As a college student, you may have little or no credit history, so the best credit cards for you will be geared toward students in your situation. A rewards student credit card, such as Discover it® Student Cash Back Card or Discover it® Chrome for Students, can help you earn cash back on everyday purchases. You don't need a job to apply for a student credit card, but you must show income. For students under 21, there are different rules for what counts as income than for those 21 and older. Discover reports your credit card account activity to the three major credit bureaus, so you start to develop a record of your financial activity. That’s why Discover student credit cards can help you build your credit with responsible use.5 (Plus, you earn cash back rewards on every purchase.) It can be a simple process to start building credit. To build your credit responsibly with a student credit card: • Make all payments on time. • Pay your balance in full each month (or, if you can’t, at least pay more than your minimum due each month). • Avoid carrying a balance: you’ll have to pay interest on any purchases or amounts you don’t pay off each month. Things like late payments, failing to pay at all, or other negative activity with your student credit card or other loans in your name could hurt your ability to build credit. When you apply online, here are some of the things you will need when applying online. You need to be at least 18 to apply for a student credit card and meet the income requirements for your age, but there's no credit score required to apply for a Discover student credit card.* Discover student credit cards can help you build your credit history5 and earn cash back rewards on every purchase. Regular credit cards are typically designed for people with an established credit history. These differ from student credit cards, which are designed with students in mind who may have little to no credit and are enrolled in school. It’s common for student credit cards to have a lower credit limit, so students can get started using credit and build credit with responsible use.5 Feel like you're ready to take on more credit? You can apply by requesting an increase online or you can call us at 1-800-DISCOVER. When you graduate, call us to update your personal information, such as your income, housing, e-mail, and address. Updating this information may make you eligible for credit line increases. No credit score is required to apply for a Discover it® Student credit card.* The Discover it® Student credit card can help you build credit with responsible use.5 Although you might need a new student credit card for a number of reasons, simply replacing your credit card if it is lost or stolen won’t affect your credit score. Also, you’re never held responsible for unauthorized purchases on your Discover Card account.11
FAQs
Does Discover student card require a credit score? ›
No credit score is required to apply for Discover Student credit cards. There's a 0% Introductory APR for your first 6 months. After that, an 18.24% - 27.24% Standard Variable Purchase APR will apply.
Why won't Discover approve me for a student credit card? ›There are various factors that could lead to a denial, such as: Having a high debt-to-income ratio. Not earning sufficient income to cover potential credit card bills. Not having a credit history.
What is the lowest credit score to get a Discover card? ›Discover's FICO score requirements typically range from 640 to 700, depending on the specific card, making it the credit score for Discover card approval criteria.
What is the easiest credit card to get as a college student? ›Students looking to build their credit history while earning rewards on their spending should consider the Discover it® Student Cash Back. It offers generous rewards and no credit score is needed to apply.
Is Discover hard to get approved for? ›If you want to get a Discover® credit card, you may be wondering how hard it is to get approved. Your credit score plays an important role here. The best Discover credit cards are aimed at consumers with FICO® Scores of 670 or above. If you have good or excellent credit, that helps quite a bit.
What is the difference between a Discover card and a Discover student card? ›For example, with Discover, your credit line will equal your deposit amount, starting at $200. With a student credit card, like Discover It® Student Cash Back, there's no need to pay an upfront deposit — but you can still earn great benefits, as we'll explore later in this guide.
Does Discover check student status? ›You'll typically need to provide proof of your student enrollment status, along with meeting specific age and income criteria. If you aren't eligible for a student credit card, you can still build credit by getting a secured card, becoming an authorized credit card user, or exploring other options.
Does Discover Student Credit Card do a hard pull? ›If you're pre-approved, and you move forward with submitting an application for the credit card, it will result in a hard inquiry which may impact your credit score.
What credit card is the easiest to get? ›The Discover it® Secured Credit Card is our top pick for easiest credit card to get because it's geared toward those with limited / poor credit. It offers great rewards and charges a $0 annual fee.
Which Discover card is easier to get? ›Lower credit score requirements
No credit score is required to apply for Discover it® Student Cash Back, Discover it® Student Chrome, and Discover it® Secured Credit Card. Discover will consider information you include on your application and provided by others to determine your eligibility.
What is the easiest unsecured credit card to get approved for? ›
Some of the easiest unsecured cards to get approved for are the Indigo® Mastercard®, Mission Lane Visa® Credit Card and Milestone® Mastercard®. While these cards are geared toward people with bad credit and have easy approval odds, they tend to charge high fees and interest, which can make building credit costly.
What is the average starting credit limit for Discover it card? ›The Discover it® Cash Back credit limit is at least $500 for all cardholders. It has the potential to be higher, too. Discover does not disclose a maximum credit limit, but there are reports of some cardholders receiving credit limits between $2,000 and $11,000.
Can an 18 year old with no credit history get a credit card? ›Card applicants under 21 years old need cosigners or proof of income to show issuers they can repay their balances. If you're between ages 18 and 21, you could apply for a secured credit card or student credit card — or become an authorized user on someone else's account.
How to build credit fast as a college student? ›- 1) Become an Authorized User. ...
- 2) Start With a Student Credit Card. ...
- 4) Don't Apply for Too Much Credit. ...
- 5) Always Repay on Time. ...
- 6) Monitor Your Credit Utilization. ...
- 7) Pay Down Student Loans.
Many banks offer credit cards to college students in an effort to jumpstart their experience with credit. If you're interested in applying for your own student card, consider the following steps: Research the options available to you. There are many student credit cards available.
What is the minimum credit score for Discover student loans? ›Discover doesn't disclose its minimum credit score requirement for its student loans. But you will need good credit to get the lowest rates. The company's 2022 annual report shows that 94% of Discover student loan borrowers — or their co-signers — had credit scores of 660 or above.
Can you get a Discover student loan with no credit? ›Yes, you can apply for a Discover student loan with a creditworthy cosigner who is a US Citizen or a Permanent Resident. Learn more about our eligibility criteria for International Students.
Do student credit cards require credit? ›Student cards offer easy approvals to those with no credit
Some student credit cards — including the Discover it® Student Cash Back — don't require a credit score to apply, and most have more lenient income qualification requirements. This means you can use student credit cards to build credit from the ground up.
For example, Discover is among the companies that do not permit cosigners for their credit cards. Proof of Income: If getting a cosigner isn't an option for you, demonstrating that you have a stable student income can also qualify you for a credit card.