Student Cards with Cash Bonuses

[Update: Some offers mentioned below have expired. For current terms and conditions, please see card agreements. Disclosure: Cards from our partners are mentioned below.]

As one who reviews a lot of credit cards each month, I know how time consuming it can be to sift through terms and conditions in search of the right card. For busy college students, this is time that could be better spent elsewhere. Here, I’ve listed out some student credit cards that are offering cash bonuses to new cardholders, along with few blurbs about each. If you’re interested in a card, just click on the title and my detailed review will show up.

All of these cards require a good-to-excellent-credit score. So you’ll need a FICO score of at least 700. The two Citi cards don’t allow co-signers, but the Discover card will consider it.

Citi Dividend Platinum Select Card for College Students – $50 Cash Back

Rating: 5 stars

This card offers a winning combination of cash back rewards and a zero percent introductory APR on purchases for seven months. Plus, you get a $50 cash back bonus after you spend $150 within the first three months of opening your account. There’s no annual fee.

Recommended for: Students who can qualify for a credit card without a co-signer. You also need to be pretty organized so you can remember to sign up for the rotating category rewards. This is also a good card if you’re inexperienced with paying bills. The seven-month intro APR gives you a chance to get used to paying your bills on time.

Citi Forward Card for College Students – $75 Statement Credit

Rating: 4.5 stars

This card wants to reward you for being good. Pay your bills on time and stay under your credit limit and you can earn up to a 2 percent APR reduction. Plus, you get a $75 statement credit if you spend $150 on eligible back-to-school expenses within the first three months of opening your account. There’s no annual fee.

Recommended for: Students who don’t need a co-signer. This is a good rewards card for students who spend a lot on entertainment, such as restaurants, movies and books. It’s also a good choice for students who pay their bills responsibly and who can take advantage of the APR reduction.

Discover Student Card with $25 Cash Back Bonus

Rating: 5 stars

With this card, after your very first purchase, you’ll get a $25 Cashback Bonus. You get cash back on everyday purchases and up to 5 percent cash back on popular rotating categories.

Recommended for: Students who might need a co-signer to qualify for a credit card. This card has rotating categories so you’ll have to remember to sign up for the rewards on a quarterly basis. The six-month intro APR makes it a good choice if you have limited experience with credit. The intro period gives you a chance to get into the habit of paying your bills on time.

At publishing time, Citi Dividend Platinum Select Card for College Students – $50 Cash Back, Citi Forward Card for College Students – $75 Statement Credit and Discover Student Card with $25 Cash Back Bonus are offered on Credit.com product pages and Credit.com may be compensated if our users apply for and ultimately sign up for these cards. However, this relationship does not result in any preferential editorial treatment.

Image: Great Degree, via Flickr.com