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- Discover it® Student chrome
A good student credit card with bonus cash back categories
- 1%–2% Cash BackRewards Rate
- 18.24% – 27.24% VariableAPR
- $0Annual Fee
- Limited–FairRecommended Credit
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You can earn up to $1,000 per quarter in 2% cash back rewards for gas and dining purchases. Additionally, you can earn 1% cash back on all other purchases up to any amount – there is no earnings cap for 1% cash back rewards. Discover will also match all rewards accumulated during the first year. For example, if you earn $100 in cash back rewards during your first 12 billing cycles, Discover will give you an additional $100.
Students do not need a credit score to apply for the Discover it Student Chrome, and it doesn’t have an annual fee. Since it reports to all three credit bureaus, it’s a good choice for students who want to build their credit.
Discover it® Student chrome Overview
The biggest benefit of the Discover it® Student chrome is the cash back rewards program. You can earn 1% cash back on all purchases, and 2% cash back for up to $1,000 worth of gas and restaurant purchases per quarter. The regular 1% rate covers all categories and doesn’t have a limit.
Moreover, all rewards earned during your first year of using the Discover it® Student chrome will get matched. If you earned $100 in rewards, you’ll get another $100 as a bonus.
You can redeem your rewards through:
Quick Take
- Regular APR: 17.99% – 26.99% variable
- Cash Advance APR: 29.99% variable
- Apply with no credit history
- No annual or foreign transaction fees
- 0% APR offer on purchases for the first six months, then 17.99% – 26.99% variable APR will apply
- Earn 2% cash back at restaurants and gas stations on a combined total of up to $1,000 each quarter
- Get Discover to match all the cash back you earn at the end of the first year
- Redeem cash back as statement credit, a direct deposit into your bank account, to pay via Cashback Bonus at select merchants or to make donations to select charities
- Update income after graduating for possible increase in credit line
Important Card Details
Before you decide if the Discover it® Student chrome is a good fit for your needs, it’s a good idea to read its fine print and understand its various fees. Like most student cards, it doesn’t have an annual fee. It offers cash back rewards on all purchases, but keep in mind that failing to settle your statement in full each payment period will result in interest payments.
>>MORE: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BALANCE TRANSFERS WITH DISCOVER
Regular APR
After the Discover it® Student chrome’s six-month intro APR (0% for purchases and 10.99% for balance transfers), its regular APR is 17.99% – 26.99%. This rate varies based on your creditworthiness. Note that the APR for cash advances is 29.99%.
Cash Back Rewards Rate
For your first $1,000 per quarter spent on gas and restaurants, the Discover it® Student chrome gives a 2% cash back reward. For purchases exceeding that limit or falling to other categories, the cash back rate is 1%. There’s no limit on how much rewards you can earn, and they never expire. However, Discover will credit your unused cash back rewards once your account is closed or if you haven’t used your account in 18 months.
Balance Transfer Fee
The Discover it® Student chrome’s balance transfer fee is 3% for the first three months, and it becomes 5% afterward.
Cash Advance Fee
Whenever you take out cash from your Discover it® Student chrome, you pay either $10 or 5% of the advanced amount, whichever is greater.
Late Payment Fee
You don’t have to pay a penalty the first time that you miss your due date. However, you can pay up to $41 for any subsequent late payments.
Additional Benefits
Beyond its cash back rewards, the Discover it® Student chrome offers other benefits and features, including:
- Access to Discover’s mobile app: With Discover’s mobile app, you can track and manage your rewards, message customer service, view your FICO score and more.
- Free Identity Protection alert: You’ll get notified if it's found that your Social Security number is being used on the Dark Web.
- Ability to disable card: You can use Discover’s mobile app to temporarily freeze your card if you lose it. This blocks purchases, cash advances or balance transfers using your card.
- Few fees: The Discover it® Student chrome doesn’t have an annual fee, and you don’t need to pay foreign transaction fees when using it abroad. Additionally, you won’t get charged a penalty during your first late payment. Nonetheless, it’s important to pay your dues on time to avoid negatively impacting your credit score.
- Enjoy outstanding customer service: J.D. Power ranks Discover as the second best credit card company in terms of customer service. You can access Discover’s customer service representatives 24/7 by phone or using their mobile app.
How the Discover it® Student chrome Compares To Other Cards
The Discover it® Student chrome performs well when compared to other student cards. It has all the features one expects of a card in its category: $0 annual fee, no credit score requirement needed and cash back rewards. However, its bonus 2% rate for gas and dining as well as its cash back match feature make it stand out from the crowd.
How the Discover it® Student chrome Compares
Discover it® Student chrome
- Intro APR: 0% for the first six months, then a variable APR of 17.99% – 26.99% thereafter
- APR: 17.99% – 26.99% variable
- Cash back rate: 2% for gas and restaurants (with $1,000 per quarter spending cap); 1% on all other purchases
- Annual fee: $0
- Intro offer: Matches all cash back rewards earned during the first year
- Requirements: Doesn’t need a credit score, but requires cardholders to have a Social Security number
- Best for: Students who are starting to build their credit
Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students
- APR: 22.99% variable
- Cash back rate: 1% on all purchases
- Annual fee: $0
- Intro offer: Complimentary Amazon Prime Student for a year
- Requirements: Doesn’t need a credit score and Social Security number
- Best for: International students looking for a simple and easy-access credit card
Frequently Asked Questions
sources
- CFPB. "Agreements by ‘Discover Bank." Accessed April 13, 2022.
- Discover. "Discover It Student Chrome." Accessed May 13, 2022.
- J.D. Power. "2021 U.S. Credit Card Satisfaction Study." Accessed April 13, 2022.
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