College is the perfect time to start building a credit history, and credit card companies have made this easy for college students by creating programs that cater to the typical post-high school student’s needs. Students can receive cash back for using their credit cards on school needs such as books, food and sometimes clothes or music. Offers like no-cosigners and 0% APR during the first year are tailor-made for college students who want to build credit but have none. Here is a list of the top ten credit cards for college students.

1. Discover Student Card allows students to earn 5% cash back during their first year on items that change every few months. For example, card members can sign up to earn 5% cash back bonus on up to $300 in purchases at gas stations, hotels, theme parks and movies from July through September, and up to 20% back at over 175 retailers through ShopDiscover, Discover’s exclusive online shopping site.

Key features:

• 0% Intro APR for 9 months. After 9 months it will be 12.99%-19.99% variable purchase APR.
• No annual fee. Receive the benefits of using the Discover Student Card without paying anything except your bills on time.
• Earn 5% cash back in various categories during certain months. In October through December, receive cash back for eating at restaurants and shopping for clothes. Back to school shopping, anyone? Make sure to enroll before each quarter to receive these benefits.
• Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all purchases after spending $3,000 annually. Receive .25% cash back before spending $3,000. This means that credit card holders are receiving cash back for all of their purchases, and once they spend $3,000 they receive even more money back.
• Redeem your cash back bonus in any of the three ways: merchandise, gift cards, Discover gift cards or cash. Card holders are able to set up direct deposits to their bank accounts if cash is preferred.
• Rewards have no expiration date, but if an account is closed or inactive for 18 executive months, or if the card holder fails to make any minimum payment for two consecutive billing periods, then any cash back bonus points in the person’s account will be forfeited.
• Choose from over 30 card designs. Why not spend money in style?
• 0% Fraud liability.

The Discover Student Credit Card is a great option for students looking to build credit, while earning cash back rewards at the same time on purchases through Discover’s rotating list of categories. Students who are financially responsible and will not put off paying their credit card bills will enjoy using this credit card, because it gives cardholders benefits for making financially responsible decisions.

2. Citi mtvU Platinum Select Visa Card for College Students is designed for students who are in college, want to build credit, and want to receive points for maintaining a good G.P.A. That is exactly what cardholders are getting when they sign up for Citi’s mtvU Platinum Select Visa.

Key features:

• No annual fee. Enjoy Platinum benefits and participate in the card’s great rewards system for no cost at all.
• 0% Intro APR on purchases for the first 7 months. After 7 months, the variable APR will 12.99% to 20.99%, depending on your creditworthiness.
• Earn up to 4,000 thank you points every year for maintaining a good G.P.A. Thank you points can be earned by submitting a proof of your grades up to two times a year.

•  GPA •  ThankYou Points •  2.50 – 2.99 •  250 •  3.00 – 3.49 •  500 •  3.50 – 3.99 •  750 •  4.0 •  2,000

• No co-signer required, so students are able to build their own credit history.
• Earn 5 thank you points for every $1 spent at restaurants, bookstores, music stores, video rental stores and movie theaters.
• Earn 1 thank you point for every $1 cardholders spend on other purchases.
• Thank you points can be used for a variety of rewards such as gift cards, CDs, a VIP mtvU Spring Break Pass, tickets to the MTV Music Awards and airline tickets.
• Earn 25 thank you points every month for paying your credit card bill on time. Be rewarded just for being a responsible credit cardholder.
• 10% discount when shopping at the online MTV store and at the NYC MTV store.
• 0$ liability on fraudulent charges. If your card is lost or stolen, you as the cardholder will not be held liable for unauthorized charges.
• Receive virtual card numbers, so that you don’t run the risk of giving out your real card number while shopping online.
• Travel accident insurance. When cardholders use their Citi mtvU Platinum card for their tickets, they receive automatic travel insurance.
• Auto rental insurance when cardholders charge their car rentals to their citi cards.

The Citi mtvU Platinum credit card is designed with college students in mind, with a generous rewards program and plenty of opportunities for cardholders to receive additional benefits.

3. Citi Forward Card for College Students is a card designed for college students with fair credit and want to build it up for the future when applying for jobs or loans. With plenty of extra rewards and perks, Citi Forward Card is a popular choice among college students nationwide.

Key features:

• Up to a 2% purchase APR reduction when cardholders make a purchase, stay under their credit limit, and pay on time 3 billing periods in a row. Cardholders are eligible for up to 8 reductions of .25% each, adding up to 2% in total APR reduction. This is an uncommon offer and a great benefit to those who choose this card.
• 0% Intro APR on purchases for the first 7 months. After 7 months the APR will be between 13.99% and 22.99, all based on creditworthiness. It’s important to pay bills on time, even during the intro period.
• No annual fee. Use this credit card and receive all of its benefits for free.
• No co-signer required. Students can sign up on their own, as long as they have fair credit.
• Earn 5 Thank You Points for every $1 spent at restaurants, on books, movies and music, and 1 thank you point for every other dollar spent.
• Earn 100 Thank You Points at the end of each billing cycle when the cardholder makes at least the minimum payment on time.
• Earn 1,000 Thank You Points by signing up for paperless statements within 3 months of opening up an account with Citi.
• Thank You Points can be redeemed for rewards such as merchandise and travel, gift cards to a variety of stores and restaurants, movie tickets and more. Cardholders can also redeem their points in cash of $50 and $100 increments.
• Earn a $75 statement credit after spending $150 on back to school items at apparel, book or electronic stores during the first 3 months of opening your card.
• Extra protection for your credit card. Identity theft protection, $0 liability on fraudulent charges and cell phone protection.

The Citi Forward Card for students is a card designed to take care of students by paying them for using their credit card on certain purchases and by keeping them protected from high interest rates and lost or stolen credit cards.

4. Citi Dividend Platinum Select Card for College Students has a great cash back program that rewards students for being responsible credit cardholders, and for using their credit cards on anything.

Key features:

• No annual fee. Here is another card that allows college students to earn rewards and cash back just for using its services.
• 0% Intro APR on purchases for 7 months and 12.99% to 20.99% thereafter, depending on creditworthiness.
• This card’s generous rewards system allows cardholders to earn 5% back on all purchases made at supermarkets, drugstores, gas stations, convenience stores and utilities for 6 months, and 1% thereafter. This sounds like a rewards program that takes care of a typical college student’s expenses.
• Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases.
• Earn at least 2% back in a rotating list of categories that change each quarter. Remember to enroll for this program at the beginning of each quarter.
• No co-signer required, so students are able to build their own credit history.
• 0$ Fraudulent charges, so the cardholder will not be held liable if his or her card is lost or stolen.
• Earn 5% cash back with no limit on the cash back you earn, when you make a purchase through Citi’s online shopping mall that has over 400 retailers.
• There are many opportunities for coverage and security. Buyers Security Coverage keeps cardholders safe from any accidents. Extended warranty on items that cardholders purchase with their Citi Dividend Platinum Select Card. Auto Rental Insurance when cardholders use their card to rent the car, and automatic travel accident insurance.

The Citi Dividend Platinum Select Card for College Students is a good choice for students who want to build up credit and earn cash back on items they would spend on a typical day.

5. Discover Open Road Card for Students is a card that rewards students who frequently go out to eat and spend money on gas. It’s for students with fair credit, who want to build credit for the future when applying for real jobs and big loans.

Key features:

• 0% Intro APR for 9 months and 12.99% to 19.99% thereafter.
• $0 Annual fee. Pay nothing to use this credit card and receive its rewards.
• 2% cash back bonus at any gas station or restaurant during the first $250 cardholders spend with their credit cards. 1% cash back on stations and restaurants thereafter.
• Receive 1% cash back on all purchases after spending $3,000 for the year. For the first $3,000 cardholders spend, they will receive .25% back on all purchases.
• Get cash back bonuses from 5% to 20% when shopping in Discover’s exclusive online mall with over 175 retailers.
• Rewards have no expiration date. If your account is closed or has been inactive for 18 months then your rewards will be forfeited. But if you are a lively card user, then say hello to never expiring rewards.
• Earn cash back rewards for paying your monthly house bills with your Discover card.
• 0$ Fraud liability means never having to pay for unauthorized payments on your Discover credit card.

The Discover Open Road Card for Students is a great card to use and earn rewards with while not even paying attention to what you are buying. Set up your telephone bill to the card, pay for gas, and earn rewards while living a normal life.

6. Journey Student Rewards Credit Card by Capital One is a credit card designed to help students build credit while in college, while simultaneously rewarding them with 1% cash back on all purchases and giving a cash back bonus to those who pay their bills on time.

Key features:

• 1% cash back on all purchases. This allows students to spend money on anything and receive money back, just by using this credit card. While one month’s cash back may not be a lot of money, it will add up over time. If a student spends $250 a month on their Journey Student Rewards Credit Card, they will receive $2.50 in rewards at the end of the month.
• No annual fee. Students are able to use this card and receive all of its benefits for free.
• Free text and e-mail alerts keep credit card users aware of their spending, enabling them to never miss a payment.
• 25% bonus on the cash back you earn each month, just for paying bills on time. The company is rewarding spenders, just for being responsible credit card users. On a $250 budget each month, a student will receive an additional $0.63 each month, adding up to $3.13 for one month. Annually the credit card user will earn $37.56 in cash back rewards.
• Cash rewards are unlimited and do not expire. They can be redeemed in three forms: account credit, check or gift cards.
• 0$ fraud liability if your card is lost or stolen. If someone steals your credit card and makes payments, you will not be held liable.
• No balance transfer fee. If your existing credit card has debt that you would like to transfer over to your Journey Student Rewards Card, there is no charge for transferring this debt. But be aware that this card has an APR of 19.8%, so only transfer your debt if your existing interest rate is higher than 19.8%.
• Automatic travel accident insurance. When you use this credit card to pay your travel fares, you automatically receive accident coverage at no extra charge.
• Auto rental insurance. If you rent a car with this credit card you are able to receive collision, damage and loss insurance.
• Extended warranty program. Items that are purchased with this credit card receive additional warranty protection at no charge.
• There is NO introductory APR on purchases. Credit card users start off with an APR of 19.8% on purchases and balance transfers, if they do not pay their bills on time. To avoid this, pay your bills on time.

This is a good choice for college students who have never used a credit card before, because it rewards them in little ways and has additional offers while helping build credit little by little. If students are responsible and pay their bills on time, Capital One rewards them as they use the Journey Student Rewards Credit Card.

7. State Farm Student Visa Credit Card is a card for college students who want to establish good credit while receiving additional rewards for buying groceries or textbooks. State Farm is committed to helping students establish a good credit history, which is why they’ve developed this credit card.

Key features:

• No annual fee. Use this card for FREE.
• An APR as low as 11.24%, which is lower than most of the other credit cards, but it does not offer 0% Intro APR for the first few months like many of the other credit cards.
• Select your own card design.
• Cash access worldwide through ATMs.
• Worldwide Visa credit card acceptance. Never get turned down when you have this credit card.
• 24-hour fraud protection with zero liability. Cardholders will never have to pay for an unauthorized transaction.
• Auto rental collision insurance with your Student Visa credit card.
• Save with Visa online student discounts. Get free shipping and additional coupons at a range of different retailers online.

The State Farm Student Visa Credit Card is a good card for students who want to establish good credit and who don’t care as much about receiving additional points or rewards. This is a simple Visa credit card by State Farm that gets the job done when it comes to making credit purchases.

8. U.S. Bank College Visa Credit Card is an easy-to-use, convenient credit card for college students who want to practice good money management while receiving all of the benefits of having a credit card.

Key features:

• No annual fee. It has a certain ring to it, doesn’t it?
• Pay your bills online. U.S. Bank has set up a quick and convenient way to take care of your bills through an online account.
• Use your free online account access to view your credit card information at anytime or check on purchases and advances. Cardholders can also sign up for online statements only and account alerts to make sure they never miss a payment.
• Zero Fraud liability. Cardholders will never be held liable for unauthorized payments made on their U.S. Bank Visa credit card, and replacement cards can be sent within 48 hours.
• Never be denied with your Visa credit card. Visa is internationally accepted, and cardholders can access cash at millions of ATMs worldwide.
• Use your U.S. Bank College Visa credit card at hundreds of retailers and receive special deals and offers at the Visa Partner Advantage mall.
• U.S. Bank overdraft protection ensures that cardholders never overdraw in their checking accounts by transferring money in $25 increments from your Visa credit card to your U.S. Bank checking account.

The U.S. Bank College Visa credit card is a convenient and accessible credit card that helps students build good credit history while offering extra advantages to using their credit card.

9. Citi Forward Card for College Students-$75 statement credit offers students the option of building up their credit history without a co-signer and rewards them when they pay off their bills on time.

Key features:

• No annual fee.
• $0 Introductory APR for the first seven months
• Earn a $75 statement credit when you spend $150 on back-to-school items within the first 3 months of setting up an account.
• No co-signer is required to set up an account
• Wise credit management is rewarded with reducing your credit card’s interest rate. Reduce your APR by up to 2% over the course of 2 years.
• Earn 100 Thank You Points for paying your bill on time and under budget.
• Earn 2 Thank You points for every dollar you spend on purchases at book stores, record stores, restaurants, movie theaters and video rental stores. Earn 1 Thank You point for every dollar you spend on anything else.
• 0$ Liability. Cardholders will never be held accountable for fraudulent charges.

This is a good credit card for students who are looking to build credit and receive additional benefits for buying back to school items and everyday needs.

10. Wells Fargo College Visa Credit Card is a credit card that works with the college student’s budget, is easily manageable and comes with built-in benefits like 24-hour customer service and automatic car rental insurance.

Key features:

• No annual fee. Free free free.
• Introductory APR of 5.9% for 6 months on purchases, and 13.15% to 20.15% thereafter, depending on creditworthiness.
• Customize your card with whatever photo you choose!
• Make payments with your credit card quickly with the Visa payWave feature.
• Manage your spending online in an easy and accessible layout. View charges, transfers and easily track your expenses. If the credit cardholder has a Wells Fargo checking account as well, he or she is able to see spending across both accounts in one place.
• Cardholders can choose their monthly payment due date and sign up for automatic or online payments.
• Cardholders are able to stay up to date with their account activity by signing up for email alerts when they approach their credit limits, payments are due and more.
• Zero liability for fraudulent charges.
• Automatic Car Rental Insurance.

Wells Fargo College Visa Credit Card is a card that helps students, who’ve never had a credit card, build good credit. There isn’t 0% APR for the first few months like many other credit cards, but as long as students pay off their bills on time the APR isn’t an issue.

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