Bank of America Travel Rewards Card for Students: Good Credit Required
The Bottom Line
4.6
It's an OK pick if you can meet the credit requirements. But if that's the case, you can likely already qualify for a better card. And if not, other student credit cards are easier to get.
Rates, fees and offers
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1.5x
Bonus offer
25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.
Intro APR
See Terms
Ongoing APR
APR: See Terms
Cash Advance APR: See Terms
Penalty APR: 29.99%, Variable
Balance transfer fee
3% for 60 days from account opening, then 4%
Foreign transaction fee
None
More details from Bank of America
- Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.
- 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.
- Use your card to book your trip how and where you want - you're not limited to specific websites with blackout dates or restrictions.
- Redeem points for a statement credit to pay for travel or dining purchases, such as flights, hotel stays, car and vacation rentals, baggage fees, and also at restaurants including takeout.
- When handled responsibly, a credit card can help you build your credit history, which could be helpful when looking for an apartment, a car loan, and even a job. Access your FICO® Score for free within Online Banking or your Mobile Banking app.
- Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
- This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
Pros and Cons
Pros
No annual fee.
New cardholder bonus offer.
Intro APR period.
Cons
Requires good/excellent credit.
Best rewards limited to certain customers.
Detailed Review
In theory, the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card for Students offers a lot of value for cards in its class. Students looking for their first credit card might be wowed by the $0 annual fee, the lucrative sign-up bonus, the long 0% introductory annual percentage rate period and the decent rewards for everyday spending.
The problem is, this card requires at least good credit to qualify (FICO scores of 690 or higher), meaning it'll be inaccessible for many students with limited credit history.
If you can already clear that FICO hurdle, you might qualify for any number of better (nonstudent) cards. Alternately, even if you have thin or less-than-ideal credit, plenty of other student credit card options are available, many of which will be easier to qualify for.
The Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card for Students is nearly identical to the nonstudent version of the card, the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card. Both cards require good credit or above. Check out our guide to all four of Bank of America®'s student credit cards.
Click to see the four Bank of America® student cards compared side by side
Card name | Rewards | Sign-up bonus | APR |
|---|---|---|---|
BankAmericard® credit card for Students | None. | None. | 0% Intro APR for 18 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days of opening your account. After the intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that's currently 16.24%-26.24% will apply. |
Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card for Students | Unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases. | $200 online cash rewards bonus after making at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of your account opening. | See Terms. |
Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card for Students |
| 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases. | See Terms. |
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for Students |
| $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening. | See Terms. |
Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card for Students: The basics
Card type: Student.
Annual fee: $0
Sign-up bonus: 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.
Rewards:
1.5 points per $1 spent on purchases.
3 points per $1 spent on eligible travel booked through the Bank of America® Travel Center.
(Cardholders can qualify for the Bank of America Preferred Rewards® program, which adds a multiplier to the everyday 1.5 points per $1 you’d earn. But to qualify, you need at least $20,000 in a qualifying Bank of America® account. For most students, that required account balance will make this benefit unattainable.)
Redemption: Points are worth 1 cent apiece when redeemed for a statement credit against travel or restaurant purchases, or 0.6 cents apiece for cash. There is a minimum redemption of 2,500 points for travel or cash. Points can also be redeemed for gift cards at varying values depending on the retailer.
Interest rate: See Terms.
Foreign transaction fee: None.
Compare to Other Cards
Benefits and Perks
Simple ongoing rewards
Simplicity is a key feature of the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card for Students. You'll earn 1.5 points per $1 spent on nearly all purchases with no cap. That makes this card perfect for students with other things to worry about than bonus categories.
But if you’re an optimizer, you might do better with the Discover it® Student Cash Back, which earns 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in spending per quarter in categories that rotate every three months. (Activation is required; all other purchases earn 1% back.)
Sign-up bonus
The Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card for Students comes with a big sign-up bonus, especially for a student card, and that can help defray any number of costs you might incur while on campus. But remember, many students won’t qualify because of the credit score requirements.
If you’re a student looking to earn a sign-up bonus on a card that will be easier to obtain and help build your credit report, consider the Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card. It offers the same ongoing earnings rate, along with the following sign-up bonus: Earn $50 when you spend $100 in the first three months.
0% intro APR offer
The introductory APR offer on the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card for Students is a stellar promotional period for a travel card, let alone a student card. This might provide some peace of mind to students looking to finance a purchase like textbooks or a new laptop. Just remember, you’ll still have to pay the minimum balance due every month. And if you pay your balance in full each month, you’ll never have to worry about interest charges anyway.
» LEARN: How to avoid credit card interest
No proof of student status required
Though the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card for Students is marketed toward students, it's one of the few student cards that don't require proof of enrollment at a college or university. Other student cards will require more documentation.
Drawbacks and Considerations
Good credit score required
Despite being geared toward students, the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card for Students requires good to excellent credit to qualify. That won’t be possible for many students who are shopping for their first credit card. But don’t worry; other student credit cards have less-stringent credit score requirements. In fact, some such cards — like the Discover it® Student Chrome — may not require an established credit history at all.
Other cards have better earning potential
For qualifying students who want a no-hassle entry into earning credit card rewards, the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card for Students will work fine. But for optimizers who are OK with managing their card, there may be better options. For example, the Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card offers an uncapped 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, streaming services and grocery purchases, along with the following sign-up bonus: Earn $50 when you spend $100 in the first three months. And this card will be easier to qualify for than the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card for Students.
How To Decide If It's Right For You
The Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card for Students would be competitive with other student cards if the requirements for approval were similar. But because of the card's credit score criteria, students without an established credit history will want to look elsewhere. And if you do have the credit history to qualify for this card, you can likely find one with a better sign-up bonus and ongoing rewards.
This $0-annual-fee card requires at least fair credit (FICO scores starting at 630), so it may be easier to qualify for. It earns 3% cash back on dining, entertainment and eligible streaming services and at grocery stores. Other purchases earn 1% back.
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Methodology
NerdWallet reviews credit cards with an eye toward both the quantitative and qualitative features of a card. Quantitative features are those that boil down to dollars and cents, such as fees, interest rates, rewards (including earning rates and redemption values) and the cash value of benefits and perks. Qualitative factors are those that affect how easy or difficult it is for a typical cardholder to get good value from the card. They include such things as the ease of application, simplicity of the rewards structure, the likelihood of using certain features, and whether a card is well-suited to everyday use or is best reserved for specific purchases. Our star ratings serve as a general gauge of how each card compares with others in its class, but star ratings are intended to be just one consideration when a consumer is choosing a credit card. Learn how NerdWallet rates credit cards.
