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Looking back on my college years, there's certainly a lot I miss and that I wish I could relive. From the parties to just hanging out with new friends in my dorm room, your college years are often some of the best years of your life.
However, one thing I don't miss is a checking account with a scary low balance. But, I do appreciate how my early exposure to credit cards allowed me to build financial footing and even begin unlocking travel opportunities.
If you're a college student today, opening your first credit card card can help you establish a credit score, earn cash back or points, and build healthy financial habits long after graduation.
In this post, we'll highlight the best credit cards for college students. We'll also explore how to start building credit responsibly and how to pick the ideal first credit card.
Page Contents
- How College Students Can Start Building Credit
- The Best First Credit Cards for College Students
- Once You've Established a Credit History, What's Next?
- The Best Cash-Back Credit Cards for College Students
- The Best Airline and Hotel Credit Cards for Students
- Airline Rewards Credit Cards for Students
- Hotel Rewards Cards for College Students
- The Best Flexible Rewards Credit Cards for Students
- Final Thoughts
How College Students Can Start Building Credit
Most students (myself included) run into the same Catch-22. You need credit to get approved for a credit card, but you need a credit card to build credit.
Fortunately, there are a few ways to get around this. Thanks to the dozens of student credit cards available, you can start building credit the moment you're eligible to apply for a credit card of your own. For some, there may even be an option to kickstart your credit building journey before turning 18.
Related: A Beginner's Guide to Building Healthy Credit
The first way that teens can start building credit is to essentially piggyback off of a parent or guardian's credit history. This is done by having them add you as an authorized user on one of their accounts.
If your parent or guardian has a well-established credit history with a clean payment record and the account to which they add you is in good standing, becoming an authorized user can give your credit report an almost immediate lift.
However, before you have your parent or guardian add you to their account with the hopes of boosting your score, there are to steps you will want to take:
- Confirm that the bank reports authorized users to the major credit bureaus.
- Make sure that the primary cardholder's account is in good standing and that they understand the ramifications on your own credit should the account fall out of good standing.
Benefits for authorized users
Authorized users benefit from the primary cardholder's established credit line. In an ideal world, the account you're joining has been open for a long time, has a close-to-flawless payment history, and a low credit utilization rate. These are the factors that make up the profile of someone with a high credit score.
Assuming the account remains in good standing, your score will gradually increase over time, making you a much stronger applicant for your own credit card down the line. This works because you'll essentially get all of that positive account history added to your credit report once you become an authorized user.
Of course, you also receive many of the same cardholder benefits offered to the primary account holder.
For example, the American Express Platinum Card® offers authorized users nearly identical benefits enjoyed by the primary account holder. So, if your parent or guardian is willing to take on the increased additional cardholder annual fee, you'd also enjoy benefits ranging from lounge access to elite status with Marriott and Hilton.
Related: Benefits For Authorized Users on Rewards Credit Cards
2. Start out with a secured credit card
Secured credit cards differ from standard lines of credit in that they require the account holder to provide a refundable security deposit which then serves as your line of credit. Because the issuing bank has direct collateral, secured cards are among the most accessible credit cards.
While they offer few benefits (if any), secured credit cards provide an excellent opportunity to establish a relationship with the issuing bank. Plus, over time, you'll begin to build a credit history.
Once the issuer sees patterns of good behavior and a positively trending credit score, you often have the opportunity to upgrade your card to a traditional credit card. When this happens, you'll also get your original deposit back.
The best secured credit cards
Here are two of the best secured credit cards currently available to new applicants:
As previously mentioned, its quite difficult to find a secured credit card offering rewards or benefits. However, one card that does offer rewards is the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Secured Credit Card.
The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Secured Credit Card offers cardholders 3% cash back in a category of their choice, 2% back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, and 1% back on all other purchases. It's important to keep in mind that the 3% and 2% categories share a combined limit of $2,500 in transactions each quarter.
Another secured credit card that offers cardholders the ability to earn rewards is the Discover it® Secured Credit Card. The Discover it® Secured Credit Card earns 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. The card also earns 1% cash back on all other purchases. It also comes with an added welcome bonus.
The Discover it® Secured Credit Card offers new cardholders a 2x Cashback Match at the end of their first year. Simply put, Discover will match all cash back you earn during the first year you have your card dollar-for-dollar.
Compared to a card like the Citi® Secured Mastercard®, which doesn't offer any rewards, the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Secured and Discover it® Secured Credit Card might be more intriguing if you're looking to build your credit by opening a secured credit card but also want to earn cash back.
3. Open a student credit card designed for a limited credit history
Student credit cards are built specifically for those who are early on in their credit building journey. As such, they typically:
- Have lower credit and income requirements
- Offer simple and straightforward rewards
- Allow you to make the transition to the standard version of the card once you graduate
Of course, you'll want to be mindful of the details and terms attached to the card. Many student cards come with high interest rates and low credit limits. If you're going to build your credit, you'll need to manage your card carefully—one of the golden rules of card ownership.
Related: What Teenagers Need to Know About Getting Their First Credit Card
For those of you looking for your first student credit card, there are plenty of options.
The Best First Credit Cards for College Students
There are dozens of credit cards built especially for those in the 18-25 age group who are still establishing their credit history while in college. Over the past few years, some card issuers have even started offering student credit cardholders more lucrative rewards and benefits.
Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
Capital One recently refreshed its student credit card portfolio and the Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card now offers some of the strongest bonus categories for earning rewards:
- 3% cash back on dining, groceries, entertainment, and popular streaming services
- 5% back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 1% back on all other purchases
The card also offers a modest but solid welcome bonus. New cardholders who spend $100 on purchases within three months of opening their account will receive a one-time $50 cash back bonus. It also comes with no foreign transaction fees and no annual fee.
- 3% Cash Back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services. 5% Cash Back on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. 8% Cash Back on Capital One Entertainment purchases. 1% Cash Back on all other purchases.
Chase Freedom Rise®
Another solid credit card for college students is the Chase Freedom Rise®. The card offers a flat 1.5% cash back on all purchases. It's a basic no-frills no-annual-fee card that's ideal for students. Additionally, it's the best path into the Chase ecosystem which includes the premium Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
- 1.5% cash back on every purchase
Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
The second Capital One card on our list is the Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card. It's another straightforward fairly no-frills card that's great for college students.
The Quicksilver Student Card offers cardholders:
- 1.5% cash back on all purchases
- 5% back on travel booked via Capital One Travel
- No foreign transaction fees
Like the previous two cards on our list, the Quicksilver Student Card is also a no-annual-fee card. Overall, it's a solid choice for students looking for a card offering consistent cash back rewards that don't require quarterly activation or enrollment.
Discover it® Student Cash Back
This was my first credit card when I was in college and the Discover it® Student Cash Back remains extremely popular among first time cardholders.
The Discover it® Student Cash Back is a popular option for a few good reasons. Cardholders can earn cash back including:
- 5% cash back in rotating quarterly categories (activation required)
- 1% back on all other purchases
In addition to earning cash back, the Discover it® Student Cash Back also offers new cardholders a first-year welcome bonus. After the first year of opening your account, Discover will match all cash back earned that year dollar-for-dollar.
The card also boasts one additional benefit. College students who maintain good grades can earn up to a $20 cash back bonus each year.
No credit score is required to apply, and the card does not have an annual fee, making it an excellent starter card for college students.
Student cards are not designed for the long-haul
While none of these cards are all that powerful nor do they come with a ton of added cardholder benefits, they are not designed to be credit cards that you hold forever.
Like with secured credit cards, the card issuer may offer you the opportunity to upgrade your card as you establish a more robust credit history. Some card issuers will offer this upgrade when you graduate and have kept your student account in good standing.
It's also worth pointing out that getting a student credit card while you're enrolled as a college student is ideal. After graduation, you will lose access to many of these cards are geared toward those with little (or no) credit history.
Getting approved for a traditional credit card when you're no longer a student can become much more difficult if you lack credit history.
Related: Tips for Managing Your Credit Score
Once You've Established a Credit History, What's Next?
Once you've built up a strong credit history, you'll have a few additional cards to choose from. The right card for you will depend on a variety of factors, including how you want to earn rewards. We'll take a look at three types of rewards cards:
- Cards that earn cash back
- Cards that earn airline miles or hotel points
- Cards that earn flexible rewards
Related: Back to Basics: An Introduction to the Types of Reward Points
The Best Cash-Back Credit Cards for College Students
If you're not interested in the world of points and miles, there are a number of cards that earn cash back. Cash back cards are a solid choice if you prefer a no-frills approach to money management.
Cash back cards will typically earn anywhere from 1% to 5% back on purchases. The rate at which you earn cash back depends on a card's bonus categories. These categories often include restaurants, grocery stores, or gas stations.
For college students who have established a credit history, we've looked at a few no-annual-fee options with solid cash back earning rates.
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
The first is the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card, which offers a straightforward 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day, plus a boosted 5% on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
- $200 Cash Back after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
- 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
- 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- No foreign transaction fees
- $0 annual fee
- 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 5% cash back on purchases through Capital One Entertainment
- 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
Chase Freedom Flex℠
Although more complicated to keep up with, given its rotating bonus categories, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ is another solid option for earning lucrative cash back. You'll earn 5% back in the quarterly rotating categories (up to $1,500 on spending here), 3% on dining, food delivery services, and at drugstore purchases, plus 1% back on other purchases.
- Earn 5% on up to $1,500 on combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate
- Earn 5% on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Earn 3% on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services
- Earn 3% on drugstore purchases
- Earn 1% on all other purchases
If cash back isn't all that exciting to you, there are a few cards that earn airline miles or hotel points that are solid options for college students.
The Best Airline and Hotel Credit Cards for Students
For college students looking to hit the road or the skies, co-branded credit cards that earn airline miles or points are likely going to be more valuable than cards earning cash back.
The currencies that co-branded credit cards reward can generally only be used with the airline or hotel whose logo is on the card, so you'll want to consider your travel aspirations before applying.
For example, it doesn't make a ton of sense to apply for a United Airlines credit card if United doesn't fly to your home airport. Airline miles or points that you can't redeem with ease aren't all that valuable.
Airline Rewards Credit Cards for Students
So, let's say you want to reward your spending with airline miles or points. If so, you'll likely get the most out of cards affiliated with the three largest airlines in the United States. These airlines have the most expansive route networks and often the best partner redemption opportunities.
Historically, for college students with a relatively limited credit history or limited income, airline rewards cards were hard to come by. However, in recent years, a few no-annual-fee cards that earn airline miles or points have hit the market.
Here are three no-annual-fee credit card options that award miles from American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines. We've also included some insights on approval odds for college students with a relatively limited credit history.
Note: Issuers don’t publish exact credit score or history requirements, so the timelines and credit profiles referenced below are general guidelines based on common approval data points, not guarantees.
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card
First up is American Airlines' no-annual-fee rewards card: The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card.
This card is a surprisingly versatile earner if you want to earn American Airlines AAdvantage miles without paying an annual fee. You'll earn 2X AAdvantage miles per $1 spent at grocery stores, grocery delivery services, and 2X on eligible American Airlines purchases. For everything else, you'll earn 1X.
In terms of approval odds, this is arguably the easiest card to get approved for of the three cards earning airline rewards. However, it is not a straight shot for everyone. It's recommended that applicants have at the very least a year of established credit history and a clean payment history.
- 15,000 AAdvantage® miles after making $500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
- 2X AAdvantage® miles on eligible American Airlines purchases and at grocery stores, including grocery delivery services
- Save 25% on inflight drinks and snacks when you use your card on American Airlines flights
- $0 annual fee
- 2 AAdvantage® miles for each $1 spent at grocery stores, including grocery delivery services
- 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
- 1 AAdvantage® mile for every $1 spent on other purchases
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card
If Delta SkyMiles are more your speed, you'll find utility with the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card. You'll earn 2X SkyMiles per $1 spent at restaurants worldwide, on takeout and delivery in the U.S., and purchases made directly with Delta. You'll earn 1X on other eligible purchases.
Approval odds for college students with a relatively thin credit history are going to be similar to those of the AA MileUp Card. For college students applying for the Blue Delta Amex it's recommended that you have a year of more of an established credit history and a clean payment history.
- Earn 10,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- No Annual Fee.
- Earn 2X Miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- Earn 2X Miles per dollar spent on Delta purchases, and 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay with Miles: take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
- Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit after you use your Card on eligible Delta in-flight purchases of food, beverages, and audio headsets.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- 2X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 2X miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- 1 mile on every eligible dollar spent on purchases
United Gateway℠ Card
The United Gateway℠ Card rounds out our list of no-annual-fee airline rewards credit cards. If you carry this card, you'll earn 2X MileagePlus miles at gas stations, local transit and commuting, and United purchases. For everything else, you'll earn 1X.
The United Gateway Card is issued by Chase. It's important to know that Chase's line of co-branded and premium travel rewards cards often require a more robust credit history than other issuers.
As a result, college students (or any applicant) interested in the United Gateway Card should aim to build 12-18 months of an established credit history before they consider applying for this card. Additionally, another modest line of credit with low utilization typically works in your favor when determining your approval status.
- Earn 30,000 bonus miles
- 0% intro APR for the first 12 months from account opening on purchases & no annual fee.
- 2x miles on United® purchases
- 2x miles at gas stations, on local transit and commuting
- 1x mile on all other purchases
- 25% back as a statement credit on purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi on board United-operated flights and on Club premium drinks when you pay with your Gateway Card
- Earn 2 checked bags after you spend $10,000 in a calendar year
- Member FDIC
- 2 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases
- 2 miles per $1 spent at gas stations, on local transit and commuting
- 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases
Earn Miles with a Debit Card: The United MileagePlus Debit Rewards Card
In addition to those three credit cards earning airline rewards, there's also a debit card that earns miles. United Airlines recently introduced its new United MileagePlus Debit Rewards Card.
As this card is a debit card, The United MileagePlus Debit Rewards Card does not require you to have a robust credit history. It also doesn't have an annual fee if you keep your average account balance at least $2,000 each month. Of course, for many college students, that is easier said than done.
However, if you're still not confident that your credit history will allow you access to credit cards earning airline rewards, the United MileagePlus Debit Rewards Card might be a solid alternative. United's debit card offers the following:
- Earn 1 mile per $1 spent with United
- Earn 1 mile per $2 spent on all other qualifying purchases
- Earn 2,500 bonus miles when you spend $10,000 each calendar year
- Earn bonus miles annually on your balance starting at an average monthly account balance of $2,500
As this debit card just launched, the United MileagePlus Debit Rewards Card is also offering new cardholders a welcome bonus. New cardholders will earn 10,000 bonus MileagePlus miles after spending $500 in the first four months of opening their account.
Hotel Rewards Cards for College Students
If you're looking to spend a few nights away from your dorm room for spring break or another holiday break, there are plenty of credit cards that earn hotel rewards points. Like with the three airline rewards cards, these hotel rewards cards also come with no annual fee.
Hilton Honors American Express Card
Starting with the Hilton Honors program, the Hilton Honors American Express Card is a quality card for those who want to earn points towards stays at one of Hilton's 9,000 properties.
With this card, you'll earn 7X Hilton Honors points per $1 spent on Hilton purchases, 5X points at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, and 3X on other eligible purchases. You'll also enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status, giving you a fifth night free when you redeem points for hotel stays.
This American Express co-branded Hilton card requires applicants to have 12-18 months of an established credit history. Additionally, prospective applicants will need to have a clean payment history with no late payments and a stable income that can support a modest credit line.
So, in terms of approval odds for a college student looking for an upgraded hotel rewards card, this is not one of the straightest shots. However, college students with a consistent income and an established credit history with a clean payment record will have the highest chances of receiving approval.
- Earn 100,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points with the Hilton Honors American Express Card after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 1/14/2026.
- Earn 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio.
- Earn 5X Points per dollar on purchases at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations.
- Earn 3X Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
- Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors™ Silver Status with your Card. Silver Status gives you a 20% Bonus on Base Points you earn on every stay, plus, you receive the fifth night free when you book a standard room stay with 100% Points.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- No Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- Earn 7X Points per dollar on eligible purchases charged directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton Honors portfolio of brands
- Earn 5X Points per dollar on eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations
- Earn 3X Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
IHG One Rewards offers another great no-annual-fee credit card that earns hotel points. Those holding the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card will earn up to 17X IHG One Rewards points per $1 spent when you stay at an IHG hotel (thanks to using this card, being a rewards member, and the Silver Elite status offered by this card), 3X on dining, utilities, streaming services, and gas stations, and 2X on all other purchases. The card also confers a fourth night free on points stays.
Taking a look at the approval odds for a college student, this IHG One Rewards co-branded credit card is issued by Chase. As previously noted, Chase typically requires a more robust credit history than other issuers. This particular card issued by Chase does not necessarily have the same requirements as Chase's more premium rewards cards.
That said, if you're a college student hoping to take advantage of the 17x points per $1 spent at IHG hotels offered by this card, you will want to have 12-18 months of an established credit history with a clean payment history. Additionally, it's recommended that you have a low credit utilization and at least one existing revolving line of credit in good standing.
- Earn 80,000 Bonus Points
- No Annual Fee
- Earn up to 17 total points per $1 spent when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts
- Earn 3 points per $1 spent on purchases on monthly bills, at gas stations, and restaurants. Earn 2 points per $1 spent on all other purchases
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- Redeem 3 Nights, Get the 4th Night Free
- IHG One Rewards Bonus points are redeemable at Hotels & Resorts such as InterContinental®, Crowne Plaza®, Kimpton®, EVEN® Hotels, Indigo® Hotels & Holiday Inn®
- Member FDIC
- Earn up to 17X points total per $1 spent when you stay at an IHG hotel
- 3X points per $1 spent on dining, utilities, select streaming services, and at gas stations
- 2X points per $1 spent on all other purchases
The earning for spending at IHG hotels breaks down as follows:
- Earn 5X points for being a IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Cardmember
- Earn up to 2X points from IHG® with Silver Elite Status, a benefit of this Card
- Earn up to 10X points from IHG® for being an IHG® Rewards Club Member (Being a cardholder is not required to earn this bonus for participating in the IHG® loyalty program)
Wyndham Rewards Earner® Card
Rounding out our list of the top hotel rewards credit cards for college students is the Wyndham Rewards Earner® Card. The Wyndham Rewards points earned on this card can be earned and redeemed at budget chains like Days Inn and Motel 8 but also at luxury properties including Wyndham, Trademark, and Dolce Hotels and Resorts.
With the Wyndham Earner Card, you'll enjoy complimentary Gold status, earn 5X at Wyndham and gas, 2X on dining and grocery store purchases (excluding Target and Walmart), and 1X on other purchases.
Students considering this card should note that this card has arguably the most stringent requirements for approval. Those interested in applying for this card should have at least 18 months of an established credit history, a clean payment record, very low credit utilization, and at least one existing card in good standing.
- 5X points on Hotels by Wyndham and gas purchases
- 2X points on eligible dining and grocery purchases (excluding Target® and Walmart®)
- 1 point per dollar on all other purchases (excluding Wyndham timeshare down payments)
If you're not loyal to one airline or one hotel brand, there's a third type of rewards card earning flexible rewards.
The Best Flexible Rewards Credit Cards for Students
We'll pivot and introduce a few credit cards that offer transferable rewards. As the name implies, transferable rewards can be transferred to an airline or hotel loyalty program that partners with the card issuer. These points are incredibly versatile, as you're not under any obligation to redeem them with a specific airline or hotel.
They're your points to move to whichever partner program you want when it's time to make a redemption. Additionally, though it's not recommended, you can always redeem the points earned with your card directly with the card issuer for travel or a number of other redemptions.
Unfortunately, most cards that offer flexible rewards carry an annual fee. Annual fees may be hard to justify if you're not spending enough on the card to warrant said fee. For example, if you're earning $50 worth of transferable points but paying $95 for an annual fee, you're losing money by carrying the card.
We'll take a look at two cards, one that has no annual fee and one that has an annual fee, but that we think could be a solid choice for college students looking to graduate to the next level of rewards cards.
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card has no annual fee and offers transfers to hotel and airline programs. Capital One miles transfer to 22 airline and hotel programs, including Wyndham, Turkish Airlines, Choice Hotels, British Airways, Air Canada, and more.
Cardholders earn 5 miles per dollar spent on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars with Capital One Travel and 1.25 miles on other purchases. Earning 1.25 miles per $1 spent can add up over time, especially on big-ticket expenses like textbooks.
While the Capital One VentureOne is not a beginner credit card, college students with 12-18 months of an established credit history, combined with a clean payment history and consistent income source, have fairly good approval odds.
- Earn 20,000 Miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
- 1.25 Miles on every purchase
- 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months; 18.49% - 28.49% variable APR after that
- No foreign transaction fees
- $0 annual fee
- 5 Miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 5 Miles per dollar on purchases through Capital One Entertainment
- 1.25 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is one of our most recommended travel credit cards for beginners. With this card, you'll earn Chase Ultimate Rewards that you can transfer to 13 partners, including Hyatt, United, Marriott, British Airways, and more.
When making purchases with the Sapphire Preferred, you'll bank 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases..
However, unlike the other cards highlighted in this post, the Sapphire Preferred does come with an annual fee of $95 though many cardholders recoup this fee through the points and benefits they receive from the card.
It only makes sense that the final credit card in this post also comes with the most stringent approval requirements. The Chase Sapphire Preferred is best for students closer to graduation who have had time to build a credit history.
For better approval odds, those interested in the Chase Sapphire Preferred should have at least 2.5 years of established credit history, low credit utilization, a clean payment record, and at least one additional line of credit in good standing preferably with a credit line of $1,000 to $3,000.
- Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
- Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠
- 10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
- Member FDIC
- 5X points on Lyft rides through September 2027
- 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3X points on dining at restaurants worldwide
- 3X points on eligible streaming services
- 3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
- 2X points on all other travel
- 1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases
Final Thoughts
If used properly, credit cards are an important tool that can help you build credit, earn rewards, and even travel the world. And with some cards, you can do all three at once.
From your first days on campus as a freshman to graduation day, there's a credit card out there that can help you meet your travel and financial goals. Building credit is a critical thing to do, and there's no better time to start than in college.
Building your credit early helps you get approved for an apartment after graduation. The right credit card can also provide valuable rewards in the meantime.
What was your first credit card? Let us know in the comments.
Want to learn more about how to earn points and miles in college? Check out our ultimate guide to earning and redeeming points and miles as a college student.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card (Rates & Fees), United Gateway℠ Card (Rates & Fees), Hilton Honors American Express Card (Rates & Fees), IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card (Rates & Fees), and Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees)
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