Discover offers two credit cards for students looking for a first card with which to begin building credit: The Discover it® Student Cash Back and the Discover it® Student chrome.
The Discover it® Student Cash Back offers a higher cash back rate on purchases that fall into specific categories (such as Amazon, grocery stores and restaurants) that change every quarter. Cardholders are required to activate those categories in order to earn the higher cashback rate.
Despite the effort required to activate a new category every quarter, the Discover it® Student Cash Back’s rewards program along with its $0 annual fee make it hard to beat. But if fussing over bonus categories is too much trouble, students should look to other student cards that are more straightforward, such as the Discover it® Student chrome.
Intro Purchase APR
0% Intro APR for 6 months on purchases
Regular Purchase APR
17.49% - 26.49% Variable APR
Intro BT APR
10.99% Intro APR for 6 months
Regular BT APR
17.49% - 26.49% Variable APR
Annual Fee
$0
Cash Advance Fee
see terms
Foreign Transaction Fee
None
Balance Transfer Fee
3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*
Generous rewards rate on rotating categories
Cardholders earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically
Cashback match the first year
This card offers a unique new cardmember offer: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year! So you could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or turn $100 into $200. There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
Intro purchase APR offer
If you need to finance a large purchase over a few months, there is an intro offer of 0% Intro APR for 6 months on purchases from the date of account opening. After that, the interest rate will range from 17.49% - 26.49% Variable APR.
$0 annual fee
For college students on a budget, paying an annual fee to carry a credit card probably doesn’t make sense. Luckily, this card’s annual fee is $0.
Foreign transaction fee: None
If you travel abroad, you won’t have to worry about paying an extra fee for purchases made overseas.
Bonus categories require activation
The Discover it® Student Cash Back’s highest bonus categories must be activated online each quarter, and this could be a hassle for some students who don’t want to bother or would prefer a card offering a flat-rate rewards program.
Spending cap on higher-rate purchases
The elevated cash back reward is limited to a maximum of $1,500 on purchases each quarter.
Low rewards rate on everything else
The rewards earnings rate for non-bonus category purchases and bonus category purchases over the quarterly cap is subpar.
No intro 0% APR on balance transfers
If you’re looking for a balance transfer card offering a 0% intro APR period in which to save on interest charges, the Discover it® Student Cash Back won’t be a good fit as it offers 10.99% Intro APR for 6 months for balance transfers, then a 17.49% - 26.49% Variable APR will apply. There are better balance transfer card offers with 0% intro APR and longer intro periods.
Another good card for building credit while in college is the Discover it® Student chrome. Both the Discover it® Student Cash Back and the Discover it® Student chrome have the same benefits and features key to Discover cards — but they differ in how their cash back programs operate.
With the Discover it® Student Cash Back, you can earn more cash back when you opt into the rotating spending categories each quarter. The Discover it® Student chrome, on the other hand, is better suited for commuter students, and offers a less generous flat-rate rewards program. Cardholders earn 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically. The Discover it® Student chrome‘s annual fee is $0.
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| Discover it® Student Cash Back | Discover it® Student chrome | Discover it® Secured Credit Card | Journey Student Rewards from Capital One |
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Apply Now on Discover's secure site
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Apply Now on Discover's secure site
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Apply Now on Discover's secure site
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Apply Now on Capital One's secure site
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| Annual Fee | |||
| $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Welcome Offer | |||
| Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year! So you could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or turn $100 into $200. There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match. | Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! So you could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or turn $100 into $200. There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match. | Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. | No bonus |
| Rewards Rate | |||
| 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically | 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically | 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically | 1% Cash Back on all purchases; 0.25% Cash Back bonus on the cash back you earn each month you pay on time; 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply) |
| Intro Purchase APR | |||
| 0% Intro APR for 6 months on purchases | 0% Intro APR for 6 months | N/A | N/A |
| Regular APR | |||
| 17.49% - 26.49% Variable APR | 17.49% - 26.49% Variable APR | 27.49% Variable APR | 29.74% (Variable) |
| Intro Balance Transfer APR | |||
| 10.99% Intro APR for 6 months | 10.99% Intro APR for 6 months | 10.99% Intro APR for 6 months | N/A |
| Regular Balance Transfer APR | |||
| 17.49% - 26.49% Variable APR | 17.49% - 26.49% Variable APR | 27.49% Variable APR | 29.74% (Variable) |
| Balance Transfer Fee | |||
| 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)* | 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)* | 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)* | $0 at this Transfer APR |
| Recommended Credit | |||
| Fair/Limited | Fair/Limited | Poor/Limited | Fair/Limited |
| Card Details | |||
| Discover it® Student Cash Back | Discover it® Student chrome | Discover it® Secured Credit Card | Journey Student Rewards from Capital One |
Students willing to keep track of bonus categories can maximize their cash back with the Discover it® Student Cash Back, while also building credit through responsible credit practices. But if remembering to opt into the categories quarterly is too much of a hassle, the Discover it® Student chrome may be a better fit. Whichever you choose, paying on time and keeping balances low will help build a great credit score.
