TOP PICK
Tangerine Money-Back
FEE$0EARN2% on 2 categoriesWELCOME$0 (no bonus)RATE19.95% APR
No fee, real cashback, no income requirement. Choose Groceries + Restaurants for max impact.
Most students leave university with zero credit history — a problem at age 22 when you need a car, apartment, or phone plan. The right card builds a 700+ score by graduation. We rank the 6 best options.
No fee, real cashback, no income requirement. Choose Groceries + Restaurants for max impact.
Accepts thin-file students. 3% on groceries beats most premium cards. Strong welcome bonus.
Solid all-rounder. Good for international students with Scotia StartRight.
For students who travel home internationally. Aventura points convert to flights well.
Flat 1.5% with no categories to track — but redemption is locked to Rogers/Shaw bills (or 1% to anything).
Technically prepaid, not a credit card — but with the $9/mo credit-building add-on, builds credit faster than secured cards.
Multiple applications drop your score 5-10 pts each. Pick one, use it for a year, then add a second.
Interest on student cards is 19-22%. Carrying a $500 balance costs $100+/year for nothing.
Even if you miss a manual payment, autopay prevents the 30-day late mark that kills your score.
On a $1,000 limit, that means never carrying more than $300 between statements. Below 10% is even better.
Issuers prefer to graduate you off student cards after a year of clean history. Builds your file faster.