Find it Student Cash Back Overview
Discover it® Student Cash Back is a student-oriented card that earns up to $1,500 in elevated cash back in bonus categories you activate each quarter. The card can be used to build credit history and earn rewards — even without a credit score. Card Rating*: ⭐⭐⭐
*Card rating Based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and not influenced by the card issuer.
Discover It Student Cash Back reflects many of the same features as the Discover It® Cash Back Credit Card. Two share revolving bonus categories and a $1,500 cap on elevated earnings each quarter. However, credit cards for college students are often available to people with credit history to help them get credit card experience.
Discover It Student Cash Back is a solid option if you prioritize cash-back rewards and are willing to put in the extra effort to activate and maximize your 5% bonus categories each quarter. However, there are simpler options for those who don’t want to keep up with rotating categories, and better choices for flexible points and miles earning for travel enthusiasts.
Discover It Student Cash Back has no annual fee and no credit score is required to apply. Keep reading to learn more about Discover It Student Cash Back and whether it’s the right card for you.
Information for the Discover It Student Cash Back and Discover It Cash Back Credit Cards has been independently collected by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related: Your Ultimate Guide to Discover Cards
Find out the student cash back pros and cons
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Discover that student cash back welcome offer
Discover It Student Cash Back is similar to other Discover products in that it does not offer a traditional welcome bonus.
However, cardholders will get a first-year cash-back match on what they earn in the first year with the card. This effectively doubles your earnings after 12 months.
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This can be particularly attractive for those who plan to spend a large chunk on Discover It Student Cash Back in the first year. Plus, continuing to build your credit score with multiple on-time payments is a great incentive.
Related: 7 Reasons You Should Get (and Keep) a No Annual Fee Credit Card
Discover those student cash back benefits
Discover It Student Cash Back has a limited set of benefits, as it is intended as a means for students to earn cash-back rewards while building their credit history. You shouldn’t expect lounge access, multiple statement credits or insurance benefits that come with premium credit cards.
However, Discover reports your history with the card to the three major credit bureaus to establish credit history, which is a solid benefit for college students who use Discover It Student Cash Back responsibly. With the card, you’ll also receive free access to your FICO credit score, free identity alerts, and the ability to freeze your account if your card is lost or stolen.
And Discover It Student Cash Back can be a great option for college students studying abroad, because it charges There are no foreign transaction fees.
Plus, students who refer their friends to the card can earn statement credit for everyone who applies and is approved through their referral link. This promotion runs till December 31, 2025.
Related: How to Build Credit
Get cash back with Discover It Student Cash Back
With Discover It Student Cash Back, you’ll earn 5% cash back on purchases up to $1,500 per quarter, in a rotating bonus category each quarter you activate. You will get 1% cashback on everything else.
Includes previous bonus categories Grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, home improvement stores, popular stores like Amazon.com, Target and more. Student Card quarterly categories mirror those offered by Discover It Cash Back.
Remember, you have to activate your categories every quarter to get the 5% back, but you can do it two months in advance. Discover makes it easy to do this online or on the app.
You’ll earn just 5% on purchases up to $1,500 in the quarter, capping your bonus category earnings at $75. After that, you’ll get 1% cash back on all other purchases. If remembering to activate categories and dealing with limits on elevated earnings are dealbreakers, it might be better to consider a flat-rate cash-back card with no limit on how much bonus cashback you can earn. Otherwise, Discover It Student Cash Back is a solid option for many college students looking to access credit card rewards.
Related: Are Cash-Back Credit Cards Worth It?
Redeeming cash back with Discover it Student Cash Back
Once you’ve earned rewards with Discover It Student Cash Back, they’re relatively easy to redeem.
You can use your cash back as a statement credit on purchases with Amazon or PayPal, to make a charitable donation, or to purchase a gift card ($5 minimum purchase for a gift card); You can deposit it in your bank account.
You can redeem your cash-back earnings at any time and for any amount. Plus, your rewards won’t expire.
Related: How to redeem cash-back rewards from your credit card
Which cards compete with Discover It Student Cash Back?
There are multiple cards that offer cash-back rewards for students. Here are some other options:
- If you choose to receive flat-rate cash back: This Capital One Quiksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card Easy cash-back is good for earning, as you will get 1.5% cash back on every purchase with no limit on how much you can earn. Plus, you won’t be charged an annual fee (see Rates and Fees).
- If you spend frequently on groceries, dining and entertainment: This Capital One Saver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card Earn cash back at elevated rates across multiple popular spending categories. You’ll get unlimited 3% back on groceries and dining, entertainment and popular streaming services — all with no annual fee (see rates and fees).
- If you choose Chase: Chase Freedom Flex® offers quarterly rotating bonus categories like Discover It Student Cash Back (activation required). The card charges no annual fee and earns 5% back on travel booked through Chase Travel℠, 3% on dining at restaurants including takeout and eligible delivery services, 3% at drugstores and 1% on everything else. To learn more, check out our full review of the Chase Freedom Flex.
For additional options, check out our list of the best cash-back cards.
Related: College Students: How to Use Your Credit Cards Responsibly
Is Discover It Student Cash Back Worth It?
Discover It Student Cash Back is a solid option for college students to earn cash-back rewards and build their credit history. However, if you are not interested in activating and increasing the quarterly bonus categories, you may find better options in this. Flat-rate cash-back cards.
The bottom line
College students can get access to earning rewards while establishing their credit with Discover It Student Cash Back. This student card models Discover’s standard Discover It Cash Back credit card, earning in the same bonus category, so if you’re a college student ready to dive into cash-back rewards and sign up for bonus earnings each quarter, So this is a solid one. option to start with.