College is a perfect time to begin your credit journey. An early credit history can build your credit score when you show you’re good at repaying your debt. This will help you down the road when you want to lease an apartment or apply for a personal loan for a car, because these lenders will often check your credit report and credit score. You can use a Discover student credit card to build your credit with responsible use. 1
Is a student credit card the right choice? Student credit cards look and function like regular credit cards but with features that make them compatible for students. For example, Discover Card has lower credit limits, no annual fee on any card, and offers credit card rewards geared toward students—like cash back rewards on purchases at restaurants and convenience stores. Plus, with Discover Cashback Match, we’ll automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. There is no limit to how much we’ll match. 2
It only takes a few minutes to apply for a student credit card online. We’ve detailed each step to help guide you through the application process from start to finish.
Just as you might study for a test, it’s a great idea to pull together the required information before you begin your application. Having information at your fingerprints will help you quickly fill out your application.
You’ll need the same information whether you fill out your application online, through the mail, or over the phone:
All this information is required to apply for a Discover ® student credit card. Once you’ve gathered everything, you’re ready to fill out an application.
With no harm to your credit score 3
The information you use in your Discover student credit card application is the same no matter what method you use.
The personal information you provide is how Discover Card will verify your identity, so you need to be accurate, truthful, and double check your entries.
Use your legal name—it should match your name on your government ID.
You can choose between a home or school address. If you can’t reliably receive mail at that address, you can also add a mailing address (P.O. box, school, General Delivery).
Date of birth and Social Security number
Key to verifying your identity are your date of birth and Social Security number (SSN).
Citizenship status
You could be a U.S. citizen by birth or through naturalization. Common documents to prove your citizenship include:
You only need to list your status on a Discover credit card application. But if you come into an issue, you’ll want to have proof of citizenship. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has a complete list of documents (and how to get them) if you need to prove you’re a citizen.
If you’re unsure of your academic year, you can check with your registrar’s office.
Even though your graduation date might change, you can put an estimate in your Discover student credit card application.
Information about your bills and income can be a bit tricky, especially if you’re new to the financial world. Let’s break down the information you need about rent, income, and banking to fill out on your Discover credit card application.
Credit card companies design student credit cards specifically for college students and don't usually require a credit history or credit score to qualify. For instance, there's no credit score required to apply for Discover student credit cards. 4
If you’re wondering what to put for your monthly housing payment, you have a few choices.
You pay your own housing and don’t have roommates: Enter the full amount you pay in rent.
You pay your own housing but share the rent: If you have roommates who pay their own share, then only enter the amount you pay. Example: Enter $500 if your monthly rent is $1,000 total with one other roommate.
You have no housing payment: If you live at home or someone else pays your housing, you can enter “$0”.
Establishing income tells Discover Card you’re financially able to payback your credit card purchases and any fees (interest, balance transfer, cash advance). Your total gross income includes all sources of income you receive.
You may have heard of two pay types for income, gross and net income.
Gross income: If you receive a paycheck from an employer, your gross income (or gross pay) is the amount you’re paid before any deductions. It can be a pretty straightforward number: If you earn $15.00 per hour and work 20 hours in a week, your gross pay is $300.
If you earn tips, you’ll need to add that to your gross pay. Also consider any summer jobs or internships that you expect to earn.
Net income: Your net pay is the final amount of pay you receive after all deductions—like taxes or insurance.
What counts as employment income for Discover ® student credit card application? Your student income can be anything where you receive pay, like a part-time job, summer internship, or even a monthly allowance if it’s put directly into your bank account.
When you have a Discover Card, you keep more in your pocket with no annual fee. So, you have more money to spend where it matters.
Are you wondering, “Can I use household income for a credit card application?” If you’re 21 or older, you can include another person’s income if it’s available to you—like the income of your husband or wife. If you’re under 21, you can only consider the amount of another person’s income that’s regularly deposited into your account, like a stipend or allowance from your parents.
You don’t have to include alimony, child support, or separate maintenance income unless you want it considered as a basis for credit card repayment.
Having a bank account reflects on your creditworthiness. This is particularly important if you don’t have a credit history or credit score. You won’t have to list the amount you have saved, but you’ll want to let your credit card issuer know that you have them.
Checking accounts, including debit accounts, are transactional accounts you can use. Savings accounts are interest-bearing accounts, including IRAs. Savings may also include money market accounts.
Providing contact information is important in case your card issuer needs to contact you about your application or your account if you’re approved.
Phone number: It’s important that the phone number you provide here is reliable—don’t give your home number if you’re not living there to answer it.
Email address: Like your phone number, it’s important to give a dependable email address that you access frequently. Use your school email address that ends in “.edu” to further verify that you’re a student. If you don’t have a school email, you can use a personal email.
Before you submit your application, review the terms and conditions of your credit card agreement. Should you be approved, you’ll be tied to these terms—such as the annual percentage rate (APR), interest rates, and fees for a balance transfer and late payments. You can visit the Discover Card Smarts blog to learn more about these topics, as well as how to manage your first credit card.
Once you’ve gotten to the end of your application, take a moment to review your work. Make sure you:
Once you’ve submitted your application for a Discover student credit card, you can check your approval status online.
You still have card options even if a credit card issuer denies your student card application. A great way to build credit is with a secured credit card.
Secured cards require you to pay a deposit upfront, while student credit cards do not. This deposit acts as collateral that “secures” the card and determines your initial credit limit. For example, with Discover, your credit line will equal your deposit amount, starting at $200. 5
If you use your secured card responsibly and raise your credit score far enough, it can often be upgraded to a regular, unsecured credit card. With the Discover it ® Secured Card, you can get your deposit back after 6 consecutive on-time payments and maintaining good status on all your credit accounts. 6
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