Discover it Student Cash Back
A student card with no annual fee, rotating 5% cash back categories and an unlimited Cashback Match that doubles all cash back earned in the first year.
Why it ranks
- No annual fee
- Great first-year value
- Accepts students with limited credit
What holds it back
- Discover less accepted abroad
- Must activate rotating categories
- Quarterly 5% cap
Advertiser disclosure: we may be paid if you apply through our links. Ratings are editorial. Confirm today's terms on the issuer's site — offers change.
A student card with no annual fee, rotating 5% cash back categories and an unlimited Cashback Match that doubles all cash back earned in the first year.
Discover it Student Cash Back at a glance
| Issuer | Discover |
| Card network | Discover |
| Annual fee | No annual fee |
| Welcome bonus | Cashback Match doubles all cash back earned at the end of the first year |
| Rewards rate | 5% on rotating quarterly categories (activation required, up to the quarterly maximum), 1% on all other purchases |
| Intro APR | 0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months |
| Regular APR | 18.24%–27.24% variable |
| Foreign transaction fee | None |
| Credit needed | Fair to Good (limited credit OK) |
| Best for | College students building credit while earning rewards |
| Airport lounge access | No |
Rewards & benefits
- First-year Cashback Match effectively doubles rewards
- 5% rotating categories
- No foreign transaction fee
Eligibility & who it suits
- Be a college student
- U.S. Social Security number
- Limited or fair credit accepted
How to apply
Check current rates on Discover’s official site →
This opens the issuer’s official application page in a new tab. We may earn a commission if you are approved — it never changes the terms you receive.
Rates, fees, welcome offers and benefits are provided for general information, can change at any time, and may not reflect current terms. Always confirm the latest details on the issuer’s official site before applying. This is not financial advice.
How it ranks against similar USA cards
| Rank | Card | Annual fee | Rewards | Welcome offer | Foreign fee | Who qualifies | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DDiscoverit Student Cash BackNo annual fee · US Discover it Student Cash BackCollege students building credit while earning rewards |
None | 5% on rotating quarterly categories (activation required, up to the quarterly ma… | Cashback Match doubles all cash back earned at the end of th… | None | Fair to Good (limited credit OK) | |
| 2 | COCapital OneVenture X Rewards$395/yr · US Capital One Venture X RewardsTravelers who want premium perks at a lower fee |
$395/yr | 10x hotels & cars via Capital One Travel, 5x flights via portal, 2x everything e… | Large miles welcome offer | None | Excellent (740+) | |
| 3 | CChaseSapphire Preferred$95/yr · US Chase Sapphire Preferred CardTravelers who want flexible points without a huge annual fee |
$95/yr | 5x travel (Chase Travel), 3x dining & streaming, 2x other travel, 1x everything… | 60,000+ bonus points after meeting the minimum spend | None | Good to Excellent (700+) | |
| 4 | CChaseFreedom UnlimitedNo annual fee · US Chase Freedom UnlimitedEveryday spenders who want simple cash back and pair it with Chase points |
None | 5% travel via Chase, 3% dining & drugstores, 1.5% all other purchases | Extra cash back in the first year on bonus spend | 3% | Good (690+) |
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