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Discover it Student Cash Back Review: Your First Step to Smart Rewards
Looking to build credit while earning rewards as a student? The Discover It® Student Cash Back could be your perfect companion. This comprehensive review explores how this no-annual-fee card stands out with its generous cash-back program, student-friendly features, and impressive first-year bonus.
What Is the Discover it Student Cash Back?
The Discover It® Student Cash Back is the issuer's flagship card designed specifically for college students. With no credit history required, this card offers an impressive rewards structure that rivals even non-student credit cards. It features rotating bonus categories offering 5% cash back in different spending categories each quarter (up to quarterly spending caps when activated), plus 1% back on all other purchases.
What truly sets this card apart is Discover's unlimited Cashback Match program for new cardmembers. This welcome bonus automatically matches all the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year, effectively doubling your rewards with no minimum spending requirement.
Discover it Student Cash Back Pros & Cons
Pros:
- $0 annual fee
- Generous 5% rotating cash back categories
- First-year cash back match as welcome bonus
- 0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months
- No foreign transaction fees
- Free FICO credit scorecard access
- Flexible redemption options
- Credit history reporting to three major credit bureaus
- First late payment fee waiver
Cons:
- Rotating bonus categories require quarterly activation
- Quarterly bonus spending cap limits earnings
- More limited international acceptance compared to Visa/Mastercard
- No transfer rewards to travel partners option
Who Is the Discover it Student Cash Back For?
This card is ideal for:
College Students Building Credit
Whether you're a traditional or nontraditional student, this card helps establish credit history with regular reporting to TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian. The card's credit-building features, including free FICO score access and credit monitoring, make it an excellent choice for credit beginners.
Reward-Focused Students
The rotating 5% cash back categories, which often include Amazon purchases, PayPal purchases, and other student-relevant spending areas, make this card particularly rewarding. The first-year cash back match effectively doubles your earnings, making it even more valuable.
Comparing the Discover it Student Cash Back With Other Cards
Discover It® Student Cash Back vs. Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card
While both offer valuable rewards, the Bank of America option provides more predictable earning categories. However, Discover's first-year cash back match often results in higher total rewards.
Discover It® Student Cash Back vs. Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
The Savor Student offers consistent category bonuses for dining and entertainment, while Discover's rotating categories provide potentially higher earnings but require more active management.
Consider Using Kudos to Maximize Your Rewards
While the Discover It® Student Cash Back offers excellent rewards, you can amplify your earnings by using Kudos, a free AI-powered browser extension. Kudos helps ensure you're always using the right card for each purchase, especially valuable when juggling rotating bonus categories.
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Our Expert Takeaway
The Discover It® Student Cash Back stands out in the student credit card market with its combination of robust rewards, student-friendly features, and first-year cash back match. According to the J.D. Power Credit Card Satisfaction Survey, Discover consistently ranks high in customer service, making it an excellent choice for students new to credit cards.
Discover it Student Cash Back FAQ
What is the intro balance transfer APR?
The card offers a 10.99% intro APR on balance transfers for 6 months, followed by a variable APR of 17.49%-26.49%.
How does the cash back calendar work?
Discover releases a quarterly cash back calendar showing which categories will earn 5% cash back. Cardholders must activate these categories each quarter to earn the bonus rate.
Can I get this card with no credit history?
Yes, the card is designed for students and typically doesn't require prior credit history for approval.
What are the redemption options?
You can redeem rewards for statement credits, direct deposits, Amazon purchases, gift cards, and charitable donations, with no minimum redemption requirement.
Does the card offer any travel protection benefits?
While the card doesn't offer extensive travel benefits, it does feature no foreign transaction fees and provides identity alerts for international travel.
Supercharge Your Credit Cards
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are those of Kudos alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
