Best Credit cards for students in USA 2025

Top Student Credit Cards in 2025

1. Discover it® Student Cash Back

• Why it stands out:

  • No annual fee

  • 5% cash back on rotating quarterly categories (up to $1,500 per quarter, activation required); 1% on all other purchases

  • First-year Cashback Match: Discover doubles all your cashback earnings at year-end Moneymakes my money

  • Free FICO score monitoring and identity alerts UMA Technology Wikipedia
    

2. Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards

• Why it’s popular:

  • No annual fee

  • Flat-rate cashback across broad everyday categories (often includes dining, groceries, streaming, etc.).New York Post U.S. News MoneyReddit+1

  • Highly recommended by students and Reddit users alike, Reddit+1

3. Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards

• What to know:

  • No annual fee

  • 1.5% unlimited cashback on all purchases

  • Simple flat-rate structure makes it easy to manage Moneypolyeyes.com

4. Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students

• Ideal for travelers and international students:

  • No annual fee and no foreign transaction fees

  • 1.5 points per $1 spent, with points that never expire

  • Welcome bonus: 25,000 points (~$250 in travel credit) after $1,000 spent in the first 90 days.comCNNFit My Money

5. Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students

• Highlights:

  • No annual fee

  • 2% cashback on all purchases in the first year; 1.5% thereafter

  • 0% intro APR for 15 billing cycles on purchases and balance transfers (some fees apply)

  • Generous $200 bonus after $1,000 in purchases within 90 days, Forbes

6. Chase Freedom® Student Credit Card

• Key features:

  • No annual fee

  • $50 bonus after first purchase within 3 months

  • 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 12 months UMA Technology

7. Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students

• Great for international students:

  • No annual fee

  • No Social Security Number (SSN) required

  • 1% cashback on all purchases and potential Netflix reimbursement after timely payments.comUMA Technology

8. Journey Student Rewards from Capital One

• Unique perk:

  • No annual fee

  • 1% cashback, which increases to 1.25% with on-time monthly payments

  • Higher credit limit possible after consistent payments, UMA Technology

9. Petal 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa Credit Card

• Why it stands out:

  • No annual, late, or foreign transaction fees

  • Up to 1.5% cashback based on responsible use

  • Great for building credit with transparent terms, UMA Technology

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What Real Students Say (Reddit Insights)

Students frequently recommend:

“In my opinion the three best first cards for Students are: 1) Discover IT Cashback for Students. 2) Capital One Savor Rewards for Students. 3) Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards for Students.” Reddit

Another adds:

“Discover It is the best start... as it’s easy to get approved for ... long-term use potential ... first sign-up bonus … the sky is the limit after that.” Reddit

For international students without SSNs:

“Many international students I know are approved for Chase Freedom Unlimited pretty easily. Maybe start there? Yes, that or Savor!” Reddit

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Quick Comparison Table

Card	Annual Fee	Rewards Type	Best Fit For
Discover it® Student Cash Back	$0	Rotating categories + 1% flat	High cashback on diverse spending
Capital One Savor Student	$0	Flat multiple-category cashback	Dining, streaming, and everyday rewards
Capital One Quicksilver Student	$0	1.5% flat cashback	Simplicity across all purchases
BoA Travel Rewards Student	$0	1.5x travel points	Travel & no foreign transaction fee
BoA Unlimited Cash Rewards Student	$0	2% first year / 1.5% after	Intro APR, broad cashback
Chase Freedom Student	$0	Flat + intro APR	Flexibility and APR relief
Deserve EDU Mastercard	$0	1% cashback, SSN not needed	International students
Capital One Journey Student	$0	1% → 1.25% with on-time pay	Credit-building discipline
Petal 2 Visa	$0	Up to 1.5% based on usage	No fees, clear terms, credit-building