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Just because you're enrolled in a university doesn't mean you can't earn points and miles. In fact, you can earn lots of points and miles without going out of your way to do so.
Here are some of the best ways to earn points and miles in college to help meet your travel goals.
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Earning Points and Miles on Tuition
With the average yearly tuition price in the United States hovering just south of $40,000 per year, college is nothing short of expensive. And even if your burden isn't that high, paying for school still presents a great opportunity to earn a heap of points and miles when you pay your tuition with a credit card.
Of course, this isn't something you'd want to jump into without some forethought. At a minimum, here are two things you'll want to consider:
Credit card processing fees
Most institutions allow you to pay tuition with a credit card, though not without added processing fees. The amount varies by school, but averages suggest you'll be on the hook for 1.5% to 3.5% in fees. If you're not careful, the extra costs can quickly negate the value of the rewards points earned by paying with a credit card. It also creates a higher credit card bill at the end of the month. Ultimately, you'll want to do the math to ensure paying with a card is right for you.
Interest rates
One of the golden rules of credit cards is ensuring you pay off your statement on time and in full each billing cycle to avoid unwanted interest piling up. And with the average APR near 25% for most rewards cards, that tuition payment charge can become exponentially more expensive if unpaid or delayed. Missed payments also can affect your credit score, making future credit more expensive and complicated to obtain.
Related: A Beginner's Guide to Building Healthy Credit
Which credit card should I use for paying tuition?
If you've crunched the numbers and decided paying tuition with a credit card makes sense, then comes the rewarding part. Which credit card should you use to earn the most points or miles?
Tuition is a significant expense, meaning a large signup bonus can be within reach after one payment. For those looking for serious rewards, you should consider these lower-annual-fee options:
- 5X miles per dollar on purchases through Capital One Entertainment (through 12/31/2025)
- 5X miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 2X miles per dollar on all other purchases
- 2 points for every $1 spent on travel and dining purchases
- 1.5 points per $1 spent on all other purchases
- 3X points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year
- 1X point per $1 on all other purchases
- If you're a new applicant for the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, you can enjoy a bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening.
- After approval for the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card, you can enjoy a bonus of 60,000 points after you make at least $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
- Or, if you run a small business or do contract work, it makes sense to apply for the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card and use it for paying tuition. After approval, you'll earn 90,000 Ultimate Rewards points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Alternatively, plenty of credit cards can handsomely reward your tuition spending without offering hard-to-beat welcome bonuses. Two examples include:
- Earn 5% on purchases through Chase Travel℠
- Earn 3% on dining at restaurants
- Earn 3% on drugstore purchases
- Earn 1.5% on all purchases
(Terms Apply)
- Earn 2X points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners. 2X applies to the first $50,000 in purchases per year, 1 point per dollar thereafter. Terms and limitations apply.
- A great option for paying tuition and for everyday spending, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® earns 5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% on dining at restaurants and drugstores, and 1.5% on other eligible purchases. If you hold another Ultimate Rewards-earning credit card, you can combine the cash back you earn on the Freedom Unlimited with the points earned on the other card.
- Another quality option for those with side projects or other types of business income, The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express earns handsomely on tuition payments. Earn 2X points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners. 2X applies to the first $50,000 in purchases per year, 1 point per dollar thereafter. Terms and limitations apply.
It's also worth addressing the question of “What if I don't have credit history?” If you're looking for a first credit card to start earning rewards, those geared toward students can be a good starting point. For example, the Chase Freedom Rise® has no annual fee and earns 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
Earning Points and Miles on Your Spending
Tuition aside, students also can earn a boatload of points and miles by using the right credit card for everyday spending — including rent. Even better, you can leverage shopping portals to rake in even more.
Quality rewards cards for everyday spending
From groceries to textbooks to dining out and more, choosing the right credit card for your everyday spending is one of the keys to earning a lot of points and miles. But be mindful of annual fees. The rewards you earn aren't worth it if you can't recoup the cost of the card by utilizing its benefits, which brings us to a list of moderate- to no-annual-fee cards.
For those who spend a lot on groceries, let's look at two rewarding credit card options:
(Terms apply)
- 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
- 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%)
- 3% Cash Back on transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations
- 1% Cash Back on other purchases
- Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
- 8% cash back on purchases made via the Capital One Entertainment ticketing platform
- 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply)
- 3% cash back on dining and entertainment
- 3% at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®)
- 3% on popular streaming services
- 1% on all other purchases
- One of the best cards for groceries, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express earns 6% at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%). Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.. Even better, the card has a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 (Rates & Fees)
- If you hold the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card, you'll earn 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply), 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases, and 1% cash back on all other purchases. With no annual fee, the card is an affordable wallet addition, and you can convert the cash back you earn to Capital One miles if you also carry an eligible Capital One card.
Or, if you frequently find yourself ditching the dining hall, consider these two cards to reward you for dining out instead:
- 4X points on takeout, food delivery and dining (on up to $2,000 spent each quarter)
- 2X points at grocery stores, grocery delivery, gas stations, EV charging stations, and on streaming services
- 1 point on all other eligible purchases
Rates & Fees
- 3x on travel – including airfare, hotels, car rentals, timeshares, cruises, and more
- 3x on transit – including parking, tolls, subways, ride shares, railways, ferries, and more
- 3x on dining – including dining in, take-out, catering, delivery and more
- 3x on gas – including gas stations and electric vehicle charging stations
- 3x on phone plans – including landline providers and cell phones
- 3x on streaming services
- 1x on other purchases
- For those who love to dine out, look no further than the U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card. You'll earn 4X points on dining, takeout, and restaurant delivery (on up to $2,000 spent each quarter); 2X points on streaming services, 2X points at grocery stores, grocery delivery, gas stations, and EV charging stations; and 1X point on all other eligible purchases. Even better, the card has a $0 annual fee.
- Another quality option is the Wells Fargo Autograph® Card. Carrying a $0 annual fee, cardholders can earn an unlimited 3X points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans, plus 1X points on all other purchases.
And for everything else, you can reward your daily spending and back-to-school shopping most handsomely with these two cards:
- 5X miles per dollar on purchases through Capital One Entertainment (through 12/31/2025)
- 5X miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 2X miles per dollar on all other purchases
- Stellar welcome bonus aside, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is also a great earner for everyday purchases. You'll earn 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day. 5 Miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. and be on the hook for a modest $95 annual fee.
- If you're looking for a great return on your spending, the Discover it® Miles is worth a look. You'll earn a flat 1.5 Miles per dollar on all purchases. and pay a $0 annual fee in the process.
Finding the right credit card for you doesn't necessarily mean having one card for each type of spending. Choosing one or two cards that most effectively offer rewards is a better strategy for most people. It always pays to compare the benefits each card offers before you apply.
Earn points on rent without paying convenience fees
Another sizeable expense for many students is rent, which yields another opportunity to earn a large sum of points and miles when you pay with a credit card. Unfortunately, with most landlords, it's difficult to put a monthly rent payment on a card without also paying a hefty convenience fee.
Bilt Rewards provides a solution to this through its Wells Fargo-issued The Bilt Mastercard®. As a perk of the card, you can pay rent and avoid the convenience fees, which can present substantial savings for most renters.
You'll also earn transferable points when using the card for everyday purchases — as long as you make at least five transactions each statement period. This will allow you to earn 1 point per $1 spent on rent, double points on the first of the month (to coincide with rent day), and other earning opportunities. For a more comprehensive look, check out AwardWallet's full review of the Bilt Mastercard.
Related: Should You Use Bilt To Earn Rewards by Paying Rent?
Leverage shopping portals to earn more points
Utilizing a shopping portal is another easy way to earn extra points and miles on things you already buy. Whether you prefer to reward your spending in airline miles, hotel points, cash back, or credit card points, there's a shopping portal out there for you.
Simply sign up for the portal that interests you, activate the offer (if one exists for the website you're shopping on), and watch the points roll in. Some sites will even compare earning rates to tell you which page to click through for the most rewards on your purchase.
Related: The Best Credit Cards To Use for Online Shopping
Tips for Earning More Airline Miles and Hotel Points
To make point-earning easier and more rewarding, here are some things to keep front of mind as you continue your points and miles journey.
Consolidate your loyalty to a short list of programs
Whether it be spring break, study abroad, or just flying home for a long weekend, an easy way to earn more points and miles is to consolidate the number of loyalty programs you credit points to. For example, try routinely staying at one hotel brand or flying the same airline each time you book travel with cash instead of points.
This way, you'll maximize the earnings on your travel and get closer to your next redemption. Otherwise, if you credit one flight each to American Airlines AAdvantage, Delta SkyMiles, and United MileagePlus, you're scattering the miles you're earning, and will potentially end up with mileage balances that are harder to use.
Keep an eye out for point-boosting promotions
Taking advantage of promotions at your brands of choice is another quality way to earn more points on your travel spending. You'll find that hotels offer the most frequent promotions, often gifting thousands of bonus points, awarding double points for stays, and more.
For some of the top hotel brands, AwardWallet rounds up the top promotions each month, making the following links worth bookmarking if you want to earn more points on hotel stays:
- Best Western promotions
- Choice promotions
- Hilton promotions
- Hyatt promotions
- IHG promotions
- Marriott promotions
- Sonesta Travel Pass promotions
- Wyndham promotions
Join a student-focused airline loyalty program
A short list of international airlines also offer student-focused loyalty programs providing perks, special fares, and even bonus points for enrolling — just for students. If you plan on taking a long-haul trip, it's worth checking out these programs for the savings and benefits at your disposal.
- Aegean Airlines genAIRation: Take 15% off all flights, get a free checked bag on two round-trips per year, free Wi-Fi, and more.
- Qatar Airways Student Club: Enjoy a 10% discount on flights operated by Qatar Airways and a Privilege Club tier upgrade as a graduation gift after completing one round-trip flight on Qatar.
- Singapore Airlines Student Privileges: Save 10% on economy and premium economy airfare, enjoy free checked luggage on flights to/from the United States, and more.
- United Airlines MileagePlus: If you're between the ages of 18 and 23, enjoy special fares on tickets booked through the United Airlines mobile app.
Final Thoughts
Yes, you can earn points and miles even while you're still in college. And in most instances, all it takes is a focused approach to earning. If you swipe the right cards, jump on offers, and leverage other ways to rack up points, it's only a matter of time before you'll have a balance of miles to help you achieve your travel goals.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (Rates & Fees), Chase Freedom Unlimited® (Rates & Fees), The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express (Rates & Fees), and Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express (Rates & Fees)
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