Discover it® Student Chrome review: Earn cash back on gas and dining while you build credit
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BLUEPRINT
Updated 10:19 a.m. UTC June 20, 2024
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The Discover it® Student Chrome offers 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter and 1% cash back on all other purchases. In addition, Discover will automatically match all the cash back earned at the end of the first cardmember year.
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Discover it® Student Chrome
Discover it® Student Chrome basics
- Annual fee: $0.
- Welcome bonus: Discover will automatically match all the cash back earned at the end of the first cardmember year.
- Rewards: 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- APR: 0% intro APR on purchases and 10.99% intro APR on balance transfers for 6 months, then a variable APR of 18.24% to 27.24% applies. There's a 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms).
- Balance transfer fee: 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*.
- Other perks and benefits: No penalty fee for your first late payment; free access to your FICO Score; alerts in case your Social Security number is found on the dark web (activation required).
- Does the issuer offer a preapproval tool? Yes.
- Recommended credit score: No credit score required to apply.
About the Discover it® Student Chrome
The Discover it® Student Chrome offers a range of features designed specifically for students, making it a solid choice for those who are new to using credit. The no-annual-fee card provides 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter and 1% cash back on all other purchases. Students who commute and/or frequently dine out are unlikely to have trouble maxing out their rewards in these categories.
However, the lackluster rewards rate on all other purchases puts the Discover it® Student Chrome behind some other student cards with better earnings potential, such as the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for Students * The information for the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for Students has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. (more on that later).
Rewards never expire and can be redeemed in various ways, including as statement credits, direct deposits and gift cards, giving students flexibility in how they use their cash back. In lieu of a traditional welcome bonus, Discover will automatically match all the cash back earned at the end of the first cardmember year.
The Discover it® Student Chrome card also provides resources to help students track and manage their expenses. Online account tools allow users to monitor their spending, establish payment reminders and access their FICO credit score. Such features can help students develop responsible financial habits and stay on top of their credit health.
And the card reports credit activity to all three major consumer credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — which can help you build a positive credit history as long as you follow best practices for building credit such as keeping your utilization low and paying on time.
Finally, if you’re anticipating a large expenditure in the near future, the intro APR period on new purchases can be helpful. Cardholders receive a 0% intro APR on purchases and 10.99% intro APR on balance transfers for 6 months, then a variable APR of 18.24% to 27.24% applies. There's a 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms).
Just make sure you have a plan to pay your card in full before the intro period ends, otherwise you’ll start incurring interest charges at the card’s regular APR on any remaining balance. And know that even during the intro period, you must make at least the minimum monthly payment.
Pros
- No annual fee: Students who are living on a tight budget or who don’t want to worry about extra fees eating into their rewards will appreciate that this card costs $0 a year to hold.
- Bonus rewards on gas and restaurant purchases: Students who commute or dine out frequently are sure to enjoy earning an elevated cash-back rate at gas stations and restaurants. Don’t worry if you don’t drive — snacks and other items purchased inside the station count too.
- First year welcome offer: Discover will automatically match all the cash back earned at the end of the first cardmember year, a feature you won’t find on student credit cards from other issuers.
- No penalty fee for your first late payment: A welcome perk for those who are new to credit and could accidentally miss a due date. However, be sure to pay on time and not abuse this feature, because on-time payment history is the most important factor in building and maintaining a good credit score.
- Introductory APR offer: The 0% intro APR on purchases and 10.99% intro APR on balance transfers for 6 months, then a variable APR of 18.24% to 27.24% applies. There's a 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms) means plenty of time to pay for pricey textbooks and other school supplies you might need to finance at the start of a new term. Just make sure to do the math so you know how much you need to pay each month to zero out your balance before the promo expires.
Cons
- Cap on bonus cash back: The elevated cash-back rate at gas stations and restaurants comes with a cap on combined quarterly purchases per quarter.
- Low base rewards rate: Spending outside the bonus categories earns a lackluster base cash-back rate. That said, with a student credit card, your focus should be more on building positive credit history than racking up lots of rewards.
- No 0% intro APR offer for balance transfers: While this card does come with an offer of a reduced APR on balance transfers, it’s not a 0% offer. That’s unlikely to entice cardholders to move over any existing debt over to the Discover it® Student Chrome.
Rewards
You’ll earn 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter and 1% cash back on all other purchases. Rather than a traditional welcome offer, such as a cash bonus when you spend a certain amount in your first few months as a cardholder, Discover will automatically match all the cash back earned at the end of the first cardmember year.
Using government data and other publicly available information, we estimate that a consumer in the U.S. who would be in the market for this card has $12,544 in expenses they are likely to be able to charge to a credit card annually. Here’s what we estimate you could earn in cash back on such spending when using the Discover it® Student Chrome credit card:
| SPENDING CATEGORY | SPENDING AMOUNT | CASH-BACK RATE | CASH BACK EARNED |
|---|---|---|---|
Dining
| $1,763
| 2%
| $35.26
|
Gas
| $1,505
| 2%
| $30.10
|
Other
| $9,276
| 1%
| $92.76
|
TOTAL
| $12,544
| $158.12
|
The cardholder in this example earns a grand total of $158.12 in cash back annually, which comes out to a net $316.24 after factoring in the cash-back match Discover offers your first year.
Cash back earned with the Discover it® Student Chrome never expires and can be redeemed in any amount at any time. You can apply it to your card balance as a statement credit, have it deposited to an eligible checking or savings account, or use it when shopping at select merchants (including Amazon) or making a charitable donation to certain charities.
You also have the opportunity to use your cash back for gift cards from various retailers. Note that you’ll need a minimum of $5 in rewards to use this redemption option.
APR
With the Discover it® Student Chrome, new cardholders receive a 0% intro APR on purchases and 10.99% intro APR on balance transfers for 6 months, then a variable APR of 18.24% to 27.24% applies. There's a 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms).
There’s a 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*.
How the Discover it® Student Chrome compares to other student cards
Discover it® Student Chrome vs. Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for Students * The information for the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for Students has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Another no-annual-fee card, the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for Students * The information for the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for Students has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. provides additional earnings potential for those who don’t mind tracking their top spending categories. It offers 3% cash back in the category of your choice and 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (on up to $2,500 in the 3% and 2% cash back categories combined each quarter) and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
This flexible cash-back program allows you to tailor your rewards based on changing spending habits, since you can switch your elevated cash back category choice up to once a month.
While the elevated earning rates are subject to a quarterly spending cap, those who max out their spending in those categories can still earn more cash back each year with this card than with the Discover it® Student Chrome. It’s possible Discover’s unlimited cash-back match could give the Discover it® Student Chrome a slight edge in the first year, but it depends on your spending patterns and how much you spend on your credit card.
The main drawback with the Bank of America Customized Cash for Students is that the category tracking might be too cumbersome for someone new to using credit cards.
Discover it® Student Chrome vs. Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card * The information for the Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
If you’d rather not deal with quarterly spending caps — or if you worry you’ll forget to opt in to different spending categories — the Capital One SavorOne Rewards for Students, which also charges no annual fee, is a good student credit card to consider.
The SavorOne for Students earns 10% cash back on Uber & Uber Eats through 11/14/2024, 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target), 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
That said, the SavorOne Student card’s welcome offer is likely to be much less lucrative than the Discover it® Student Chrome’s offer. Cardholders earn a one-time $50 cash bonus after spending $100 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
Discover it® Student Chrome vs. Discover it® Secured Credit Card
If you’ve had past credit mishaps or just need to work on establishing solid credit history, a no-annual-fee secured card like the Discover it® Secured Credit Card can be a way forward.
You’ll earn rewards with this card, too — 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Plus, you’ll enjoy the same welcome offer as with the Discover it Student Chrome: Discover will automatically match all the cash back earned at the end of the first cardmember year.
There’s a required upfront security deposit of at least $200 that determines your credit limit. Discover conducts monthly account reviews, starting after seven months, to see if you’re eligible to get your deposit back.
While some consumers may find the security deposit requirement off-putting, secured cards are one of the best options for folks with poor credit scores seeking to repair their credit.
Plus, unlike the other cards featured in this review, you can apply for the Discover it® Secured Credit Card whether or not you’re a college student.
Should you get the Discover it® Student Chrome?
If you’re looking for simple, easy-to-redeem rewards and you want to build credit history while you’re at it, this card delivers. There are no categories to opt in to, no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, so you can take the card with you on study abroad trips without worrying about paying extra every time you swipe it. Access to your FICO score and other financial tools means you can stay on top of your credit and set yourself up for success post-graduation.
That said, if you’re looking to earn the highest rewards possible, you’ll want to look elsewhere. For example, the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for Students * The information for the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for Students has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. also offers the chance to build credit and educate yourself on personal finance but provides a higher cash-back rate in a spending category of your choice (from a list of eligible categories).
Discover it® Student Chrome summary
| DISCOVER IT® STUDENT CHROME CREDIT CARD DETAILS | |
|---|---|
Annual fee
| $0
|
Rewards
| 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter and 1% cash back on all other purchases
|
Welcome bonus
| Discover will automatically match all the cash back earned at the end of the first cardmember year
|
APR
| 0% intro APR on purchases and 10.99% intro APR on balance transfers for 6 months, then a variable APR of 18.24% to 27.24% applies. There's a 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)
|
Balance transfer fee
| 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*
|
Foreign transaction fees
| None
|
Key benefits
| No penalty fee for your first late payment; access to your FICO Score; alerts in case your Social Security number is found on the dark web (activation required); prevent new purchases with the Freeze it® feature if you misplace your card
|
Methodology
Our credit cards team has spent hours analyzing hundreds of credit cards. We took a deep dive into the details of each product and that analysis, combined with our years of experience covering credit cards, informed us as we developed these credit card rankings. Factors we considered when we developed our rankings included:
- Annual fees.
- Any other fees, like account opening fees, monthly maintenance fees or credit limit request fees.
- If the card earned any rewards and/or a welcome bonus.
- If the card requires a security deposit.
- If the card requires a credit score to apply.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
All approved applicants will be assigned a starting credit limit of at least $500.
Yes, no credit score is required to apply. Although according to the issuer, you must meet other applicable underwriting criteria. During the application process, Discover will ask for your income and some other basic information and use that to make their decision on approval.
While there is no minimum income requirement, applicants must prove they can independently pay back their debt to get approved for this card without a cosigner.
Student cards usually allow for more flexibility in their applicant qualifications, which means that nontraditional sources of income — such as money from a grant or scholarship, or even ongoing financial support a student receives from their parents — may count as income.
The minimum payment on the Discover it® Student Chrome card is based on a certain percentage of the cardholder’s account balance and will fluctuate from month to month based on card usage.
Also, note that it’s better to pay your card off in full rather than only making the minimum monthly payment. When you’re not in a 0% intro APR period, paying just the minimum payment means you’ll incur interest charges on the balance rolled over.
However, by paying your card off in full every month, you can typically avoid interest charges due to something called your credit card’s grace period.
This card earns 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
*The information for the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for Students and Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy. The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.
