The best college student credit cards of May 2023

A good credit score is essential when you're making many of the major life decisions that you face after graduation, such as renting an apartment or applying for an auto loan. Opening a college student credit card is a smart way to start building credit early while also taking advantage of rewards and special financing offers.

There are numerous college student cards available, each providing unique benefits for different types of students — from travelers and foodies to commuters and international students. Some cards are lenient with credit history requirements, meaning you may qualify with no credit history at all. You do have to be 18 to apply for a credit card and need to have a steady source of income.

If you're feeling overwhelmed by all the choices, don't stress. We did the research for you. CNBC Select analyzed 14 college student cards, digging into each card's perks and drawbacks, to find the best of the best based on your spending habits. (See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best cards.)

• Best for cash back: Discover it® Student Cash Back
• Best for travel: Bank of America® Travel Rewards for Students
• Best for restaurants and entertainment: Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
• Best for gas stations: Discover it® Student chrome
• Best for small purchases and supermarkets: Citi Rewards+℠ Student Card
• Best for international students and no credit history: Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students

Who's this for? The Discover it® Student Cash Back card is a well-rounded card with no annual fee that offers college students enrolled in a two- or four-year college the chance to build credit, while earning rewards. You must be over 18 and a U.S. citizen to apply.

Cardholders can enroll every quarter to earn 5% cash back on rotating categories (such as Amazon.com, gas stations or restaurants), on up to a $1,500 maximum each quarter (then 1%). All other purchases earn unlimited 1% cash back automatically.

There are no foreign transaction fees, which makes it a good choice for students studying abroad.

If you need to finance textbooks or dorm room essentials, you can take advantage of the introductory 0% APR for the first six months on new purchases. After the intro period, there's a 17.74% - 26.74% variable APR. We always recommend you pay your balance on time and in full in order to avoid interest charges.

Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

Who's this for? The Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card stands out for offering high rewards on some of the most common spending categories for students. Cardholders earn 5% cash back on hotels and rental cards booked through Capital One Travel; 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores; and 1% cash back on everything else.

The card has no annual fee or foreign transaction fees. Just be sure to pay off your bill in full each month as the card has a high interest rate and late payment fees can be up to $40.

New cardholders can currently earn $50 when you spend $100 in the first three months. Other perks include *extended warranty coverage on eligible items, complimentary concierge service and access to premium experiences such as sporting and events.

* Terms, conditions and exclusions apply. Refer to your Guide to Benefits for more details.

Who's this for? The Bank of America® Travel Rewards for Students is a great choice for college students who plan on studying abroad or traveling during breaks. The rewards program is geared toward travel, and cardholders earn 1.5 points per dollar spent on all purchases.

You can redeem rewards as a statement credit to cover the cost of qualifying travel purchases — a simple way to reduce the cost of taking a spring break vacation or buying a plane ticket home. There are no foreign transaction fees, making it an ideal card for students studying abroad.

Cardholders with a Bank of America checking or savings account can see added value with this card. You receive a 10% customer points bonus simply by having a Bank of America account. That increases the rewards rate to 1.65 points per $1 spent. Cardholders can redeem their rewards at any time and at any amount, including when shopping on Amazon.

This card also comes with a longer-than-average special financing offer of no interest for 15 billing cycles (then 16.24% to 26.24% variable APR). A full year of no interest is a great way for you to pay off new purchases over time, without incurring interest charges.

You must be 18 or older and enrolled in school (college, vocational or trade school) to qualify for this card.

Who's this for? If you want all the perks of a Discover card but you don't want to deal with activating bonus rewards categories each quarter, you should consider the Discover it® Student chrome. It has a strong rewards program for college students frequently filling up their gas tank or dining out, with 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, then 1%. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases automatically.

Like the Discover it Student chrome, this card doesn't charge foreign transaction fees, which makes it a good choice for students studying abroad.

If you need to finance textbooks or dorm room essentials, you can take advantage of the introductory 0% APR for the first six months on new purchases. After the intro period, there's a 17.74% - 26.74% variable APR. We always recommend you pay your balance on time and in full in order to avoid interest charges.

You must be a U.S. citizen over 18 and enrolled in a two- or four-year college in order to qualify for this card.

Who's this for? College students who make frequent, small purchases should consider the Citi Rewards+℠ Student Card, which offers a unique "round up" feature. For every purchase you make, points are rounded up to the nearest 10 points. So, a $2 coffee earns 10 points and a $21 dinner earns 30 points. This clever feature allows you to maximize rewards without any additional action on your part.

In addition to rounding up, you get 10% of your points back for the first 100,000 ThankYou® Points you redeem per year. If you redeem 25,000 points in a year, you get 2,500 of those points back — enough for a $25 gift card. You can redeem points for gift cards, travel rewards or shop with points on Amazon and Best Buy.

This card also has a strong rewards program for supermarket and gas station spending with cardholders earning 2 ThankYou® Points per dollar spent up to a $6,000 annual maximum (then 1 point per dollar spent).

You must be at least 18 and currently enrolled in college to qualify for this card.

Who's this for? The Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students is the rare college student card that is geared toward international students. It also doesn't require applicants to have any credit history or a social security number, so it's a good option for students who lack these typical application requirements. You must be over 18, enrolled in college and have a U.S. bank account.

While this card has one of the more barebones rewards programs with 1% cash back on all purchases, cardholders do get a year of Amazon Prime Student after spending $500 in the first three billing cycles on their EDU card — valued at $59. This is a great money-saving perk that will let you enjoy free two-day and same-day shipping, discounts at Whole Foods and access to Prime Video and other Amazon Prime perks.

This card is also good for people with little or no credit history, and it doesn't require you to have a cosigner or make a security deposit.

Cardholders cannot make balance transfers or take out cash advances.

• Should college students have credit cards?
• What makes a student credit card different from other credit cards?
• How can a student with no income get a credit card?
• How old do you have to be to get a student credit card?
• Do you have to be a student to get a student credit card?

It's important for college students to have credit cards as they can help build credit history, raise your credit score and teach you how to manage money. When used responsibly, student credit cards can save you money through the rewards you earn on your purchases. Student credit cards also provide more security through their various built-in protections.

The main difference between student credit cards and traditional credit cards is that student credit cards are easier to get approved for with limited or no credit history. Student credit cards also sometimes offer special perks geared specifically toward students, such as a free Amazon Prime Student membership and lower fees.

A student with no income can get a credit card by applying with a qualified cosigner or by being added as an authorized user under a parent's card. If they are over 21 years of age, students are also able to apply for credit cards using their household income.

The minimum age to apply for any credit card, including student credit cards, is 18.

As the name implies, you typically need to be a student to open a college student credit card. Card issuers will generally require proof of college enrollment to qualify.

To determine which cards offer the best value for students, CNBC Select analyzed 14 of the most popular credit cards available for college students looking to build credit.

We compared each card on a range of features, including: credit limit, rewards program, introductory and standard APR, welcome bonuses and foreign transaction fees, as well as factors such as required credit score and customer reviews when available. We also considered any special student-centric programs that offer incentives or extra rewards.

Because it's unusual for college student cards to have robust rewards programs, we did not analyze how many rewards points you can earn in the first year. For students who are looking to build their credit history and develop strong financial skills, it's more important to practice good credit card habits — spending within your means, paying your balance on time and in full — than try to optimize your points balance.

For rates and fees of the Discover it® Student Cash Back, click here.

For rates and fees of the Discover it® Student chrome, click here.

Information about the Bank of America® Travel Rewards for Students has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.