Vault’s Viewpoint
- The no-annual-fee Capital One SavorOne Student Credit Card earns up to 8% cash back depending on the purchase.
- The card doesn’t charge an annual fee or foreign transaction fees.
- You can even convert the cash back you earn into valuable travel rewards by holding a Capital One travel credit card.
It Comes With High Earning Rates on Common Student Purchases
The Capital One SavorOne Student Card is hands-down one of the best cash back credit cards on the market—student or otherwise. The card’s return rate is nothing short of incredible.
You’ll earn:
- 8% cash back on purchases made through Capital One Entertainment for things like tickets to concerts, sports and more. You’ll even get presale access to popular events
- 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 3% cash back dining, popular streaming services, grocery stores (excluding superstores like Target and Walmart) and entertainment purchased outside Capital One Entertainment
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
And because the card doesn’t charge an annual fee, the cash back you earn in the green (as long as you don’t carry a balance on the card month to month, which will result in staggering interest fees!)
Best Credit Card for Student Goals
On CardRatings’ secure site
4.5/5
Our comprehensive credit card evaluations use a 5-star rating system focusing on each card’s primary category. We then make standardized adjustments based on factors like unique features, welcome offer values, and the availability of transferable points.
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Annual Fee
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Intro Bonus
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On CardRatings’ secure site
4.5/5
Our comprehensive credit card evaluations use a 5-star rating system focusing on each card’s primary category. We then make standardized adjustments based on factors like unique features, welcome offer values, and the availability of transferable points.
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There Are No Foreign Transaction Fees
Many no-annual-fee credit cards, particularly student cards, ding you for making purchases outside of the country. This penalty is known as a foreign transaction fee, and it often amounts to around 3% of your total overseas spending.
In fact, you may even be charged a foreign transaction fee when reserving your international travel from your dorm room in the middle of the U.S. That’s because some foreign hotels, property rentals, car rentals etc. may process your payment locally (i.e. outside the country).
The Capital One SavorOne Student Card does not have foreign transaction fees, meaning you can spend outside the U.S. without the added fee.
If you’ve got plans to study abroad—or if you simply want to travel internationally for spring break, summer vacation or otherwise—the Capital One SavorOne Student Card is one of the best companions you can have as a student.
It’s Recommended for Limited or Fair Credit
A notable feature of the Capital One SavorOne Student Card is its lower applicant standards. While not guaranteed, you may be approved with average, fair or limited credit history. This is especially helpful for those who haven’t yet had the chance to build out their credit profile or boost their credit score into a higher range.
Further, this is exclusively for students. Capital One states that you must be currently enrolled (admitted and planning to enroll within the next three months) at an accredited community college, university or other higher education institution to be eligible. And, of course, you must be at least 18 years old.
Note, some student credit cards are available to those with no credit history, such as the Chase Freedom Rise® Credit Card. If getting approved is your main concern, check out our guide to the easiest credit cards to get.
Its Cash Back Can Be Converted Into Travel Rewards
The Capital One SavorOne Student Card is, by nature, a cash back credit card—and a really good one. But if you’ve got travel aspirations, it could be worth saving them until you’ve cultivated a solid credit score.
Here’s why: You can turn the cash back you earn with this card into Capital One miles (Capital One’s proprietary travel rewards currency) simply by also holding a Capital One travel credit card. Think cards like the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One cash back converts to Capital One miles at a rate of 1 mile per cent.
Capital One miles can be worth considerably more than cash back when you redeem it for travel. For example, with $340 cash back, you may be able to offset the cost of a round-trip flight from Chicago to Cancun. But if you were to convert that cash back into Capital One miles, you could transfer it to airlines like Emirates or Iberia for a round-trip flight to Europe.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Capital One SavorOne Student Card Welcome Bonus?
The Capital One SavorOne Student Card currently offers a bonus of $50 cash back after you spend $100 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Is the Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card or the SavorOne Student Better?
The Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card is similar to the Capital One SavorOne Student Card in several ways. The big difference is that the Capital One Quicksilver Student doesn’t have the many student-oriented bonus categories of the Capital One SavorOne Student. You’ll earn 5% back on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel and a flat 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
What Happens to a Capital One Student Card When You Graduate?
After you graduate, the Capital One SavorOne Student Card will remain active and function as normal. You can cancel it, keep it or look into a “product change” to another Capital One card that may better suit your changing financial goals—such as the travel-forward Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card if you find that to be an eligible option.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
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