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Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card Review: A High-Value Student Card

Review Updated
Lyle Daly
Author: Lyle Daly
Lyle Daly
Lyle Daly
Writer

Lyle Daly is a personal finance writer who specializes in credit cards, travel rewards programs, and banking. His work with Motley Fool Money and The Motley Fool has appeared syndicated in USA Today and Yahoo! Finance. He was born in California but currently lives as a digital nomad with a home base in Colombia.

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Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures that our product ratings are not influenced by compensation. Terms may apply to offers listed on this page.
Ratings Methodology

Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

Apply Now for Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

On Capital One's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. 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.
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= Excellent
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Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. 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
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Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Fair/New to Credit Under(669)
Apply Now for Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

On Capital One's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Fair/New to Credit Under(669)

Intro APR

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: N/A

Regular APR

19.49% - 29.49% (Variable)

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day.

1.5% cash back

Annual Fee

$0

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. Earn $50 Cash Back when you spend $100 in the first three months

Earn $50 Cash Back

  • Packs in one of the higher unlimited cash-back rates in the student credit card category. The fact that it has no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee makes this a strong offer to consider.

    • Cash back rewards
    • Limited-time welcome offer
    • No annual fee
    • No foreign transaction fee
    • No intro APR offer
    • Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
    • Early Spend Bonus: Earn $50 when you spend $100 in the first three months
    • 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
    • Build your credit with responsible card use
    • Whether you're at a 4-year university, community college or other higher education institution, this card might be an option for you

Credit card comparison

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
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. 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
Best for cash back on rotating categories 		Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. 1% - 5% Cashback Circle with letter I in it. 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: 18.49% - 27.49% Variable APR *Rates as of December 12, 2024.

Apply Now for Discover it® Cash Back

On Discover's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. 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
Best for cash rewards on everyday spending 		$200 cash rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. 2% cash rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 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 Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

On Wells Fargo's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. 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
Best for unlimited rewards on purchases 		25,000 points Circle with letter I in it. 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 points per dollar Circle with letter I in it. 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.

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 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, 18.49% - 28.49% 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.

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: 18.49% - 28.49% (Variable)

Apply Now for Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

On Bank of America's Secure Website.

Full Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card review

This credit card is a good fit for: Students interested in building credit and earning cash back rewards on purchases.

Top perks

You get several valuable benefits with this Capital One credit card, including purchase rewards and complimentary purchase protections.

Unlimited 1.5% cash back

This card earns a flat rate of 1.5% cash back on purchases, from ordering food deliveries to buying textbooks. Compared to other cash back credit cards, 1.5% is a competitive rate. There are no bonus categories where this Capital One card earns extra cash back, but you'll earn a reasonable amount on your spending.

Welcome offer

Earn $50 cash back when you spend $100 in the first three months. Terms apply.

No annual fee

The Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card doesn't charge an annual fee. No annual fee credit cards like this are usually the better choice for students since money can be tight. Another benefit of a no annual fee card is that you can keep it open free of charge after you leave college. That will continue to build your credit history, which is good for your credit score.

Automatic consideration for a higher credit line

Capital One automatically considers you for a credit line increase in as little as six months. Although you can ask to increase your credit limit on your own, it's nice that Capital One does it for you. If you're approved, you'll have more spending power. Keep in mind that approval isn't guaranteed and will depend on a variety of factors, including whether you've paid your credit card bill on time.

A higher credit limit is helpful because it can lower your credit utilization ratio, which is a big part of your credit score. Just don't take it as a reason to spend more because that could lead to credit card debt.

No foreign transaction fee

You won't pay any foreign transaction fees on purchases made outside the country. If you plan to go overseas on vacation or join a study abroad program, then this Capital One credit card is a good choice.

Read more: Best No Foreign Transaction Fee Credit Cards

What could be improved

There are a few ways that Capital One could make this card better.

No 0% intro APR offer

The ongoing variable APR applies from the beginning with this card. You won't get a 0% intro APR on purchases or balance transfers.

Intro 0% interest offers can be useful, especially for students who have big expenses that they need some time to pay off. For example, a 0% intro purchase APR could help if you need to cover course fees upfront, and then make payments on them over time. In that situation, it's better to check out other credit card reviews for cards with this feature.

More bonus categories

While this Capital One student card has a good cash back rate, it doesn't offer any bonus categories.

If most of your spending is in certain areas, such as gas or dining, then you may want to compare credit cards that earn bonus cash back.

For options, check out our picks for the best credit cards.

Suggested credit score

There's no minimum credit score needed for the Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card. Since it's a student credit card, it's available to consumers who are new to credit and those who have a limited credit history.

Even with student cards, credit card companies typically only approve applicants with stable income. Your income can include any allowances, scholarships, and grants you receive.

Read more: Best Credit Cards for Students

The Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card is right for you if:

You want a student credit card with no annual fee that earns a competitive cash back rate on your purchases.

The Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card offers valuable perks that can work for just about any student. You get rewards and complimentary protections without unnecessary fees. There are a couple of things it lacks, including a 0% intro APR, but overall, it's a quality card.

Our credit card methodology

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.