There are many reasons to have a credit card when you are off to college. Once you have a credit card, you can track your expenditures by making payments using your card. Along with college expenses and day-to-day purchases, a credit card also helps during emergencies. Through credit card usage, a student can expect a rise in their credit score as well, which has its own set of benefits.

Though students can benefit from owning a credit card and start building their credit score from an early age, it can be difficult to get one if you don’t have a credit history.

Discover it® Student Cash Back
This credit card comes with no annual fee and good grades rewards, where students can get around $20 statement credit every year for good credits. There is no penalty on APR (annual percentage rate) for the first six months. It gives annual rewards of approximately $84 given that the estimated monthly expense is around $300.

The rewards program includes 5% cash back on the rotating bonus categories and cash back of 1% on other purchases.

Overall, this is a lucrative credit card for students that comes with cash rewards, consumer-friendly benefits, and forgiving terms.

Journey® Student Rewards from Capital One®
This is a low-fee student credit card that is meant for students who have decent credit and want to build it further along with earning rewards. This card also enables users to earn up to 1.25% cash back on everyday expenses like food, gas, and books or other school supplies. However, this cash back is applicable when the bills are paid on time each month.

Like other cards, this card too doesn’t charge an annual fee and foreign transaction fees. You can get access to a higher credit line if you pay your credit card bills on time for the first 5 consecutive months. You can also monitor your credit profile by installing CreditWise® app for free.

Citi Rewards+℠ Student Card
This card is meant for those who have some credit history with a score between 670 and 850. Though this card considers credit history, it does provide rewards that include the following.

• You can earn two ThankYou® points per dollar spent at supermarkets and gas stations. This is for the initial $6,000 dollar per year, and you earn one point per dollar spent after that.
• Students can earn one ThankYou® point per dollar on other purchases.
• A total of 2,500 bonus ThankYou® points can be earned upon spending $500 in the first three months.

Students are not charged an annual fee or foreign transaction fee. Additionally, Citi Rewards users also get access to some of the most popular events through the Citi Private Pass feature.

Deserve® Edu Mastercard for Students
This card enables international students and students with no credit history to build a credit score. Features that support Deserve® credit card include a $6.49 monthly credit for Amazon Prime Student and credit limit of up to $5,000. This card also offers roadside assistance, car rental insurance, travel assistance, extended warranty, and ID theft protection. The card may be beneficial to international students as they do not require a Social Security Number (SSN) to apply for one.

Wells Fargo Cash Back College ^SM Card
This student-friendly cash back card is one of the most rewarding cards. It allows students to earn up to 3% cash back on grocery, gas, and supermarket purchases. It also provides 1% cash back on all other purchases. This card doesn’t charge an annual fee and the introductory APR remains 0% for the first 6 months.

Choosing a student credit card
As a student, making personal finance decisions, and having an understanding of financial terms and products becomes important. When it comes to credit cards, you might want to acquaint yourself with the following words to select the right credit card.

• Annual fee
• Regular APR
• Foreign transaction fee
• Sign-up bonus
• Credit limit
• Rewards rates and categories
• Redemption options
• Ease of application
• Student-specific benefits
• Customer service

While you compare and choose a credit card, you can look for the ones that don’t require a credit history and don’t have an annual fee. As a student, credit cards without additional fees can be financially beneficial. You can also check for any intro bonus offer; a bonus offer gives you a substantial amount of money in your bank account.

While comparing or checking the rewards, it is also important to check whether those rewards are relevant to you or not. Furthermore, look for cards that come with student-specific benefits like Amazon Prime Student membership or any other kinds of rewards for good grades.

Knowing which type of credit card will suit you best is one of the primary things you need to know. This will help you in choosing the cards that truly serve your purpose.

Reasons to have a credit card
Although credit cards can result in financial debt when they are not used wisely, they can help in different ways. If you are a college student and are using a credit card for the first time, you may feel overwhelmed maintaining it. Nonetheless, upon getting accustomed to handling credit card-related tasks, you will experience these benefits.

• Build your credit – Using a credit card is the easiest way to build credit score as long as the bills are paid on time. You can take guidance from people on how you can build a credit score using your credit card.
• Healthy financial habits – Having a credit card can help you in developing healthy spending habits as you want to avoid overspending or missing your payment due dates.
• Convenience – A credit card comes with a few responsibilities, but its main purpose is to bring you monetary convenience.

Some important tips
An important thing to remember about credit cards is that you can start the process of building great credit. Keeping yourself abreast with the latest information and taking the right steps toward using the card can ensure a positive credit score. Here are some tips that will help you use your credit card productively.

• Consider secured cards – If you are working along with studying and have some independent income, then you can consider opting for a secured credit card. In a secured card, you will have a security deposit, higher credit limit, and some extra rewards.
• Learn how to budget – Learning how to budget at a young age can be beneficial for you as you grow older.
• Don’t lend your card to anyone – If you lend your card to someone and they misuse it, the authorities will blame you and not the person who used it wrongly. This can substantially impact your credit.
• Always remember to use your card – Using your credit card often is just as important as paying your bills on time. Most people have a credit card, but they don’t end up using it at all. One should remember that doing so can reduce your credit score.