Discover it for Students

The Discover it for Students offers the same 5% rotating categories as its mainstream sibling, currently dining, entertainment, and utilities for Q4 2026, with no annual fee. Its standout feature is Cashback Match, which doubles all the cash back new cardmembers earn at the end of the first year with no cap, effectively making the 5% categories worth 10% and the 1% base worth 2% in year one. The catch is that the categories must be activated each quarter and the 5% rate is capped at $1,500 in quarterly spend before falling to 1%. The 0% intro APR on purchases lasts only 6 months, so this is not a card for financing larger purchases. For a student building credit who will remember to activate each quarter, it is a rewarding first card.