Cash back for college students: Capital One debuts two student credit cards

The offer mentioned below for the Capital One SavorOne Student Credit Card and the Capital One Quicksilver Student Credit Card are no longer available.

Capital One announced on Tuesday two new student credit cards, the Capital One SavorOne Student Credit Card and the Capital One Quicksilver Student Credit Card. Both of these cards are similar to two of Capital One's regular consumer cards, the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees) and the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees), but the perks are catered toward the needs of college students.

Students can earn unlimited cash back on eligible purchases every time they swipe their cards. The cash back can be redeemed as statement credits or deposited directly into a bank account, helping cardholders save money on their everyday expenses.

Here are some more details on these new student cards.

Neither card comes with a welcome bonus, but that's not unusual for student credit cards. However, both cards offer competitive rewards rates and some solid benefits for college students, including:

• Exclusive access to curated experiences in sports, dining and entertainment
• Unlimited cash back that doesn't expire for the life of the account
• No annual fee or foreign transaction fees

Capital One SavorOne Student Credit Card

The Capital One SavorOne Student Credit Card is an excellent card for students who spend a significant amount of money in specific categories. Cardholders can earn:

• 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (not including superstores like Walmart® and Target®)
• 1% cash back on all other purchases

Capital One Quicksilver Student Credit Card

Students looking for a flat-rate cash back card should consider the new CapitalOne Quicksilver Student Credit Card. Cardholders can earn:

• 1.5% cash back on all purchases

Student credit cards are not much different than a regular travel credit card or cash-back credit card, but there are certain application requirements and benefits that make the cards good for college students.

Applying for a student credit card

In order to apply for a student credit card, you will need to have all of your personal information ready, including your social security number and proof of income.

If you have either limited or no credit at all, it will benefit you to have a cosigner, which is someone who agrees to pay the credit card statement in the case you are not able to. Unfortunately, Capital One does not allow for cosigners. This is why it is important to build credit as soon as possible, so you do not need to rely on a cosigner.

Additionally, you may need to provide proof that you are a current college student. This could be something as simple as uploading your schedule for the current semester.

Picking the right student credit card

There are several student credit cards available on the market, and it can be difficult to select the right one for your needs. When considering a student credit card, keep a few points in mind:

• Is a credit card the right fit for you financially?
• If yes, where do you spend the majority of your money? Is it at restaurants, online shopping, gas, etc.? Or is your spending varied across many categories?
• What type of rewards suit your needs more, travel rewards or cash back?

These questions will help guide you to the right student credit card for your needs.

Other than the Capital One student credit cards listed above, there are several student credit cards to select from, including the Discover it® Student Chrome and the Discover it® Student Cash Back card.

Building credit is a slow process, but a student credit card can help college students establish good financial habits early. With a good credit score, you'll be better prepared once you graduate to take out an auto loan or renting an apartment.

These new cards from Capital One are good options for students, with very competitive cash back rewards rates.

If a student credit card isn't the right solution for you right now, consider building your credit by being added as an authorized user on someone else's account.

For rates and fees for the Discover it® Student Chrome, click here

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