Review
Updated
Fact Checked
Eric McWhinnie
The Discover it® Student Chrome is a beginner-friendly card with quality customer service and easy-to-use benefits. It earns bonus cash back on gas and restaurant spending, so it's ideal if those are big expense categories for you. Check out our full Discover it® Student Chrome review to see if it's right for you.
Rating image, 4.75 out of 5 stars.
4.75/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Rating image, 4.75 out of 5 stars.
4.75/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Best
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= Excellent
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= Good
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= Fair
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Credit Score
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Fair/New to Credit Under(669)
Intro APR
Purchases: 0%, 6 months
Balance Transfers: 10.99%, 6 months
Regular APR
18.24% - 27.24% Variable APR
Rewards 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically
1% - 2% Cashback
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer N/A
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
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Has all the important perks for a student credit card. It's light on fees and doesn't charge an annual fee, plus it has a solid cash back program and a potentially big sign-up bonus.
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- Great sign-up bonus offer
- Gas and restaurant rewards
- No annual fee
- Credit score monitoring
- No foreign transaction fee
- Low cash back rate
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- INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! So you could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or turn $100 cash back into $200. There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
- Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. Plus earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
- No credit score required to apply.
- Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
- No annual fee and build your credit with responsible use.
- 0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months, then the standard variable purchase APR of 18.24% - 27.24% applies.
- Terms and conditions apply.
Credit card comparison
We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.
| Offer | Our Rating | Welcome Offer | Rewards Program | APR | Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. N/A | 1% - 5% Cashback Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically. |
Intro: Purchases: 0%, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months Regular: 17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR |
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Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
Up to $300 cash back Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases. | 1.5% - 5% cash back Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases |
Intro: 0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months Regular: 20.49% - 29.24% Variable |
Apply Now for Chase Freedom Unlimited®
On Chase's Secure Website. |
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Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
On Chase's Secure Website. |
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
60,000 bonus points Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠. | 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more. |
Intro: N/A Purchases: N/A Balance Transfers: N/A Regular: 21.49%-28.49% Variable |
Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
On Chase's Secure Website. |
Full Discover it® Student Chrome review
This credit card is a good fit for: Students who do a lot of driving or dining out, as they can make the most of bonus cash back on gas and restaurant spending.
Top perks
The Discover it® Student Chrome has plenty of perks, especially for a student credit card.
Unlimited Cashback Match sign-up bonus
A huge selling point for the Discover it® Student Chrome is that Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. This sign-up bonus is only available during the first year and for new cardholders. The fact that it's unlimited is what makes it so impressive. If you earn $300 in cash back, Discover will match it with another $300.
Up to 2% cash back
This Discover student card earns a 2% Cashback Bonus® at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. It earns unlimited 1% cash back on other purchases. It's not the highest rate we've seen, especially compared to the best cash back credit cards, but you can at least earn extra in popular spending categories.
No annual fee
When you're on the typical student-sized budget, keeping extra expenses to a minimum is important. You can do that with the Discover it® Student Chrome, which doesn't charge an annual fee.
0% intro APR on purchases
The Discover it® Student Chrome offers a 0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months. After the intro APR expires, the go-to 18.24% - 27.24% Variable APR (depending on your creditworthiness) will apply going forward.
That means you'll have 6 months to pay off expenses, such as books or tuition, without interest charges. Just keep in mind that the APR will go up quite a bit after the intro period. For that reason, it's best to pay off your entire balance during the intro period.
FICO® Score for free
When you have a Discover card, you get access to Discover Credit Scorecard, a tool that provides your FICO® Score. This is the most widely used type of credit score by lenders. Many free credit score tools provide other types of credit scores that aren't nearly as popular.
Discover Credit Scorecard also provides information on the factors affecting your credit. You can access it through your online account or the Discover app, and it will also be available in every account statement. This is a great way to learn about credit scores and how to build credit.
RELATED: How to Establish Credit for the First Time
No foreign transaction fee
Many credit cards charge an extra fee, often 3%, for transactions outside the United States. The Discover it® Student Chrome has no foreign transaction fee. That makes it a good choice if you ever travel internationally or plan to do a study abroad program.
MORE OPTIONS: Best Credit Cards for International Students
What could be improved
There's one area where this student credit card from Discover could get better.
Low cash back rate
The cash back rate on the Discover it® Student Chrome is nothing special. There are cards, including top student credit cards, that earn 3% to 5% back in bonus categories. A rate of 2% is on the low side, and there's also the spending cap of $1,000 per quarter that can limit your bonus rewards. If cash back is important to you, then you might want to read other credit card reviews to compare more options.
Find the best credit card for your needs
Compare credit card rewards, fees, APRs, and more using our side-by-side comparison tool.
Suggested credit score
As a student card, the Discover it® Student Chrome doesn't have a minimum credit score requirement. You can potentially get approved for it even if you don't have a credit history yet. You must be over 18 and enrolled in a college or university to apply.
The Discover it® Student Chrome is right for you if:
You're a college student and you spend a lot on gas, at restaurants, or both. With all its features and no unnecessary fees, the Discover it® Student Chrome is one of the best credit cards for students. It's a secure payment method that allows you to build credit for the first time.
Our credit card methodology
At The Motley Fool Ascent, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.
We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how The Ascent rates credit cards.
FAQs
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The minimum starting credit limit for the Discover it® Student Chrome card is $500, but you may get a higher limit depending on your creditworthiness. Some cardholders have gotten credit limits of $2,000 to $3,000 or more with this credit card.
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No, you can't have both these cards at the same time. Discover doesn't let cardholders open more than one student credit card.
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Yes, you can use the Discover it® Student Chrome card internationally wherever Discover is accepted, and it doesn't charge a foreign transaction fee.
Our Credit Cards Experts
Lyle Daly is a personal finance writer who specializes in credit cards, travel rewards programs, and banking. He writes for The Ascent and The Motley Fool, and his work has appeared in USA Today and Yahoo! Finance. He was born in California but currently lives as a digital nomad with a home base in Colombia.
Fact Checked
Eric McWhinnie
Eric McWhinnie has been writing and editing digital content since 2010. He specializes in personal finance and investing. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance.
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We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.
Discover Financial Services is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Bank of America is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Lyle Daly has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, Bank of America, Mastercard, PayPal, and Target. The Motley Fool recommends Discover Financial Services and recommends the following options: long January 2025 $370 calls on Mastercard, short January 2025 $380 calls on Mastercard, and short June 2024 $67.50 calls on PayPal. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned.