Building strong credit early on is essential, and there's no better time to start than college."It's easier to establish credit in college rather than wait and try to do so afterwards," says Jonathan Meaney, a certified financial planner and wealth manager at Carter Financial.To help you navigate the credit card selection process, we consulted the experts at NerdWallet, a personal finance and credit card comparison site.They singled out their favorite student credit cardsall withno annual fee and solid rewards programs.These cards are ideal for first-time credit card users looking to establish credit, and you can continue using them even after graduating. Of course, you can always open a new cardif you're looking for a higher credit limit or better rewardsbut it doesn't hurt to keep your student card around and active.SEE ALSO:The best credit cards for travelersCiti ThankYou Preferred Credit Card for College StudentsAnnual fee: $0Purchase APR: 0% APR for sevenmonths. After that, variable rate from 13.99% to 23.99%.Why we like it: This is a great option for the social butterflies, as you can earn two "ThankYou points" per dollar spent on dining and entertainment and one ThankYou point per dollar spent on all other purchases. ThankYou points can be redeemed for gift cards from retailers, transferred to Amazon's points program and frequent flier programs, or can be used to buy tickets from LiveNation.com.A sign-up bonus will earn you 2,500 bonus ThankYou points after spending $500 within your first three months.Apply here.Discover it for Students Credit CardAnnual fee: $0Purchase APR: 0% APR for sixmonths. After that, variable rate from 12.99% to 21.99%.Why we like it: This card offers a new, unique rewards program for students who get good grades: If your GPA is 3.0 or higher at the end of the year, you'll get $20 cash back annuallyfor up to five years. Additionally, you'll get 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, and 1% back on all other purchases.This is also a great option for first time credit card users without full-time income, as Discover allows co-signers if you don't qualify for the card on your own.Apply here.BankAmericard Travel Rewards Credit Card for StudentsAnnual fee: $0Purchase APR: 0% APR for 12 months. After that, variable rate from 14.99% to 22.99%.Why we like it: With its travel rewards and no foreign transaction fees, this is a great option for international students traveling to and from the US, or for students planning on studying abroad.You will earn1.5 rewards pointsfor every $1 you spend. Points don't expire and are redeemable for a statement credit to pay for travel-related costs, such as flights, hotels, cruises, rental cars, and baggage fees.Apply here.See the rest of the story at Business Insider NOW WATCH: The way you pay with a credit card will start to change on October 1 ' here's what you need to know
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