Capital One Journey Student Card Review: No Longer Available; Still Great for Current Cardholders
The Bottom Line
4.7
This card offers simple flat-rate rewards, with a bonus for paying on time. You don’t even have to be a student to apply, so consider it if you have average credit.
Rates, fees and offers
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1%-5%
Bonus offer
None
Intro APR
N/A
Ongoing APR
APR: 29.99% Variable APR
Cash Advance APR: 29.99%, Variable
Balance transfer fee
$0 at this Transfer APR
Foreign transaction fee
0%
More details from Capital One
- Earn 1% cash back on all your purchases. Pay on time to boost your cash back to a total of 1.25% for that month
- Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
- Enjoy no annual fee, foreign transaction fees, or hidden fees
- Lock your card in the Capital One Mobile app if it's misplaced, lost or stolen
- Earn up to $500 a year by referring friends and family when they're approved for a Capital One credit card
- Pick the monthly due date that works best for you
- Pay for Amazon.com purchases using your Capital One rewards
- Pay for online purchases with virtual card numbers and keep your actual card number to yourself
- Get notified via text, email, and phone if Capital One notices potential suspicious transactions on your account
- Build your credit with responsible card use
Pros and Cons
Pros
No annual fee
Qualify with average credit
Reports to the three major credit bureaus
No foreign transaction fees
Earns rewards
Cons
High APR
Detailed Review
» This page is out of date
The Journey Student Rewards from Capital One is no longer on the market.
With the Journey Student Rewards from Capital One, you can build credit as a college student while earning cash back — no spending acrobatics required. Boasting rewards for paying on time, this card makes it easy to establish good habits early on. Here’s what you should know before applying.
Click to see a side-by-side comparison of Capital One's student credit cards
Empty Table Header | Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card | Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
Rewards |
|
|
Annual fee | $0 (see rates and fees). | $0 (see rates and fees). |
APR | The ongoing APR is 19.49%-29.49% Variable APR. | The ongoing APR is 19.49%-29.49% Variable APR. |
Sign-up bonus | Earn $50 when you spend $100 in the first three months. | Earn $50 when you spend $100 in the first three months. |
Foreign transaction fee | $0. | $0. |
Student status required | Yes. | Yes. |
Journey Student Rewards from Capital One: Basics
Card type: College student.
Annual fee: $0.
Bonus: None.
Rewards: You’ll earn 1% cash back on all purchases, plus a 0.25% bonus every month you pay on time. That adds up to 1.25% in cash back. Also earn an unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
APR: The ongoing APR is 29.99% Variable APR.
Foreign transaction fee: None.
Other perks:
Payments reported to three major credit bureaus (TransUnion, Equifax and Experian), which helps you build credit.
Unlimited access to your credit score through the CreditWise tool.
Virtual card numbers from Eno, Capital One’s assistant, can be used to pay for online purchases to keep your card number secure.
A card-lock feature keeps your card safe if it is misplaced, lost or stolen.
Travel and retail benefits such as travel accident insurance, auto rental collision damage coverage, 24-hour travel assistance and extended warranty protection. (Benefits may change over time.)
Compare to Other Cards
Benefits and Perks
The Journey Student Rewards from Capital One requires you to have at least average credit to qualify. If you can meet that requirement, it's worth considering this card. Here's why it might be a good fit:
A potential credit line increase
If you make your payments on time, you can be automatically considered for a credit limit increase in as little as six months. Gaining more available credit may also give your credit score a boost, assuming you continue to only use a small amount of it.
A rewards boost for on-time payments
The card's baseline rewards rate is 1% cash back on all purchases, but you can earn an additional 0.25% (for a total of 1.25%) cash back in each billing cycle if your account is not past due on the last day of that cycle. That's below the industry-standard flat rate of 1.5% back, but it's still decent for a student card. If you're the type of person who always turns things in on time, from assignments to bills, this deal can help you save even more. On top of that, you can earn 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, the issuer's online travel-booking portal.
A credit monitoring tool
You can track your credit score with CreditWise, a free app from Capital One available for iPhone and Android devices. You’ll get unlimited access to your credit score, and you'll be notified of changes to your credit report and potential threats to your personal information. The tool alerts you when your Social Security number is used with a new name or address. It also scans the dark web and alerts you if it finds your Social Security number or email address there.
No foreign transaction fees
Want to travel abroad for a semester? With the Journey Student Rewards from Capital One on hand, you won't incur expensive fees tacked onto each purchase. You could save a few dollars for each transaction this way — which, over the course of a few months, could add up to hundreds. As a Visa, the card is also widely accepted abroad.
Travel and retail benefits
With 24-hour travel assistance services, you can get your card replaced if it’s lost or stolen. And the travel accident insurance covers a loss when you use your credit card to purchase your fare. You can also stress less about a rental car being stolen or damaged because the auto rental collision coverage may reimburse you if that happens. (Terms apply. Benefits may change over time.)
Drawbacks and Considerations
The Journey Student Rewards from Capital One might not be the best card for all students. If you have better-than-average-credit or if the card isn't a match for your spending, consider other options.
Here are a few reasons why you might consider a different credit card:
Low rewards rates
The Discover it® Student Cash Back, for example, earns 5% cash back in rotating categories on up to $1,500 in quarterly purchases (activation required; all other purchases earn 1% back). The card also comes with free FICO scores, security alerts and no foreign transaction fees. Discover notes that there's no FICO history requirement for this card. It has a $0 annual fee.
Traditional credit requirements
If you lack a U.S. credit history, a Social Security number or both, the Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students can be an excellent starter card. The issuer uses its own underwriting process to evaluate applications based on alternative criteria. The card earns 1% cash back on all purchases and it even offers some perks, too. It has a $0 annual fee. Terms apply.
For even more card options, take a look at NerdWallet's best-rated credit cards.
How To Decide If It's Right For You
If you’re looking for high rewards rates or low interest rates, the Journey Student Rewards from Capital One may not be the best choice for you. But if you’re seeking a simple, $0-annual-fee card that can help you build your credit and eventually qualify you for better terms, this is a very good starter card.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
If you're building or rebuilding credit, you might be better off getting a secured credit card. These cards require a cash security deposit, which makes them easier to apply for. Capital One's secured card deserves a look because of its flexible deposit requirements.
Looking For Something Else?
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.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Capital One Journey a good credit card?
The Journey Student Rewards from Capital One is a good option for those new to credit. It’s a simple $0-annual-fee card that can help you build credit and eventually qualify for better terms. If you’re after high rewards, though, other student credit cards may be more generous.
How does the Capital One Journey work?
The Journey Student Rewards from Capital One helps you build credit by reporting your payments to all three credit bureaus, TransUnion, Equifax and Experian. It also incentivizes paying on time. You get 1% cash back on all purchases, plus an additional 0.25% in any month when you pay on time. That’s up to 1.25% cash back. It’s also well-equipped to travel abroad with no foreign transaction fees. It has a $0 annual fee.
Do you have to be a student to get the Capital One Journey?
You do not have to be a student to qualify for the Journey Student Rewards from Capital One.
Does the Journey Student credit card from Capital One offer a credit limit increase?
The Journey Student Rewards from Capital One offers automatic credit line reviews, which allow you to be considered for a higher credit limit in as little as six months after opening your account.
Which credit bureaus does the Journey Student credit card from Capital One report payments to?
The Journey Student Rewards from Capital One reports payments to TransUnion, Experian and Equifax. These companies record your payment history. With on-time payments, you can have a positive impact on your credit score.
