Best Credit Cards For Students Traveling Abroad
Studying abroad is a great way for students to experience another culture and earn college credit while doing it. But it can also be a nerve-racking time, especially if you’re traveling alone for the first time.
You’ll need a credit card that can help you pay for your expenses while you’re abroad without incurring foreign transaction fees. Plus, it should have a decent rewards program and travel benefits to help you save money and stay healthy while you’re away.
1. Discover it(r) Student Chrome
The Discover it(r) Student Chrome is a good choice for students who want to build credit, especially when they’re traveling abroad. It offers generous cash back rewards, a rare feature for starter cards.
The card also provides some helpful tools for managing your spending and rewards. The Spend Analyzer tool helps you see how much money you’ve spent, while the card’s text alerts can help you track your balance.
The Discover it(r) Student Chrome has no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees (although Discover’s acceptance abroad is limited). It also allows you to skip your first late payment.
2. Capital One Journey Student Rewards
The Journey Student Rewards Credit Card from Capital One is a solid starter card for students traveling abroad. It offers 1% cash back on purchases, no penalty APR and no foreign transaction fees.
It also incentivizes good credit habits by offering a bonus 0.25% cash back for on-time payments. It also has a flexible rewards redemption policy that allows you to set your own reward thresholds (e.g., $25, $50, etc.) and redeem your rewards as a statement credit or check.
Journey also offers a unique opportunity to increase your credit line in as little as six months if you make timely payments and stay within 30% of your total balance. It’s a nice feature for borrowers who might otherwise have to call up their bank and request an increase.
3. Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Card
The Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Card is a great option for students who want to earn unlimited travel rewards while building their credit. It offers a simple, flat 1.5 points per dollar on every purchase everywhere, without blackout dates or expiration of points.
It also comes with a strong sign-up bonus: 25,000 online bonus points when you spend $1,000 within the first 90 days of account opening. These points are worth about $250 in travel statement credits.
The card is one of the few travel-specific cards out there, which can make it a good choice for students who often travel abroad. It also doesn’t charge a foreign transaction fee, which can save you money on purchases made outside the United States.
4. Chase Sapphire Preferred(r) Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is a great choice for students traveling abroad because it doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees. It also features smart chip technology and worldwide acceptance.
The card offers a strong sign-up bonus and double points on dining and travel. The card also has a number of other benefits that can make it a valuable permanent addition to your wallet.
The Sapphire Preferred is a fantastic starter credit card for students who want to learn about credit cards and earn points that can be used for travel. It offers a great sign-up bonus, flexible rewards and the option to transfer points from other Ultimate Rewards cards.
5. Petal(r) 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa(r) Credit Card
Petal(r) 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa(r) Credit Card is a great choice for students who want to build credit and earn cash back. It offers a relatively low APR and up to 1.5% cash back on eligible purchases after you make 12 on-time payments.
This card is also excellent for students traveling abroad because it offers no foreign transaction fees, which can cost anywhere from 1% to 3% on other credit cards. In addition, it offers a higher credit line than many starter cards.
The Petal(r) 2 offers a unique application process that can determine your creditworthiness based on things like your income and bill payment history instead of relying solely on your credit report. This process is called Petal’s proprietary “Cash Score.”
