Best Credit Cards for Students Who Travel (Updated 2023)

Posted: 10/29/2023 | October twenty ninth, 2023

While I didn’t take my first worldwide journey till after I graduated faculty (I went to Costa Rica after I was 23), being a university scholar doesn’t imply you need to skip out on journey. From learning overseas to hole years to spring break journeys, there are lots of methods to journey whereas in class.

However, college students normally don’t have some huge cash which makes affording journeys overseas difficult.

Fortunately, there are many methods to save lots of for a visit on a price range. One of the most effective methods to do that is by getting a rewards bank card.

Since college students don’t have a credit score historical past and should not have an revenue but, it is going to be arduous to get accepted for the journey bank cards with probably the most rewards.

The excellent news is that banks know this, and plenty of have created playing cards particularly designed for college students. These are simpler to get accepted for (banks don’t count on you to have a credit score historical past as a scholar), as a way to begin constructing credit score and utilizing these rewards that will help you journey for affordable!

Here’s my listing of the most effective bank cards for college students:

MY TOP PICK: Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

Capital One has among the finest journey bank cards on the market, they usually provide a number of implausible scholar choices too. This card has a number of bonus classes in which you’ll be able to earn much more in your purchases, together with 3% money again on eating and grocery purchases, and a stellar 10% money again on Uber and Uber Eats. It additionally has no overseas transaction charges, no annual price, and even affords journey accident insurance coverage. This is a very complete scholar card and my high decide.

Here’s a have a look at the principle advantages of the cardboard:

• A one-time $50 USD money bonus when you spend $100 USD on purchases inside three months
• 3% money again on eating, leisure, standard streaming companies, and grocery shops
• 5% money again on inns and rental automobiles booked via Capital One Travel
• 8% money again on Capital One Entertainment purchases
• 10% money again on purchases on Uber and Uber Eats
• Uber One month-to-month membership price coated via November 14, 2024
• Travel accident insurance coverage
• No overseas transaction charges
• No annual price

 
If you desire a extra easy card, Capital One additionally affords the card_name. It affords practically all the identical advantages, besides as a substitute of the totally different bonus classes, you’ll get a limiteless 1.5% money again on all purchases. The Quicksilver additionally is available in a secured model if you happen to can’t get accepted for an unsecured card.

Bank of America Travel Rewards Student Credit Card

If you’re searching for one thing easy and simple to make use of, that is it. This card affords a limiteless 1.5 factors earned per greenback spent, in addition to the largest signup bonus out of any card designed for college students. The 25,000 bonus factors you could earn by spending $1,000 USD within the first 90 days (that’s roughly $333 USD per thirty days) could be transformed into $250 USD value of journey/eating when wiped out of your assertion as a credit score.

With this card, you’ll get:

• 25,000 Online Bonus Points after making $1,000 USD in purchases within the first 90 days
• Unlimited 1.5 factors per $1 USD spent on all purchases
• No overseas transaction charges
• No annual price

Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card

The solely secured bank card on this listing, the Chime Credit Builder, issued by Stride Bank, works like a pay as you go debit card. While it’s not marketed particularly towards college students, it’s for individuals who need to construct credit score, which is precisely what you’re attempting to do as a scholar.

The downsides are that there’s no welcome bonus and you should open a Chime checking account to make use of the cardboard (although as a scholar, chances are you’ll be opening your first account anyway). Unlike most secured playing cards, there’s additionally no set credit score restrict, which you create your self with the cash you deposit into your Chime checking account (which you then use to repay your stability).

With this card, you’ll get:

• No annual price
• No overseas transaction charges
• No curiosity expenses
• No minimal safety deposit required
• No credit score verify (so there’s no impression in your present rating)
• The capacity to set your individual credit score restrict
• An easy-to-use app to handle your account and card

Tips for Getting a Credit Card as a Student

Getting your first card could be a bit intimidating as chances are you’ll not know how bank cards work. But it doesn’t must be.

Using bank cards responsibly begins with constructing wholesome habits. As lengthy as you repay your total stability every month, your common purchases can be just right for you, incomes rewards that can be utilized for future journey.

It’s a good suggestion to begin constructing credit score as quickly as you possibly can, not solely to reap the advantages of rewards playing cards but additionally to ascertain a prolonged credit score historical past that may provide help to in different facets of life. At some level sooner or later, chances are you’ll need to purchase a home, lease a automobile, apply for a enterprise mortgage, or do different actions that require a credit score verify. (Some flats and even some jobs require it.) So the sooner you begin constructing a credit score historical past, the higher.

Certain bank cards are particularly designed for college students, with a better approval course of that requires no credit score historical past and decrease spending limits which are according to the restricted (or nonexistent) revenue of a scholar.

Requirements for scholar playing cards could embody:

• Proof of enrollment
• If underneath 21, an revenue supply (e.g., part-time job, scholarship, or grant)
• A minimal age of 18
• A Social Security quantity
• US citizenship or everlasting residency

Note: Student playing cards are designed for individuals with no credit score. If you’re rebuilding your credit score, take a look at the finest bank cards for these with low credit.

Frequently Asked Questions About Credit Cards for Students

How do I get a bank card as a scholar?
Getting a bank card could be so simple as making use of for playing cards geared in the direction of college students, like these listed above. Many even provide a pre-approval course of, which means you possibly can see if you happen to’ll be accepted with out having an impression in your rating. You can even contact your native financial institution or credit score union for info, as they might have a card for you as properly.

Can I get a bank card if I’m a full-time scholar?
Yes! The playing cards above (together with many others) are geared towards college students, even if you happen to’re learning full-time.

At what age can college students get a bank card?
Students can begin making use of for bank cards on the age of 18, although necessities could make it tough to be accepted (you’ll must show impartial revenue). Your best choice for constructing credit score if you happen to’re between the ages of 18 and 21 is to get both a secured bank card or a scholar bank card. You can even grow to be a certified consumer on another person’s card.

After age 21, restrictions fall away, and it turns into simpler to get a daily, unsecured bank card.

Can I get a bank card as a scholar with no revenue?
If you’re underneath 21, you’ll must show impartial revenue. However, relying on the cardboard issuer, they might settle for scholar loans, grants, or scholarships as proof of revenue. If you’ve somebody who can co-sign for you, some bank card issuers could permit a co-signer’s revenue to rely towards approval.

What occurs to my scholar card after I graduate?
Most scholar bank cards have a non-student model. In many instances, if you graduate, your account, together with its limits and historical past, will merely be transformed to that choice. In different instances, you’ll need to improve or open a brand new account. But even if you happen to open different playing cards and don’t use that account as a lot, you’ll need to hold it open to take care of the size of your credit score historical past.

Contrary to standard perception, you don’t want to attend till you graduate faculty to begin constructing a credit score historical past and incomes rewards. Not solely will a card provide help to earn low-cost (or free) journey, however you’ll study how bank cards work and set up wholesome monetary habits that may provide help to all through your life!