Best New Student Credit Cards 2025
Karl says: “For new students with no credit, the Discover it® Student Cash Back card is an excellent choice, offering easy approval and doubling your rewards in the first year. There’s no credit score required to apply, and Discover matches your cash back after the first year. The Capital One Platinum card is another great option with no fees and automatic credit limit reviews to help you build credit early, plus pre-approval without affecting your credit score.”
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Key offer
Discover it® Student Cash Back is a top pick for new students with no credit because it’s easy to get approved, and it doubles your rewards during the first year — a huge value while you’re just starting out.
• No credit score required to apply, making it one of the most accessible cards for first-timers
• Discover matches all your cash back at the end of your first year — if you earn $100, you get $200 automatically
Welcome offer
• Cashback Match: All cash back earned in your first year is automatically doubled — no limit
Annual fee
$0
After analyzing 45+ starter credit cards, Discover it Student Cash Back stands out for its forgiving approval requirements, strong rewards structure, and industry-leading first-year bonus that effectively doubles all rewards earned.
Card Rewards
• Discover matches all your cash back at the end of your first year, unlimited. For example: $1,000 spent on groceries (with activation of the category) will give you 10,000 points instead of 5,000 points.
• Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter, up to the quarterly maximum of $1,500 when you activate. Plus, earn 1% cash back on all other purchases.
• Categories: Grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to quarterly maximum upon activation.
Premium Benefits
Benefits:
• Earn 5% cash back on rotating categories each quarter (with activation), up to the quarterly cap of $1,500
• Discover matches all your cash back at the end of your first year — unlimited. $1,000 spent on groceries (with activation of the category) will give you 10,000 points instead of 5,000 points
• No credit score required to apply
• 0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months, then a variable APR applies
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• Free FICO® credit score access
• Discover® Identity Alerts for monitoring your Experian credit report and the dark web for your SSN
• Redeem cashback any time, in any amount
• Accepted at 99% of places in the U.S. that take credit cards
• U.S.-based customer service, available 24/7
Minimum Qualifications
• You don’t need any credit score at all — it’s made for first-time applicants who are enrolled in college.
• As long as you’re a student, you’re eligible. No cosigner, no credit history — just apply.
• Discover doesn’t publish hard limits, but like any lender, applying for too many cards at once could raise red flags.
Key offer
• Designed for people with limited or no credit history.
• Get pre-approved without affecting your credit score
• No annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, so it costs nothing to carry or use abroad
Welcome offer
N/A
Annual fee
$0
Best For: Students with limited funds who need the lowest possible deposit
Card Rewards
No Rewards
Premium Benefits
• Get pre-approved without affecting your credit score
• No annual fee, plus no foreign transaction fees.
• No credit history required to apply.
• Automatic credit line review after 6 months of on-time payments
• Access to Capital One’s CreditWise® tool for free credit score tracking and alerts
• Manage payments, spending, and card security with the Capital One mobile app
Minimum Qualifications
• This one’s meant for building credit — not for rewards.
• A fair credit score (around 580–660) is enough to qualify.
• No student requirement here, just basic income and personal details.
• You can check if you’re pre-approved without hurting your score.
Pro Tips
Understanding Credit Utilization
- Keep usage below 30% of limit
Example: $1,000 limit = stay under $300 - Multiple reporting dates strategy
Impact on credit score: 30%
Payment Strategy Optimization
- Set up automatic payments
- Choose statement date strategically
- 15-day grace period usage
- Payment timing impact on score
Credit Building Timeline
First 6 months: Establish pattern
- Months 6-12: Qualify for rewards
- Year 2: Credit limit increases
- Year 3: Premium card eligibility