College students looking for a simple cashback card and the ability to try Amazon Prime Student can benefit from the Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students. The cashback program is straightforward — no rotating categories or activation required, simply earn 1% unlimited cash back on all purchases.
Plus, this card has a great Amazon Prime Student subscription offer that will pay for your membership for a year. And finally, it’s a great choice for international students studying in the United States, because it doesn’t require a Social Security number (SSN) to apply. However, it won’t build credit history without an SSN linked to the account.
Intro Purchase APR
N/A
Regular Purchase APR
23.24% Variable
Intro BT APR
N/A
Regular BT APR
N/A (Balance Transfers are not available)
Annual Fee
$0
Cash Advance Fee
N/A (Cash Advances are not available)
Foreign Transaction Fee
None
Balance Transfer Fee
N/A (Balance Transfers are not available)
Earn rewards on every purchase
The Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students earns 1% unlimited cash back on all purchases, which is decent for a student card. The cash back you earn is automatically redeemed for a statement credit in increments of $25. Plus, cash back doesn’t expire while your account is open.
Apply without an SSN
If you’re an international student studying at a university in the U.S., and you need a credit card that doesn’t require an SSN to apply, the Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students is a good option. Just know that while you’ll be able to use the card to make purchases, you won’t be building credit history unless you get an SSN and add it to your Deserve account.
Amazon Prime Student credit
As long as your account is in good standing, you may be reimbursed for an Amazon Prime Student subscription — with a maximum lifetime total of $59. This is a great perk that can allow you to enjoy the wide range of benefits Amazon Prime provides such as free two-day shipping, video and music streaming and more.
annual fee
It’s always a positive when a credit card charges a $0 annual fee, especially for college students who are likely on a tight budget.
Foreign transaction fee: None
Many other cards charge a 3% fee on transactions made abroad, but the Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students does not. Whether you’re a student from the U.S. traveling for a study abroad trip or an international student in the U.S. going back to visit family, this is a good card to carry with you.
Rewards rate is subpar
While rewards shouldn’t be your focus with a student card and it’s great to be earning any rewards, the 1% unlimited cash back on all purchases this card offers isn’t the highest rate in the student card market. You can find student cards that offer higher rates in select categories or other flat-rate cards that reward on-time payments.
Won't build credit without an SSN
This card allows international students to apply without an SSN. However, you won’t build credit history or establish a credit score until you’ve got an SSN linked — and building credit is important in case you might need to apply for other financial products in the future, such as an auto loan.
Doesn't report to Equifax
If you’ve got an SSN linked to your Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students account, your payment history and credit utilization will be reported to two of the three credit bureaus — Experian and TransUnion. This card doesn’t report to Equifax, unlike many other credit cards which report to all three bureaus.
No intro 0% APR offers
Some credit cards offer intro 0% APR periods where you can pay off a purchase over a period of months without incurring interest charges, or get an interest-free window of time after you move debt over from another card with a balance transfer. The Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students doesn’t do that, however, so be aware that the regular APR is 23.24% variable.
If you’re a student looking for a card that allows you to earn high cashback rates in select categories, check out the Discover it® Student Cash Back.
The Discover it® Student Cash Back lets you earn 5% cash back at different places each quarter up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically.
This is great if you want to utilize the bonus categories, and since they rotate each quarter, there’s a good chance at least one category may suit your spending.
Looking at the rewards offered by the Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students, they’re pretty basic — 1% unlimited cash back on all purchases, but may be more beneficial if you don’t want to deal with the activation required to get a high cashback rate on certain spending categories with the Discover it® Student Cash Back.
If you plan on purchasing school supplies and textbooks, the Discover it® Student Cash Back’s intro APR of 0% Intro APR for 6 months on purchases (after, 17.49% - 26.49% Variable APR *Rates as of December 12, 2024) may come in handy. In comparison, the Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students lacks an intro 0% period.
| Credit Cards | Our Ratings | Welcome Offer | Rewards Rate | Recommended Credit Credit scores ranges may vary. Your individual chance at approval may vary due to factors such as creditors using a particular variation at their discretion | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students*
|
N/A | up to $69 in statement credits for Amazon Prime Student when you use your card to sign up for a subscription | 1% unlimited cash back on ALL purchases | Limited / Good / Excellent | |
|
Discover it® Student Cash Back*
|
Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! So you could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or turn $100 cash back into $200. There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match. | Earn 5% cash back at different places each quarter up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically | Limited / Fair | ||
Chase Freedom® Student credit card*
|
N/A | $50 bonus after first purchase made within the first 3 months from account opening | Earn 1% cash back on all purchases plus $20 Good Standing Rewards after each account anniversary for up to 5 years | Good / Excellent | |
Jasper Cash Back Mastercard®*
Learn More
on Jasper's secure site |
N/A | N/A | Get up to 6% cash back by referring friends! Start with 1% and get an extra 1% for a full year for every friend you bring on board | Limited / Poor / Fair / Good / Excellent |
Learn More
on Jasper's secure site |
Assuming your card is reporting to the credit bureaus, there are a couple key factors that will help you build a great credit score:
With its Amazon Prime Student subscription offer and a decent cashback rate, the Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students is a good choice for students who are beginning their credit journey. It’s also a solid option for international students at U.S. universities who need a credit card but may not qualify for other student cards that require an SSN.
The information related to the Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students, Discover it® Student Cash Back, Chase Freedom® Student credit card and Jasper Cash Back Mastercard® has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.
The content above is not provided by any issuer. Any opinions expressed are those of LendingTree alone and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any issuer. The offers and/or promotions mentioned above may have changed, expired, or are no longer available. Check the issuer's website for more details.
