The 6 greatest pupil bank cards in Canada
Researching bank cards between lessons? Whereas a grade on a paper possibly its solely reward, having the suitable bank card can imply the distinction between a free tank of fuel or dinner out on the finish of the semester–all when you’re constructing a credit score historical past. By the point you graduate and get that first large gig, paying off your pupil bank card each month may show you how to purchase a house or card extra simply. That’s what having a historical past with a bank card and a superb credit score rating can do. Now, let’s have a look at your choices.
Greatest pupil bank card for money again
BMO CashBack Mastercard*
At a look: This bank card provides you a number of alternative to earn money again, particularly for getting groceries, paying payments and different purchases. And in contrast to different money again playing cards for college students, the charges on these classes are spectacular. Plus, you possibly can redeem your money again whenever you actually want it—sure, even earlier than winter break vacation buying.
- Annual price: $0
- Earn charge: 3% money again on groceries (as much as $500 per 30 days), 1% on recurring payments (as much as $500 per 30 days) and 0.5% money again on all the things else.
- Rate of interest: 20.99% on purchases, 22.99% on money advances, % on stability transfers
- Welcome bonus: You may earn 5% money again in your first 3 months
Execs:
- It presents a wholesome 3% money again charge on groceries as much as a most of $500 a month. No different no-fee money again bank card earns this charge.
- The minimal redemption requirement is just $1, so you possibly can redeem your money again whenever you actually want it (fairly candy whenever you don’t need your subsequent meal to be KD or ramen noodles).
- Objects you buy utilizing the cardboard obtain double the producer’s unique guarantee safety, as much as one yr.
- Rise up to 25% off base charges at eligible Nationwide and Alamo automotive rental areas.
Cons:
- There aren’t any journey insurance coverage or associated perks with this card. Nevertheless it’s not atypical of different no-fee playing cards.
- There are caps on the bonus spend classes: 3% on the primary $500 you spend on groceries per 30 days, with all the things over that incomes the bottom 0.5% earn charge. That stated, it’s a month-to-month cap, so that you begin once more the primary of the month.
- No earn charge for transportation or fuel, because it’s within the “all the things else” pile at 0.05%. Meaning Ubers, too.
Additionally contemplate:
CIBC Dividend Visa for College students
At a look: Earn 2% on groceries, then 1% eating, fuel, transportation and recurring invoice funds, after which earn 0.5% money again on all the things else. However a cool bonus is entry to SPC+, which is a pupil low cost program, with offers from Apple Music to Zaful fashions.
- Annual price: $0
- Earn charge: Earn 2% on groceries; 1% on fuel, EV charging, transportation, eating and recurring funds; and 0.5% money again on all different purchases.
- Rate of interest: 20.99% on purchases, 22.99% on money advances, 22.99% on stability transfers
- Welcome bonus: Welcome Provide: Get $60 money again after you make your first buy throughout the first 4 months!†
Execs:
- Cardholders eligible for an SPC membership and get free entry to SPC+, which presents greater reductions and particular experiences.
- The incomes on spend class caps are excessive: $80,000 in web purchases or $20,000 on grocery, fuel, transportation, eating and recurring funds.
- On high of incomes factors, you may also save $0.10 per litre at choose Pioneer, Fas Gasoline, Ultramar and Chevron fuel stations whenever you hyperlink your card with the Journee rewards program from CIBC.
Cons:
- At a most of 1% money again, the earn charges for all spend classes are modest in comparison with different money again bank card packages.
- So is the 0.05% money again charge for the rest.
Greatest pupil bank card for Air Miles
BMO Air Miles Mastercard*
At a look: Not residing at dwelling? Learning overseas? Why not use your bank card rewards on a visit again dwelling by incomes Air Miles whenever you use your card.
- Annual price: $0
- Earn charge: Earn 1 mile for each $25 spent and 3 times the rewards at taking part Air Miles associate shops (together with Metro, Sobeys, Foodland, Staples and extra), double the factors at Air Miles companions.
- Rate of interest: 20.99% on purchases, 22.99% on money advances, 22.99% on stability transfers
- Welcome bonus: You may earn 1,500 AIR MILES Bonus Miles! That’s sufficient for $150 in direction of purchases with AIR MILES Money. Should apply by July thirty first, 2023.
Execs:
- Earn 3 times the miles when spending at taking part Air Miles companions.
- Plus, you possibly can earn Air Miles twice: As soon as whenever you use your BMO Air Miles Mastercard, and a second time whenever you use your Air Miles loyalty card.
For flexibility, redeem your rewards for reward playing cards and reductions at Air Miles companions, in addition to on the airmilesshops.ca retailer for offers and bonus rewards from tons of of shops. - Earn bonus Air Miles from eligible purchases from numerous retailers, with as much as 5 instances the factors from retailers corresponding to Adidas, Amazon, Aldo and others.
- Rise up to 25% off base charges at eligible Nationwide and Alamo rental areas.
Cons:
- Air Miles could be much less versatile than money again, as you’ll have to redeem by Air Miles companions. So if you happen to don’t repeatedly store at Sobey’s, Shell, and so on., it could be inconvenient to earn rewards.
- Journey redemptions are much less easy, too. For instance, you possibly can’t redeem for any airline and it’s essential to use the Air Miles journey portal when reserving.
- Regardless of being a journey card, there is no such thing as a journey insurance coverage connected to this card. So if you happen to do want some, you’ll have to pay for the insurance coverage your self or forgo it and pay out of pocket for issues like misplaced baggage or missed flights, and so on.
Greatest pupil bank card for grocery buying
PC Monetary Mastercard*
At a look: Cooking at dwelling is an efficient monetary play if you happen to’re residing away from the fam whereas at college. This card permits you to earn factors on each buy, however you possibly can earn bonus factors whenever you store for groceries at Loblaw banner shops (together with Loblaws, No Frills, Actual Canadian Superstore, Fortinos and Valu-mart).
- Annual price: $0
- Earn charge: Earn 25 Optimum factors for each $1 spent at Consumers Drug Mart, 10 factors per $1 at Loblaw banner shops, and all over the place else. Get 20 factors per $1 when reserving by PC Journey, and get at the least 30 factors per litre whenever you fuel up at Esso or Mobil. Redeem your PC Optimum factors on the check-out of those locations. Redemptions begin at 10,000 factors for $10 worth.
- Rate of interest: 20.97% on purchases, 22.97% on money advances, 22.97% on stability transfers
- Welcome bonus: Earn 20,000 PC Optimum™ factors with a brand new PC® Mastercard®
Execs:
- You might be incomes 25 factors per $1 at Consumers Drug Mart and 30 factors per litre of fuel at Esso. That’s equal to a 2.5% and three% return, respectively. These are spectacular returns for a pupil card.
- This bank card earns you a base earn charge of 1 level per $1. Most different pupil playing cards have a base earn charge of simply 0.5%.
- You may redeem PC Optimum factors at Loblaw-affiliated shops, which implies you possibly can put a significant dent in your on a regular basis payments. Sure, that features groceries on the nook Consumers Drug Mart. You may redeem factors at Canada’s largest pharmacy and grocery chain, in addition to Joe Recent, for a complete of over 4,500 areas throughout Canada. You aren’t restricted to a small variety of area of interest areas like most different retail playing cards or loyalty playing cards.
- There’s no cap on the variety of PC Optimum factors you possibly can earn.
Cons:
- Not as versatile as a money again program, as you possibly can solely redeem your rewards at sure retailers.
- There’s a minimal redemption requirement of $20.
Greatest pupil bank card for cash administration
Koho Pay as you go Mastercard with an Simple subscription*
At a look: Koho’s pay as you go Mastercard works like a debit or reward card, which means you don’t have to fret about getting authorised. Plus, it’s made to assist cardholders hold inside their funds whereas constructing a credit score rating with monetary teaching and useful app instruments, corresponding to spending insights. If you open a Koho account, you’ll be routinely enrolled into Simple, Koho’s free entry-level subscription plan, and obtain a digital pay as you go Mastercard. Koho Simple already comes with a ton of nice options, corresponding to “rounding up” your transactions so it can save you sooner. However if you need extra, you possibly can improve to Koho’s Important or Additional paid plans for higher earn charges and extra perks.
- Annual price: $0
- Earn charge: 1% money again on payments, providers, and groceries; as much as 5% again at choose retailers
- Rate of interest: N/A
- Welcome provide: 1% money again on groceries, payments & providers
- Extra advantages: Entry to budgeting instruments, RoundUp, monetary teaching, and credit score constructing for a price; 0.5% curiosity in your account; entry to joint accounts
- Annual revenue requirement: None
Execs:
- As a pay as you go bank card, you don’t pay curiosity because you don’t truly carry a stability. You place cash in your account earlier than you possibly can spend it. That is nice for anybody seeking to follow a funds whereas constructing a credit score rating.
- It additionally presents a “spherical up” function, which tallies up purchases to the closest quantity of your selecting ($1, $2, $5 or $10) and places that cash into your financial savings.
- If it’s worthwhile to construct up your credit standing, you possibly can enrol for credit score constructing with Koho for an extra $10 per 30 days; it would report your spending habits to the credit score bureaus.
- It options spending insights that can assist you hold observe of your funds. And, for many who want a bit extra hands-on assist, Koho presents monetary teaching.
Cons:
- To benefit from Koho’s credit score constructing software, you’ll should spend $10 per 30 days. For a pupil on a restricted funds, that may actually add up.
- If you wish to entry Koho’s greatest perks and options, you’ll should subscribe to Koho Important or Additional, which include month-to-month charges of $4 per 30 days (or $48 per yr) and $9 per 30 days (or $84 per yr), respectively. You may join a 30-day free trial to see if the additional charges are price it.
Greatest pupil bank card for very bad credit
Plastk Secured Visa Credit score Card*
At a look: Not everybody goes to highschool with a clear slate, and that’s okay. If that’s you, a secured bank card is a greater choice. You place cash on the cardboard, which may then be used if you happen to default on any funds. Why we selected this one: The deposit is simply $300.
- Annual price: $120
- Rate of interest: 17.99% on purchases, 21.99% on money advances, 17.99% on stability transfers
- Earn charge: Earn 1 level for each $1 spent
- Welcome bonus: earn 5,000 factors ($20 worth), redeemable after 3 months.
Execs:
- It presents rewards on on a regular basis purchases, in contrast to most barebones secured playing cards.
- The welcome bonus is aggressive.
- It’s accessible for a lot of college students.
Cons:
- Annual price of $48, as nicely a $6 month-to-month price.
- There’s a minimal deposit of $300, nevertheless it’s higher than the typical secured bank card requiring deposits of $500 and better.
Greatest pupil bank card for leisure perks
Scotiabank SCENE Visa Card for college students*
At a look: In case your secure place is a film theatre to get away from dorm drama or to get some headspace away from studying, contemplate this card. What you spend on the cinema can flip into some good perks.
- Annual price: $0
- Earn charge: 1 Scene Level for each $1 spent; 2 Scene Factors for each $1 spent at Cineplex theatres or cineplex.com
- Rate of interest: 19.99% on purchases, 22.99% on money advances, 22.99% on stability transfers
- Welcome bonus: earn 5,000 bonus Scene+™ factors inside your first yr. Provide ends 31 October 2023.
Execs:
- Scene+ factors are fairly versatile for a factors program. For instance, you possibly can guide flights with any airline with out having to depend on a selected journey company or portal. Plus, you possibly can redeem for different journey objects, corresponding to Airbnbs. It’s top-of-the-line factors packages obtainable to Canadians.
- One other bonus, the rewards are nice for issues outdoors of a typical pupil funds. Deal with your self for managing the stresses of faculty through the use of the rewards on issues like films, takeout, reward playing cards from retailers, flights, resorts and extra.
- It can save you 25% off base charges for automotive leases at taking part Avis and Funds rental areas in Canada and the U.S.
Cons:
- The earn charge will quickly be modified on Oct. 1, 2022. So you’ll discover that the earn charge is dropping from five-times the factors all the way down to two-times the factors at cinemas. The excellent news, although, is that factors shall be doubling for choose grocery shops.
- There are bonus factors for different frequent spending classes, like fuel or eating, which means fewer methods to maximise your returns. So, you would need to go to the flicks repeatedly to actually benefit from the bonus earn charge.
- Not as versatile as a money again program, however redeeming is easy for journey objects.
Our methodology: How we decide the most effective playing cards
The MoneySense editorial crew selects the most effective bank cards by assessing the worth they supply to Canadians throughout numerous classes. Our greatest pupil bank cards rating relies on an in depth checklist of card particulars and options—with a deal with those who matter to college students—together with annual charges, rates of interest, welcome presents, rewards earn charges, annual revenue necessities, and perks corresponding to insurance coverage protection, rebates and reductions. We have now additionally thought-about the professionals and cons of every card that can assist you decide which of them greatest fit your monetary wants. Our rankings are an unbiased supply of data for Canadians. The addition of hyperlinks from affiliate companions has no bearing on the outcomes. Learn extra about how MoneySense makes cash.
Bank card ideas for college students
You understand it’s worthwhile to be accountable in how you employ your bank card—however what, precisely, does that imply? Learn on for recommendations on utilizing your bank card to beef up your credit score rating and avoiding any issues.
- Examine your fee due dates
You most likely know that bank card payments arrive each month, however that doesn’t imply the due date in your fee is on the primary day. The date that begins your billing cycle depends upon if you end up authorised for the account, and it might be any day of the month. Make be aware of the due date and be sure to pay on time. - Repay your stability in full
In the event you’re going to be accountable along with your bank card, you received’t use it to spend cash you don’t have. Don’t go into debt. It’s greatest follow to repay your invoice in full, on time, each month. Not solely will this enhance your credit score rating, however it would additionally show you how to keep away from pricey curiosity fees. - Heed the minimal stability
In the event you do overspend, you’ll nonetheless must repay a few of your stability. Your invoice will present a complete stability and a minimal fee. You need to pay at the least the minimal fee, on time and each month, it doesn’t matter what. Lacking funds is likely one of the worst issues you are able to do in your credit score rating. Paying solely the minimal signifies that you’re accumulating curiosity on the unpaid stability. At a median of round 20%, this will add up shortly. - Don’t overspend
In case it’s not clear: Don’t overspend! Credit score is borrowed cash, and a bank card isn’t a debit card. All the cash you cost to your card should be paid again. In the event you don’t or can’t, you’ll end up racking up curiosity fees along with wrecking your credit standing. - Don’t max out your bank card
Your bank card could have a credit score restrict; that’s the amount of cash you possibly can technically borrow on it. However spending all the best way as much as your restrict—that’s, maxing out your card—is reckless. It will likely be tougher to repay your stability. Use your card selectively for smaller purchases, at the least initially, and think about using debit for nearly all the things else.
—Keph Senett
Incessantly requested questions
Making use of for a pupil bank card is fairly easy, though there are a couple of eligibility necessities to remember.
- You’ll should be the age of majority in your province. That’s both 18 (in Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and Saskatchewan) or 19 (in British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut and Yukon).
- In the event you don’t earn an revenue, you could want to offer proof that you just obtain some type of monetary assist, corresponding to allowances from your loved ones or a scholarship.
As a brand new bank card holder, it’s a wise concept to evaluate your choices earlier than you apply. Try what completely different banks are providing and select a card that greatest matches your life-style and spending habits. Every software does have an effect on your credit score rating, so that you’ll wish to keep away from making use of for a number of bank cards needlessly. Stick to one card as you study the ropes and begin constructing your credit score historical past.
Extra of Canada’s greatest bank cards:
What does the * imply?
If a hyperlink has an asterisk (*) on the finish of it, meaning it is an affiliate hyperlink and might typically lead to a fee to MoneySense (owned by Ratehub Inc.) which helps our web site keep free to our customers. It is essential to notice that our editorial content material won’t ever be impacted by these hyperlinks. We’re dedicated to taking a look at all obtainable merchandise out there, and the place a product ranks in our article or whether or not or not it is included within the first place is rarely pushed by compensation. For extra particulars learn our
MoneySense Monetization coverage.