7 best student credit cards of July 2026

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The Petal® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa® Credit Card is no longer available to new applicants.

Student cards offer benefits for a range of students — from travelers and foodies to commuters — and may approve applicants no credit history.

If you're feeling overwhelmed by all the choices, don't stress. CNBC Select dug into the perks and drawbacks of dozens of top contenders to find the best student credit cards in a variety of categories.

Who's this for? The Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card is a good fit for students who want to earn elevated rewards in popular spending categories, such as groceries and dining.

Standout benefits: The Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards card stands out for its bonus spending categories, which are useful for students. Cardholders earn 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target.

Who's this for? The Discover it® Student Cash Back card is a good fit for students who want to maximize cash back in rotating categories or who need to finance a larger purchase, such as a new laptop. You must be over 18 and a U.S. citizen to apply.

Standout benefits: Cardholders can enroll every quarter to earn 5% cash back on rotating categories after you activate on up to a $1,500 maximum each quarter (then 1%) and 1% on all other purchases.

Who's this for? You should consider the Discover it® Student Chrome if you don't want to deal with rotating bonus rewards categories each quarter and want extra rewards for gas station and restaurant purchases.

Standout benefits: New Discover it® Student Chrome card members get a 0% intro APR for the first six months on new purchases. After the intro period, there's an16.49% - 25.49% variable APR. We always recommend you pay your balance on time and in full to avoid interest charges.

Who's this for? The Firstcard® Secured Credit Builder Card is a secured credit card that can help establish credit and reward you at the same time, but comes at a monthly cost.

Standout benefit: As with other secured credit cards, you make an upfront deposit upon account opening, which becomes your credit line. Unlike other secured cards, your funds are deposited into a high-yield checking account so you earn interest on your deposit. The account earns a 0.75% to 4% APY depending on your membership plan. (Earn up to 4.00% APY on deposits with Firstcard Premium" and/or "Earn up to 2.00% APY on deposits with Firstcard+)

Who's this for? The BankAmericard for Students is ideal for students seeking a special financing offer.

Standout benefits: Instead of offering ongoing rewards or a welcome bonus, new applicants can take advantage of 0% APR for 18 months (then a variable standard APR of 16.24% - 26.24%). The introductory APR applies to purchases and balance transfers you make within the first 60 days of account opening. There is a 3% balance transfer fee for each transaction, which puts a dent in your savings. This card also has no annual fee.

Who's this for? The Bank of America® Travel Rewards for Students is a great choice for college students who plan on studying abroad or traveling during breaks because the rewards program is geared toward travel.

Standout benefits: The Bank of America Travel Rewards for Students card has no foreign transaction fees and comes with a longer-than-average special financing offer with an introductory 0% APR on purchases and qualifying balance transfers for 15 billing cycles (then a 17.49% to 27.49% variable APR applies). Balance transfers must be made within the first 60 days of account opening to qualify for the intro APR, and a balance transfer fee of 3% of each transaction intro balance transfer fee for the first 60 days from account opening, then 4% applies.

Who's this for? The Petal® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa® Credit Card is great for anyone without an established credit history. This makes it ideal for students just starting their financial journey or international students, who may not even have a Social Security number.

Standout benefits: Credit card fees can often be deceptively expensive, but the Petal 2 Visa keeps it simple with no late payment fee, no foreign transaction fee, no annual fee and no returned payment fee. Cardholders also have a chance to boost the cash back they earn by making on-time payments. 

A student credit card is a card designed for college students because students are more likely to have a limited credit history. This type of credit card typically offers weaker rewards and smaller intro bonuses, if there's any welcome bonus or rewards at all. However, they provide an opportunity for students to build credit while they're still in school.

To compare student credit cards, you'll want to take a look at the fine print to fully understand the benefits, fees and APR. The first fee to consider is the annual fee. If a credit card has an annual fee, you'll pay that every year regardless of whether or not you use the card. The card's APR and other types of fees (late payment fee, return payment fee, etc.) are important to be aware of. However, if you plan on missing payments or accumulating credit card debt and paying interest, then you may be better off skipping credit cards and using a debit card for now.

One of the best perks of having a student credit card is being able to earn rewards on your spending. Look at how rewarding each card is and factor in your spending habits. Some student credit cards come with an opportunity to earn a healthy intro bonus, which is an important aspect to compare.

To choose the right student credit card for you, first think about what you want from a credit card. Are you trying to earn rewards for a trip home? Then a travel rewards card might be best. Or do you want an interest-free period to finance a new computer purchase? In that case, a card with an introductory 0%-APR offer could be ideal.

Once you've honed in on what you want in a card, it's much easier to identify the best fit for your needs. It's also important to pay attention to more than just the card's perks. Credit cards have fees and charge interest when you carry a balance. These costs can easily offset the perks of having the card if you're not careful. For example, a no foreign transaction fee card is essential if you plan on studying abroad because otherwise, these fees can quickly add up.

To make the most of your student credit card, you'll need to understand everything available. If you know what purchases your card earns the most on, you can make sure you're using it on the right transactions. And if your card has a welcome bonus offer, it's vital to know what you need to do to earn that bonus.

One of the biggest benefits of having a credit card as a college student is the opportunity it provides for you to build your credit. However, to do this effectively, you'll need to be sure to pay your credit card bill on time each month and pay off the balance in full. Over time, doing this will slowly improve your credit score and boost your chances of getting a better deal when you need to open a credit card or borrow money later on.

Getting a student credit card can help you establish a credit history, build your credit score and earn rewards along the way. And there are cards tailored to the common needs of college students, such as cards that earn bonus rewards for dining or gas.

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit card products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best student credit cards.

To determine which cards offer the best value for students, CNBC Select analyzed over a dozen of the most popular credit cards available for college students looking to build credit.

We compared each card on a range of features, including: credit limit, rewards program, introductory and standard APR, welcome bonuses and foreign transaction fees, as well as factors such as required credit score and customer reviews when available. We also considered any special student-centric programs that offer incentives or extra rewards.

Because it's unusual for college student cards to have robust rewards programs, we did not analyze how many reward points you can earn in the first year. For students who are looking to build their credit history and develop strong financial skills, it's more important to practice good credit card habits — spending within your means, paying your balance on time and in full — than try to optimize your points balance.

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*For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

For rates and fees of the Discover it® Student Cash Back, click here.

For rates and fees of the Discover it® Student Chrome, click here.

Information about the Bank of America® Travel Rewards for Students has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.