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Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.If you’re a college student wanting a simple cash back program with a $0 annual fee, the Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card could be your card. Cardholders earn 1.5% Cash Back on every purchase, every day; 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply). The best part is your rewards never expire as long as your account remains open.
As one of our top picks for the best student credit cards of 2023, the Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card can help students with limited / fair build their credit profile. Cardholders can also earn $50 when you spend $100 in the first three months. For students who love to travel, you can access cheap travel deals, Capital One’s travel accident insurance and no foreign transaction fees.
While other student credit cards offer a more generous cash back rate for rotating or specific categories, typically from 3% to 5%, the Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card is the best for a steady earning rate on daily purchases.
Intro Purchase APR
N/A
Regular Purchase APR
19.74% - 29.74% (Variable)
Intro BT APR
N/A
Regular BT APR
19.74% - 29.74% (Variable)
Annual Fee
$0
Cash Advance Fee
5% of the amount of the cash advance, but not less than $5
Foreign Transaction Fee
None
Balance Transfer Fee
Balance Transfer Fee applies to balances transferred at a promotional rate
Sign-up bonus
The Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card lets you earn $50 when you spend $100 in the first three months. While you can find credit cards with much larger sign-up bonuses, starter cards often don’t include a bonus, so this is a nice extra.
Cash back rewards
The Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card offers 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day; 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through capital one travel (terms apply). If you prefer simple, flat-rate rewards, this is among the most rewarding cards you’ll find for an entry-level cardholder.
Cash back is as simple to redeem as it is to earn. Redemption options for your cash back include:
Pay no annual fee
Since college students are typically on a strict budget, getting a student rewards card with a $0 annual fee is best. The Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card is here to help with no annual or hidden fees.
Helps build credit history
Capital One reports your account and payment activity to the three major consumer credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. This is a key feature for building credit not offered by all starter cards. Credit bureaus use the information on your credit report to calculate your FICO Score.
If you don’t max out your credit card and always pay on time, you’ll likely build a good to excellent credit score over time.
Ultimately, using the Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card responsibly can help you qualify for other financial products in the future, such as a car loan or a mortgage. The better your credit score, the more likely you’ll get a competitive rate and flexible terms on such products.
No foreign transaction fee
Some credit cards charge a foreign transaction fee (often 3% of each transaction) when you use them outside the United States — however, the Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card has none. Whether you’re planning a study abroad trip or going on vacation with family, this is a good card to take with you.
The interest rate is high
This card’s APR ranges from 19.74% - 29.74% (variable), which can get expensive if you don’t qualify for the lower amount. However, you can avoid credit card interest by paying your statement balance in full every billing cycle. You don’t need to carry a balance to build credit — using your card regularly and paying on time is all you need to do.
There's no intro APR
Unfortunately, the Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card doesn’t offer an intro APR period (see rates & fees). A 0% introductory APR credit card allows you to make interest-free purchases for a specified period, such as six to 21 months. A 0% intro APR card could help with more significant expenses like purchasing textbooks or a laptop for school.
If you’re seeking to finance a new purchase with a 0% APR, check out the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students or the Discover it® Student Cash Back.
Only available to students
The Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card is only available to current or soon-to-be college students. To qualify, you must be enrolled or admitted and planning to enroll in the next three months at an eligible community college, university or other higher education institution. However, cardholders can keep the card and enjoy all the same rewards and benefits after graduation.
Note, you can find other starter credit cards with rewards and reasonable fees if you can’t qualify for a student credit card.
| Credit Cards | Our Ratings | Welcome Offer | Rewards Rate | Annual Fee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
 Apply Now
on Capital One's secure site Rates & Fees |
Earn $50 when you spend $100 in the first three months | 1.5% Cash Back on every purchase, every day; 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply) | $0 |
Apply Now
on Capital One's secure site Rates & Fees |
|
Discover it® Student Cash Back*
|
Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! So you could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or turn $100 cash back into $200. There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match. | Earn 5% cash back at different places each quarter up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically | $0 | ||
Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
Apply Now
on Capital One's secure site Rates & Fees |
Earn $50 Cash Back when you spend $100 in the first three months | 3% Cash Back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply), 8% Cash Back on Capital One Entertainment purchases, 1% Cash Back on all other purchases | $0 |
Apply Now
on Capital One's secure site Rates & Fees |
|
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students*
|
$200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening | 3% cash back in the category of your choice. 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs for the first $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases. 1% cash back on all other purchases. | $0 |
The Discover it® Student Cash Back is a potentially more rewarding student credit card with a generous cash back program, a $0 annual fee and an intro APR for new purchases.
Students can earn 5% cash back at different places each quarter up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically. You must remember to activate the higher cash back offer every quarter. There’s also a $1,500 spending cap in the rotating categories, allowing you to only earn up to $75 before your earning rate drops to 1% on all purchases.
One significant benefit to this card is the Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! So you could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or turn $100 cash back into $200. There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
The Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card is another excellent option that’s a good fit for students who spend a lot on dining, groceries and entertainment.
Cardholders earn 3% Cash Back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply), 8% Cash Back on Capital One Entertainment purchases, 1% Cash Back on all other purchases.
New cardholders can also earn $50 cash back when you spend $100 in the first three months.
With generous rewards in categories where students spend heavily, the Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card may be the most rewarding of student credit cards. However, the Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card is still a solid card for anyone who prefers a simple rewards rate on all purchases.
The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students is ideal for students wanting a tiered cash back rewards program with a generous sign-up bonus, intro APR and a $0 annual fee.
Students can earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice. 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs for the first $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases. 1% cash back on all other purchases. The best feature of this card is you can change your chosen category every month based on your spending habits.
This card offers a generous $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
Despite its many benefits, the card isn’t ideal for students wanting to travel since it charges a 3% foreign transaction fee.
The Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card is an excellent choice for current college students or anyone planning to start their studies within the next three months. With its modest sign-up bonus, $0 annual fee, no foreign transaction fees and unlimited cash back rewards, this is a handy card to use on campus or wherever your travels might take you (see rates & fees).
Furthermore,the card can help build a good credit score if you keep your credit utilization low and pay your bill on time. If used responsibly, it may help you qualify for things like mortgages and car loans after graduation.
However, if you want a higher cash back rate, you may find a category card like the Discover it® Student Cash Back or the Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card more rewarding.
Apply Now
Any student currently enrolled or admitted and planning to enroll at an eligible higher education institution within three months can apply for the Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card. You must undergo a credit check and enter income details during the application process. Capital One may consider you for other cards if you don’t qualify for this card.
Your creditworthiness determines your specific credit limit. But over time, you should be able to request a higher limit if you make on-time payments and use your credit card responsibly. Note that increasing your credit card limit has disadvantages, such as the temptation to rack up more charges.
You can keep your Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card after graduation. All the benefits and rewards will remain the same.
Alternatively, you can apply for non-student credit cards based on your spending habits and needs. For example, entrepreneurs can consider a business credit card to help cover low-cost business expenses.
The Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card is ideal for students wanting to build credit while enjoying unlimited rewards with a $0 annual fee. It’s also a great card for travel with access to Capital One Travel deals, travel insurance and no foreign transaction fees (see rates & fees).
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by third parties such as Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as certain terms, conditions, and exclusions apply.
The information related to the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students and Discover it® Student Cash Back has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.
The content above is not provided by any issuer. Any opinions expressed are those of LendingTree alone and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any issuer. The offers and/or promotions mentioned above may have changed, expired, or are no longer available. Check the issuer's website for more details.
