Capital One Journey Student Review: A Leading Student Card
Review
Updated
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Journey Student Rewards from Capital One is unavailable on Motley Fool Money. All information was collected independently and not reviewed for accuracy or provided by the credit card issuer. Some items may be out of date.
The Journey Student Rewards from Capital One credit card amps up the value for cardholders who want to earn more rewards than the typical student credit card offers. The debt-averse side of us values that cardholders are incentivized to pay bills on time and avoid debt so they can earn 1% cash back for that month when paying bills on time. Our Journey Student Rewards from Capital One review will help you learn if it’s the right for your needs.
We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.
| Offer | Our Rating | Welcome Offer | Rewards Program | APR | Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. | 1% - 5% Cashback Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. |
Intro: Purchases: 0%, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months Regular: 18.24% - 27.24% Variable APR |
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Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
$200 cash rewards Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. | 2% cash rewards Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases. |
Intro: 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers Purchases: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers Regular: 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR |
|
Apply Now for Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card
On Bank of America's Secure Website. |
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
25,000 points 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 | 1.5-3 points per dollar 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. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on travel purchases booked through the Bank of America Travel Center. |
Intro: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers will apply. A 3% fee for 60 days from account opening, then 4% fee applies to all balance transfers. Balance transfers may not be used to pay any account provided by Bank of America. Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days Regular: 18.24% - 28.24% (Variable) |
Apply Now for Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card
On Bank of America's Secure Website. |
This credit card is a good fit for: Students who want to earn cash back while building the financial habits that will help them achieve a good credit score.
The target audience for this card is young consumers with limited budgets. Fortunately, Capital One gives them a pass on this not-uncommon charge in the credit card world.
The base cash back rate is 1%, but a cardholder can bump that up to 1.25% if they are a timely payer. Each statement paid on time earns the higher rate of cash back. Not only does this bring in extra rewards, but it also encourages and builds good credit management for the user.
0.25% extra doesn't sound like much, but it can make a difference. If a customer spends $20,000 per year on the card but misses every payment, their cash back earnings would be $200 for that year. A timely payer would earn $250.
Planning on doing a semester abroad? Using your new credit to fund a jaunt overseas? If so, this card is a good travel companion, because it incurs no foreign transaction fee on any purchases outside of our borders.
The cash back you earn never expires as long as your account is open, so there is never any pressure or rush to redeem those earnings.
You have the flexibility of choosing statement credits, a check, or automatic disbursement to redeem cash back once a certain amount is accumulated, or on certain dates no matter the amount. This plethora of choices allow a cardholder to tailor the redemption method to their individual needs and is rare among competing cards.
It isn't unusual for student cards to have tempting intro APRs as low as 0%. This card has no such offer.
The regular APR is quite high compared to those of its rivals. Although this discourages late payments, which is a good thing, it can hurt the finances -- and that all-important credit profile -- of those who fall behind.
Compare credit card rewards, fees, APRs, and more using our side-by-side comparison tool.
Given that this card is geared toward students, applicants with limited -- or possibly even no -- credit history may be able to obtain this card. Capital One classifies the credit level it requires to get this card as "average." It breaks this down to mean:
It's important to note that Capital One considers those to be only guidelines in a decision. The issuer will evaluate other factors to judge your creditworthiness.
Journey Student Rewards from Capital One is a good foot-in-the-door credit card. It's also appropriate for those in credit-recovery mode. Most likely you'll first receive this card with a low credit limit, so it's nearly impossible to get in a deep debt hole with it. That, plus the elevated cash back rewards for timely payment, helps build those good debt management skills we all need.
However, past the beginner/recovery stage, this card probably isn't the ideal go-to, as is the case with any student credit card. Other credit cards aimed at the middle-of-the-credit market have fuller feature sets, better rewards programs, lower APRs, and juicier bonuses.
That said, this card is a very good instrument for getting there. Good credit habits start early, and that journey can begin effectively with this card.
Read more: Best Credit Cards for Young Adults
At Motley Fool Money, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.
We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates credit cards.
The credit limit for the Journey Student Rewards from Capital One usually ranges from $200 to $2,000, although some cardholders have reported higher limits. Since this is a student credit card, credit limits tend to be low.
No, the Journey Student Rewards from Capital One is a plastic card.
No, this card isn't only for students. Although it's designed with students in mind, non-students can apply for it, too.
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