Best student credit cards of September 2023

Student credit cards are a type of credit card specifically for students, particularly students with little to no credit history. Like traditional credit cards, student cards give you access to a line of credit you can use to make purchases.

A few characteristics set student cards apart from regular credit cards. Oftentimes, people with little or no credit history can still have feasible chances of approval for a student credit card. Most regular credit cards will recommend at least a good credit score for the best chances of approval, which you may not have if you’re a student just getting started with credit. Also, student cards usually have rewards structures that fit well into student spending behaviors, with popular bonus categories including streaming, dining, groceries and entertainment.

How do they work? 

Student cards work similarly to regular credit cards. If you pay your credit card bills on time and don’t use too much of your available credit, you can begin to build up a positive credit history and increase your credit score. These actions will go a long way toward showing creditors that you know how to use credit responsibly. Once you graduate, the hard work you’ve put into building and maintaining good credit can pay off in a number of ways.

More from our experts: 7 credit card tips for beginners

Student credit cards give you a chance to get a head start on building credit, which can help you overcome some financial obstacles. The earlier you start building credit, the longer your credit history will be. The length of your credit history is also a significant contributing factor to your credit score. Here are more benefits that come with using a student card:

Why building credit as a student is important

Building credit as a student is important because it gives you a head start on establishing the score and habits that could qualify you for the best rates on some key milestones. Building a good credit score early could make it easier for you to: 

• Rent an apartment
• Get a more rewarding credit card 
• Buy a car
• Start a small business

Since there are many student cards to consider, ask yourself these questions to help you compare your options. 

Can you earn a sign-up bonus?

While most offers are modest on student cards, many do have a welcome offer after meeting a spending requirement. Unlike regular credit cards, the spending requirements to earn a sign-up bonus may not be as high with a student card. Not all sign-up bonuses are the same and some could be more valuable than others, depending on your spending habits, so it’s best to look closely at different kinds of sign-up bonuses to see what card could be the right fit.

Are there intro APR offers?

A defining feature of student credit cards is lenient credit requirements, but this detail doesn't mean student cards are particularly inexpensive. Many student card issuers tend to charge a fairly high ongoing APR or interest rate in exchange for a line of credit. Though sometimes hard to come by, a few student cards have intro APR offers. These offers often aren’t anything near what you’d find on a traditional credit card for good credit, but they can be a helpful addition to consider when comparing student cards.

Is there a chance to upgrade?

Many student cards have a “graduated” version of the same credit card that you could upgrade to once you’re ready to move beyond student credit cards. Upgrading your credit card could be an ideal path, especially if you already enjoy the student card you have. An upgrade would mean you’d likely be able to get more out of the same card, thanks to your responsible credit use. If you upgrade with the same issuer, you might be able to skip putting in a new application and risk a new hit to your score. If upgrading is something you think you’ll want to pursue in the future, compare cards that have these kinds of opportunities. 

If you’ve picked out the credit card that best suits your student lifestyle, then the next step is to get it. When you’re ready, here’s what you’ll need to apply for a student credit card.

Once you have your student credit card, it’s best to find the balance between maximizing this new financial tool and avoiding falling into excess credit card debt. Here are a few tips to help you maximize your student card and avoid credit card debt.

Whether you struggle to gain access to credit or don’t want to deal with the disadvantages of using a credit card, there are a number of alternative options out there that can help

When evaluating the best cards for students, we consider a mix of factors, including how cards score in our proprietary card rating system and whether cards offer features that make it easy to build credit history while minimizing costs.

We analyzed over 50 of the most popular cards designed for students and rated each based on its cost, APR, credit-building features and more to determine whether it belonged in this month’s roundup.

Here are some of the key factors that we considered: