The best student credit cards – May 2026

These credit cards are designed for students. They offer attractive rewards while helping you build your credit history.

Here is a table summarizing the different offers. For more details, continue reading or click on the name of a credit card.

Rogers Red Mastercard

The Rogers Red Mastercard is one of the best no-annual-fee credit cards in Canada, especially for Rogers, Fido, Comwave, or Shaw customers.

With the Rogers Red Mastercard, and by having at least one eligible service with Rogers, Fido, Comwave, or Shaw, you can earn 2% cash back on all your eligible purchases.

Additionally, you get 1.5 times more cash back every time you redeem for eligible Rogers, Fido, Comwave or Shaw purchases, which represents cash back valued at 3%.

Furthermore, as a Rogers Red Mastercard holder, you will get access to Roam Like Home for 5 days free, every year, for eligible Rogers mobile plans.

If you are not a Rogers, Fido, Comwave, or Shaw customer, you will get 2% cash back on your eligible purchases in U.S. dollars and 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.

CIBC Dividend® Visa* Card for Students

The CIBC Dividend^® Visa* Card for Students is one of the best Visa credit cards for students with cash back in Canada. Apply for the card and get up to $150 cash back.

With this CIBC Student Credit Card, you get:

2% cash back on eligible grocery purchases^†
1% cash back on eligible gas, electric vehicle charging, transportation, and dining purchases and on eligible recurring payments^†
0.5% cash back on all other purchases^†

What’s more, with this CIBC Student Credit Card, you benefit from a free free membership to SPC, for instant savings on over 450 in-store and online transactions.

And this CIBC Student Credit Card offers some insurance coverages:

Purchase Security and Extended Protection Insurance

KOHO Prepaid Mastercard® Essential Plan

Special Offer:

Enter the code MILESOPEDIA when you apply for your card
Get $20 when you open a KOHO account and make your first purchase within 30 days of signing up.

The features of the KOHO Prepaid Mastercard with the Essential Plan are as follows:

Earn 1% cash back on on groceries, eating & drinking, and transportation
Accepted at Costco
Get 2% interest on your spending and savings account. Your funds will also be eligible for CDIC insurance. Interest rates are annual, calculated daily, paid monthly and may be changed at any time without notice.
Automate your savings with Goals and RoundUps. Rounding off every purchase allows you to set aside savings, while goals make it easier to save for the things that make you happy.
Lock in savings with Vault that keeps the funds you don’t want to spend separate from your spendable balance
Create custom budgets and track your spending habits. Know where you’re at in real time with instant notifications every time you spend.
Strengthen your credit rating with our 6-month Credit Enhancement Program for only $10/month
Get access to a cash advance of up to $250 at 0% interest with KOHO Cover

CIBC Aventura® Visa* Card for Students

CIBC Aventura Visa* Card for Students is one of the best travel rewards Visa student credit cards in Canada.

Get up to 10,000 Aventura Points (up to $100 in travel value^†):

2,500 Aventura Points when you complete all five activities within 60 days of your CIBC Aventura^® Visa* account approval.^†
7,500 Aventura Points after you make your first purchase within first 4 months.^†

With this CIBC Aventura Student Credit Card, you get:

1 point for every $1 spent on travel purchased through the CIBC Rewards Centre^†
1 point for every dollar spent at gas stations, electric vehicle charging stations, and eligible grocery and drug stores^†
1 point per $2 spent on all other ^purchases†

What’s more, with this CIBC Student Credit Card, you benefit from a free free membership to SPC, for instant savings on over 450 in-store and online transactions. And this CIBC Student Credit Card offers some insurance coverage:

$100,000 Common Carrier Accident Insurance
Purchase Security and Extended Protection Insurance

Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card

The Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card has no annual fee and offers cash back.

With this limited-time welcome offer, you can earn an additional 10% cash back (up to $100) when you spend up to $1,000 on everyday purchases during the first 2 months.

You can choose two to three purchase categories that interest you (groceries, gas, home furnishings, renovations, recurring bills, pharmacy, etc.) to earn 2% cash back ! And there’s no annual cash-back limit. It is one of the best credit cards for renovations.

In addition, the Tangerine Mastercard offers several insurance coverages for your purchases :

90 days purchase insurance
One year extended warranty

Finally, during the first 30 days you hold the card, transfer credit card balances and pay only 1.95% interest on these balances for the first 6 months.

BMO eclipse rise Visa* Card

The new BMO eclipse rise Visa* Card is a no-annual-fee credit card with travel points, requiring no minimum income.

With this offer, you can earn up to 25,000 points as a welcome bonus:

20,000 points after $1,500 in purchases in the first 3 months
2,500 points when you redeem 12,000 points with the Pay with Points option over a 12-month period
2,500 points when you pay the balance on time for 12 months

What’s more, you can benefit from an interest rate of 0.99% on balance transfers for nine months (a 2% balance transfer fee applies).

With the new BMO eclipse rise Visa* Card, you earn :

5 points for every two dollars spent on recurring bill payments
5 points for every two dollars spent at the grocery store
5 points for every two dollars spent at restaurant and for takeaway
1 point per two dollars of purchases for all other purchase categories

You can use BMO Rewards points for all travel purchases made through the agency or website of your choice (plane tickets, hotels, rental cars, all-inclusive packages, Airbnb, etc.) or for rewards and gift cards on the BMO Rewards platform.

The new BMO eclipse rise Visa* Card also offers:

Mobile Device Insurance
Purchase Protection
Extended warranty insurance

Finally, enjoy three months of Instacart+ membership and a $5 monthly Instacart credit when you sign up with your eligible BMO credit card.

SimplyCash® Card from American Express

Are you looking for a cash back credit card with no annual fee and an excellent cash back rate for your everyday purchases? Here is an option for you: the SimplyCash^® Card from American Express.

With this no-annual-fee credit card, you earn:

2% cash back on gas purchases
2% cash back on grocery purchases
1.25% cash back on all other purchases

And with this welcome offer, you can earn 5% cash back on all your purchases (up to $2,000 in purchases) during the first 3 months (which is up to $100 in statement credits).

You benefit from several types of insurance : $100,000 travel accident, Purchase Protection, Purchase Security.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.

American Express® Green Card

Do you want a cash back credit card with no annual fee that earns travel points? Here’s an option for you: American Express^® Green Card.

By signing up for the American Express^® Green Card, you can earn 10,000 Membership Rewards Welcome Bonus Points when you charge $1,000 in purchases to your Card in the first 3 months of Cardmembership. This is a $100 value for travel or any purchase on the Card.

You can also transfer your points to airline partners (Aeroplan, British Airways Executive Club, Flying Blue, etc.) and hotel partners (Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors).

For example, with this welcome offer, if you decide to transfer your Membership Rewards points to a partner loyalty program, you would have the choice of earning:

10,000 Aeroplan points
10,000 Avios points
10,000 Flying Blue Miles
12,000 Marriott Bonvoy points

That’s a nice welcome bonus for a credit card with no annual fee.

You’ll also have access to online promotional offers to earn points or rebates on your purchases with this no annual fee credit card.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.

TD® Aeroplan® Visa Platinum* Credit Card

With the TD^® Aeroplan^® Visa Platinum* Card, you can earn up to 20,000 Aeroplan points and get a first-year annual fee rebate:

10,000 Aeroplan points for the first purchase made with your card^†
10,000 additional Aeroplan points when you spend $1,500 within the first 90 days of opening your account^†
First-year annual fee waived for primary cardholder (instead of $89)^†.
To receive the first-year annual fee rebate, you must activate your Card and make your first Purchase on the Account within the first 3 months after Account opening and you must add your Additional Cardholders while the offer is in effect.

With the TD^® Aeroplan^® Visa Platinum* Credit Card, you earn 1 point per dollar spent on eligible purchases for:

Grocery stores
Eligible purchases of gas or electric vehicle charging
Air Canada purchases, including Air Canada Vacations

This TD Aeroplan credit card requires no minimum income.

Frequent Asked Questions about credit cards

Here are some frequently asked questions in the milesopedia community about credit cards in Canada.

What is the best student credit card in Canada?

There are several good student credit cards in Canada, including:

What is the best prepaid card for students in Canada?

The best student prepaid card in Canada is the KOHO Mastercard Prepaid Card. Read our review of the KOHO Mastercard Prepaid Card.

How to choose a student credit card in Canada?

When choosing a student credit card in Canada, it is important to consider several factors to find a card that best suits your needs and financial situation. Here are a few steps to help you choose the best student credit card:

Check your eligibility: Before applying for a credit card, check whether you are eligible. Banks and credit card issuers may require you to be a certain age, have a minimum income, or have full-time student status.
Compare offers: Compare offers from different banks and credit card issuers to find the card that best suits your needs. Check interest rates, annual fees, rewards programs, and the benefits offered by each card.
Check rewards programs: Rewards programs are additional perks that may be offered with a credit card. Look for rewards programs that match your spending habits, such as cash back on grocery purchases or points for travel.
Check interest rates: Interest rates can vary significantly from one card to another. Look for cards with reasonable interest rates and avoid cards with high interest rates, which can be difficult to pay off.
Check fees: Some credit cards have annual fees or hidden fees. Review the fees associated with each card and make sure they are reasonable.
Check credit limits: Credit limits can vary from one card to another. Make sure the card you choose has a credit limit that matches your spending habits.

Ultimately, it is important to choose a credit card that suits your needs and financial situation. Before applying for a credit card, take the time to compare the different options available and choose the one that best matches your spending habits and financial goals.

Also, if you are a student and shop at Costco with other students, it may be useful to have a credit card that earns rewards. See the page for the best Costco credit card offers.

What is the minimum age to get a credit card as a student in Canada?

The minimum age depends on the province of residence. In Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, PEI, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon, you must be at least 18 years old. In Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nova Scotia, you must be 19. Several student-focused cards — including the CIBC Dividend Visa Card for Students, the CIBC Aventura Visa Card for Students, and the BMO CashBack Mastercard for Students — will accept applications the moment you reach the legal age in your province. Some issuers may also ask for a co-signer if you have no credit history at all.

Do I need an income to apply for a student credit card?

Most Canadian student credit cards do not require a minimum personal income, which is exactly what makes them ideal for first cards. The BMO eclipse rise Visa, the CIBC Dividend Visa for Students, the RBC ION Visa, the SimplyCash Card from American Express, and the American Express Green Card all approve applicants with no minimum income. You will, however, need to declare some form of income or financial support — part-time job, scholarship, parental contribution, student loans — so the issuer can set a sensible credit limit (usually $500 to $2,500 to start). Premium cards and Visa Infinite products still require $60,000 personal income.

What documents do I need to apply for a Canadian student credit card?

Have these ready before you click apply: a valid government-issued photo ID (driver’s licence, passport or provincial ID), your Social Insurance Number (SIN), proof of Canadian residency (lease, utility bill or property tax statement), proof of student enrolment (most issuers ask for it for student-branded cards — transcript, schedule or student card photo), and banking details for pre-authorized payment. International students will also need their study permit and, in many cases, a Canadian bank account already opened. Online applications take 5-10 minutes, and decisions are usually instant; cards typically arrive in 7-10 business days.

Should I choose a prepaid card or a credit card to build my credit?

Only a real credit card builds credit history. Prepaid cards like the KOHO Prepaid Mastercard are excellent for budgeting, avoiding overdraft fees, and earning cash back without debt risk — but they do not report to Equifax or TransUnion, so they will not help you qualify for a mortgage, car loan or premium card later. To build credit from scratch, choose a no-fee starter card such as the RBC ION Visa, the CIBC Dividend Visa for Students, or the American Express Green Card, then pay the balance in full every month. After 12-18 months of clean history, you can graduate to premium products like the Amex Cobalt or the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +. KOHO is best used alongside, not instead of, a credit card.