Student credit cards and their benefits

Getting a student credit card is an easy way to build credit, especially if you don’t know where to start. I have compiled a list of five different student credit cards that have great benefits and rewards for students, and will establish a good base credit by the time you graduate.

Before applying for a credit card, it is important to know tips about credit card usage, such as:

• Make payments on time
• Keep the balance at a minimum
• Set a budget for yourself
• Treat your card like cash; only pay for what you know you can afford
• Don’t apply for credit you don’t need; If you don’t feel confident you will make payments on time, wait to apply

Disclaimer: We are not credit experts and students should do their own research before applying and starting to use credit cards.

This is the perfect starter card. They have an introductory offer of unlimited cash back matches. At the end of your first year, Discover will match all of your cash back from the year. Their other benefits include:

• You can qualify even with limited or bad credit
• There is no annual fee and no late fee on the first late payment
• Reports to the three major credit bureaus
• Refer-a-friend category where you can get $100 Statement Credit when they get a card, and your friend is able to get $100, too
• Earn 1% cash back on everyday purchases automatically
• Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases when using PayPal

This one is very similar to the Cash Back card, but with this you must have an average credit score to qualify. This is a great student card if you have other credit cards or have opened one before. Benefits of the Chrome card include:

• No annual fee and no late fee on the first late payment
• Refer-a-friend category where you can get $100 Statement Credit when they get a card, and your friend is able to get $100, too
• Earn 1% cash back on everyday purchases automatically
• Earn 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter

This card is known for having simple rewards and easy-to-earn bonuses. You must have a good or excellent credit score to qualify for this one, but the benefits to this include:

• New cardholder bonus: $50 Bonus after first purchase is made within the first 3 months from account opening
• Earn 1% cash back on all purchases
• No annual fee
• $20 Good Standing Rewards after each account anniversary for up to 5 years
• No minimum to redeem for cash back and your rewards never expire

This card is known to be excellent for flat-rate cash-back rewards. Another upside to this one is that you can have an average credit score to qualify. Other benefits for this card are:

• Earn 1% cash back on all your purchases
• Pay on time to boost your cash back to a total of 1.25% for that month
• Earn $5 per month for 12 months on Select Streaming Subscriptions when you pay on time (exclusions apply)
• No annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
• Pick your own monthly due date
• You can be considered for a higher credit line in as little as six months

The only major con to this one is that Deserve is not used everywhere, but the rewards from this card are very unique. This card is also known for being great for international students, here’s why:

• No social security number is required for international students to apply
• No deposit required and no annual fees
• No international transaction fees on purchases abroad
• Up to $600 in cell phone protection
• Receive one year of Amazon Prime Student after spending $500 in the first three billing cycles
• Refer-a-friend program: you and your friend will receive $30 when they use your personal referral code, and referral bonuses are unlimited