 ThankYou Points. It earns 2X at supermarkets and gas (up to $6,000/yr, then 1X), 1X elsewhere, at a $0 annual fee, and reports to all three bureaus.

Trade-offs

  • Students who dine out a lot (the SavorOne Student and Discover it Student Cash Back reward dining directly) and anyone who travels internationally — a foreign transaction fee applies on purchases abroad.

The catch

The round-up advantage is real on sub-$10 buys but shrinks on larger purchases, so the card rewards a specific spending pattern. The $6,000/yr cap on 2X supermarket earning rarely binds for student-level spend. Confirm current terms at citi.com before applying.

Find my match

CardRatings partner match · Take the quiz to see your matches

Read full review
Reviewed by ClearValue Editorial Team ·
6
Chase
Worth considering
79
/100
Annual fee
$0
Ongoing APR
Variable*
Foreign txn fee
None
Best for

Students who plan to eventually hold a Chase Sapphire or Freedom Unlimited and want to start inside the Chase ecosystem

Fees sourced from issuer terms · 2026-07-08

ClearValue Score · how we rate →

Chase

Chase Freedom Student

Students who plan to eventually hold a Chase Sapphire or Freedom Unlimited and want to start inside the Chase ecosystem

Key specs

Annual fee
$0
Ongoing APR
Variable APR — verify current range at chase.com
Foreign transaction fee
None

Pros

  • Students who plan to eventually hold a Chase Sapphire or Freedom Unlimited and want to start inside the Chase ecosystem — 1% on all purchases, a $20 Good Standing Reward each cardmember year for the first five years, a $0 annual fee, and no foreign transaction fee.

Trade-offs

  • Students who want strong rewards now (1% flat trails the 3–5% category student cards) and zero-history applicants — Chase generally prefers some prior credit, making it less accessible than the Discover or Capital One student cards.

The catch

The 1% earn rate is modest — the reason to choose this is the Chase relationship and the upgrade path to Freedom Unlimited after building history. The 5/24 rule also applies, so new-account timing matters if you plan to add Chase cards later.

Find my match

CardRatings partner match · Take the quiz to see your matches

Read full review
Reviewed by ClearValue Editorial Team ·

ClearValue Cards may earn a commission when readers take the quiz and match through links on this site. Compensation does not influence editorial scoring or ordering. See methodology and disclosure.