Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for Students Review

When I was a freshman, my idea of a feast was a can of corned beef hash. To say money was tight is an understatement. And I bet that the same holds true today for many students, but at least they have access to something I didn’t: A cash back credit card.

While no cure for a shoestring budget, a cash back card, such as the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for Students, can help undergraduates stretch their money a little further. In this review, I’ll assess this card and three of its closest competitors. If you’re attending college, one of these cards may provide a small financial cushion to help you worry less about money and more about your grades.

Main Things to Know:

• • The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for Students is for undergraduates with good to excellent credit who want to earn bonus cash back rewards (subject to a quarterly cap) on common student expenses, including my favorite — groceries!

• • This unsecured card has a $0 annual fee, and it has a 18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers.

• • It has a modest signup bonus but a 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases and 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days (Balance Transfer Fee 3% for 60 days from account opening, then 4%). The regular APR will apply once the promotional period ends.

• • The card has several security features but lacks many meaningful benefits, such as purchase protection and travel perks.

This card is an obvious choice if you have a Bank of America checking or savings account. If you bank elsewhere, you may want to check out the top competing student cards.

How to Qualify & Apply For the Card

If you’ve never applied for a credit card, rest assured that the process is quick and easy. Here, we identify the information you need to apply. To qualify for the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for Students, you must:

• • Be 18 or older.

• • Be a US citizen or resident.

• • Declare your total annual income. If you’re under 21, you must provide a cosigner or be independently capable of making the card’s monthly minimum payments. If you’re 21 or older, you can use your assets and income to show you can afford the card’s minimum payments. You can include income reliably available from others to pay your bill.

• • Have a phone number, email address, and Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). If you use an ITIN, you must apply at a local Bank of America branch.

• • Have good to excellent credit, which is unusual for a student credit card since many students have no credit history.

If this describes you, you can access the card application on Bank of America’s website here or by clicking the Apply Now button below:

Surprisingly, you don’t need proof of college registration to obtain the card. Most student cards require documentation of your enrollment status.

Benefits & Drawbacks

College students often start their financial journeys as newcomers to credit, so choosing a credit card can be a daunting venture. I advise you to view a credit card as a tool with distinct advantages: It is an effective way to establish credit, manage emergencies, and accrue rewards such as cash back or travel points.

However, your inexperience with credit can leave you unaware of the subtle differences between various credit cards. You want to be on the lookout for student cards that stand out by offering greater rewards, more substantial benefits, and lower costs.

The key takeaway here is to not rush into applying for the first credit card that catches your eye. Instead, carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages of several cards before deciding. To help you in this process, check out the following benefits and drawbacks of the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for Students:

Benefits

• • No annual fee: The card has a $0 annual fee, which is a good thing for cash-strapped students.

• • Cash rewards: Cardholders earn cash back on purchases, including the top tier rate in a category of their choice (from a list that includes gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drug stores, or home improvement/furnishings). You can earn a middle-tier rate at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (for the first $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases), and 1% unlimited cash rewards on all other purchases.

• • Sign-up bonus: New cardholders can earn a small online cash rewards bonus after spending the required amount on purchases within the first 90 days of account opening.

• • Intro APR offers: The card features a 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases and 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days (Balance Transfer Fee 3% for 60 days from account opening, then 4%). Afterward, a variable APR applies.

• • Credit-building opportunity: Using this card responsibly helps you build a positive credit profile, which is vital for your post-graduation financial future.

• • Overdraft protection: You can enroll in Balance Connect, an optional service to prevent returned checks, declined purchases, and other embarrassments. To qualify, you must connect your eligible Bank of America checking account to your credit card. Some fees may apply.

• • Contactless card: It offers the security of a chip card with the convenience of tap-to-pay.

• • $0 liability guarantee: You aren’t responsible for unauthorized purchases someone else makes with your card.

• • Digital wallet technology: The card supports Apple Pay®, Microsoft™ Wallet, Android Pay™, and Samsung Pay for in-app, online, and in-store payments.

• • FICO® score for free: You can keep track of your credit score without additional costs.

• • Extended warranty protection: This feature extends the manufacturer’s warranty on eligible purchases.

Drawbacks

• • Spending cap on bonus categories: There’s a quarterly cap on combined spending for the bonus cash back categories. After reaching this limit, the cash back rate drops to 1%. This cap can limit the rewards you earn if you spend a lot in these categories.

• • Foreign transaction fee: The card charges a foreign transaction fee on purchases you make abroad. This fee can add up if you travel internationally or make purchases in foreign currencies.

• • Bonus category selection required: To benefit from the top cash back rate, you must actively select your preferred category. If you forget to choose, you may miss out on the largest rewards based on your spending patterns.

• • Good credit required: This card caters to students with established credit. If you’re just starting out or have a limited credit history, you may find it challenging to get approved.

• • Limited redemption options for cash back: While you can redeem your cash back for statement credits or deposits into a Bank of America checking or savings account, these options are limited compared to other cards that offer gift cards, merchandise, or travel redemption opportunities.

• • Few benefits: Several competing student cards offer more benefits.

The card’s drawbacks should prompt you to shop around for competing student cards that may suit your needs better.

Other Student Cards Worth a Look

The following three cards are worth a good look if you want a cash back student card. They all waive the annual fee and offer special promotions for new cardmembers. The two from Discover® have the added virtue of a first-year Cashback Match for new cardowners.

The Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card offers an unlimited 1.5% flat cash reward rate instead of a complicated tiered structure or category selection. You can instantly lock or unlock the card with the Capital One mobile app.

The card doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees. Its signup bonus is smaller than that of the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for Students, and it doesn’t offer an introductory 0% APR promotion. But Quicksilver is easier to qualify for, as it’s available to students with fair or limited credit.

The Discover it® Student Cash Back card pays bonus rewards on quarterly rotating categories instead of tiered rewards. Categories must be activated, and the bonus rate is subject to a spending limit. Rather than providing a limited signup bonus, it offers new cardmembers an unlimited Cashback Match of all the cash back they post during the first year the account is open.

Unlike the Bank of America card, this one does not require a good credit score, or indeed any score. However, its introductory APR promotion may be less attractive. Once the promotion ends, the regular APR will apply.

The Discover it® Student Chrome card offers a bonus cash reward tier with a quarterly cap on select purchases. Your remaining eligible purchases earn the same 1% base rate as the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for Students.

As with all Discover® cash cards, this one provides new cardmembers with a Cashback Match of the cash back you earn in the first year. This match is potentially more lucrative than any other signup bonus depending on how you use your card. However, it offers a less generous introductory APR promotion. The regular APR will apply once the promotion period ends.

Cardholder Reviews Around the Web

Generally, the online community puts the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for Students and the Discover® student cards on an equal footing. Some folks prefer Discover® for its Cashback Match, while others like the Bank of America card for its worldwide acceptance.

For example, Aaaromp comments:

“For the Bank of America card, I prefer the cash back benefits, but there seems to be less security than the Discover card, and I get the feeling the bank will nickel and dime me for everything. But Bank of America is more accepted in and out of the US. Really, the only downfall to the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for Students is foreign transaction fees…the security bit is a nice bonus from Discover, but it’s unnecessary, and you can do those things yourself.”

JRcred is more upbeat about the card:

“I’ve got the Bank of America cash rewards card and love it. It’s really nice to be able to pick which category you want extra cash back on. It’s a huge player in my credit card arsenal. I’m not aware of the security not being very good for the Bank of America cash rewards card. Basically, any credit card you use will be a step up from using a debit card.”

FAQs: What Is the Card’s Credit Limit?

The bank sets the minimum credit limit for the card at $500. Typically, student cards maintain modest credit limits, so expecting a limit significantly over $1,000 is not realistic.

Upon approving your application, the bank determines your initial credit limit based on various criteria, such as your payment capacity, your credit background, and the details you submitted in your application.

Having a parent or another person cosign your card application should improve your chances of receiving a higher credit limit.

What Credit Score Is Needed?

The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for Students is more challenging to obtain compared to many other student cards because it demands a good to excellent FICO score (i.e., 670 or higher). Most student credit cards don’t impose this requirement. Instead, they usually accommodate students with limited or less-than-ideal credit histories.

Yet, in another respect, acquiring this student card may be more straightforward than others because it doesn’t require you to verify your enrollment at an accredited institution. That’s rare among student credit cards.

Furthermore, you can apply for the card using an ITIN instead of a Social Security number. However, you must visit a bank branch to complete the process.

How Do the Card’s Rewards Work?

The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for Students offers a compelling rewards structure that the bank tailored to student lifestyles, along with a signup bonus and flexible redemption options.

Signup Bonus

New cardholders are eligible for a $200 online cash rewards bonus after spending at least $1,000 in purchases within the first 90 days of account opening. This introductory offer rewards new cardmembers with a substantial boost in cash rewards early on.​ The bank may change the terms or availability of the bonus at any time without notice.

Purchases

The rewards program allows you to earn cash back in multiple categories. You earn 3% cash back in one category of your choice from a list that includes gas/EV charging, online shopping, dining, travel, drugstores, and home improvement and furnishings.

Additionally, you receive 2% cash back for purchases at grocery stores and wholesale clubs. These higher cash back rates apply to the first $2,500 of combined spending in these categories per quarter. After reaching this cap, purchases in these categories will earn 1% cash back.

All other purchases outside of these categories earn 1% cash back with no spending limit. This reward structure is flexible and can adapt to changing spending habits, especially for students whose expenses can vary widely throughout the year​.

Redemptions

When it comes to redeeming rewards, the card offers limited versatility. You can redeem cash back as a check, a statement credit, or a deposit directly into a Bank of America checking/savings account or an eligible Merrill account without requiring a minimum redemption amount.

Alternatively, you can receive your cash back as a contribution to a qualifying Merrill 529 account, starting at $25. The card also lets you set up automatic contributions to eligible Bank of America or Merrill accounts once you accumulate $25 in cash back.

Clearly, the bank wants to encourage you to deepen your relationship with it, which only makes sense if you happen to do your online banking there (or plan to).

The Bank of America Preferred Rewards Program

This program benefits cardholders with high savings and investment balances in their Bank of America and/or Merrill accounts. Program participants can earn significantly more rewards on their spending.

Depending on the tier of membership — Gold, Platinum, or Platinum Honors — members can increase their cash back earnings by 25% to 75%.

For cardholders to qualify for these tiers, they need to maintain a balance starting at $20,000 for the Gold tier and increasing to $100,000 for the Platinum Honors tier​​.

However, the rewards program might not be particularly useful for students. Maintaining such high balances in a Bank of America or Merrill account may be impossible for students who have limited income or who primarily focus on managing their educational expenses.

While the card’s base rewards program is flexible and accommodating, the additional benefits from the Preferred Rewards Program are probably beyond the reach of most students, especially ones subsisting on canned or frozen food​​.

Does the Card Help Me Build Credit?

The card rewards your spending and also plays a significant role in helping you build credit. Here’s how:

• • Reporting to credit bureaus: The bank reports your card activity to the major credit bureaus. This consistent reporting is vital as it helps you establish a good credit history, assuming you use the card responsibly.

• • Credit utilization management: The card enables you to manage your credit utilization ratio (i.e., credit used / credit available) by entrusting you with a credit line. Keeping your ratio below 30% can help improve your credit score.

• • Regular payment encouragement: Making payments on time is crucial for building a good credit score. The card facilitates timely payments through its mobile and online banking tools, including email alerts, automatic payments, and optional overdraft protection. These tools help you manage your account and avoid late payments.

• • Credit education resources: The bank’s website gives you access to credit education materials to help you understand the factors that affect your credit score and how to manage your credit wisely.

• • Potential for credit line increases: With responsible use, you may receive credit line boosts over time. These increases can improve your credit utilization ratio.

Using the card responsibly can help you establish and improve your credit score. Building credit is essential for your financial independence and future financial opportunities, such as applying for loans or other credit cards with favorable terms.

How Many Credit Cards Should a Student Own?

For students without a credit history, I advise starting with one card. This first step helps you learn important financial skills, including budgeting your expenses and paying off your balance each month to avoid interest. Managing one card well can also help improve your credit score, which is important for your financial future.

After you’re comfortable with managing one card and have a good credit score, adding a second card may make sense. A second card can offer different rewards, such as travel points, and can also help improve your credit score by boosting your available credit and lowering your credit utilization.

However, it’s important to use the second card wisely. Spending too much and raising your credit utilization ratio can hurt your credit score. Also, applying for a new card usually involves a hard credit check, which can slightly impact your credit score for up to one year.

Managing multiple cards also means keeping track of different payment dates, annual fees, and spending limits. Missing a payment can harm your credit score, so it’s essential to stay organized and ensure you can manage the responsibilities that come with each additional card.

What Happens to the Card After I Graduate?

Many issuers automatically upgrade your student credit card to a traditional, non-student version once you graduate. Issuers offer student cards, in part, to create a sense of loyalty to their brand. When you graduate, these credit card companies see it as the perfect opportunity to transition you to a product that reflects your new status.

Keep in mind you don’t have to accept this new card. Graduation marks a pivotal moment in your life, making it an excellent time to think about what you really need from a credit card. Your financial situation and spending habits may have changed during your undergraduate years, so it’s a good idea to explore different credit card options that match your evolving lifestyle.

Choosing a new credit card after graduation allows you to find benefits, rewards, and features that suit your financial situation. Whether you need a card with a higher credit limit, better cash back offers, travel rewards, or lower interest rates, this is the moment to consider your options and pick a card that meets those requirements.

How Does the Card Compare to the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card for Students?

Both of these student cards from Bank of America provide signup bonuses, respectable rewards, and introductory APR promotions, after which the regular APR applies. Your choice between them comes down to how often you plan to travel during your undergraduate years. If the answer is quite a bit, you may prefer a travel rewards card.

The following chart compares the key features of each card:

Feature	Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for Students	Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card for Students
Annual Fee	$0	$0
Rewards Rate	Top cash back rate in the category of your choice. The middle rate at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases), 1% unlimited cash rewards on all other purchases.	1.5 points per dollar on all purchases
Sign-Up Bonus	Online cash rewards bonus after spending the required amount on purchases within the first 90 days of account opening	A set number of points after spending a specified amount in the first 90 days
Intro APR	0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases	0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases
Regular APR	18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers	18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
Foreign Transaction Fee	Yes	No
Rewards Redemption	Very flexible, cash back	Best for travel and dining redemptions
Credit Building	Yes	Yes

Bank of America won’t let you own two of its student cards simultaneously. But nothing prevents you from getting a second student card from another issuer, such as Capital One or Discover®. If you decide to get two cards, it may be best to make one a cash back card and the other a travel credit card.

What Reservations Might a Student Have About Owning a Credit Card?

As a student, you may hesitate to get a credit card for several reasons, including financial responsibility and the potential for debt. One major fear involves accumulating debt that you can’t easily pay off. The dread is even stronger if you don’t think you can pay your entire balance every month because then you’ll have to pay interest as well.

If you’re new to credit, you may worry about how interest rates work, alongside various charges such as annual fees or overdue payment fees, which can seem complex. Managing a credit card also requires enough financial discipline to avoid overspending, a potential challenge for young people who are balancing academic responsibilities.

Additionally, you may worry about your lack of credit history making it harder to qualify for a credit card, or the impact irresponsible use could have on your credit score. A bad score can hamper your ability to secure loans or mortgages in the future.

All these reservations are valid and underscore the importance of financial literacy and careful consideration before you apply for a credit card. But most students will quickly adapt to using a credit card and learn to navigate its benefits and responsibilities.

This Card May Be For You If…

• • You’re a budget-conscious student looking for ways to manage your finances more effectively while earning rewards on everyday purchases.

• • You aim to build or improve your credit score and want a card that reports to the major credit bureaus, offering a straightforward path to establishing a solid credit history.

• • You appreciate flexibility in rewards and are interested in customizing them to match your spending habits, whether for groceries, streaming services, or fuel for trips back home.

Owning the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for Students gives you a valuable opportunity to gain experience managing your finances, building credit, and earning rewards that match your spending habits. The flexibility to choose reward categories adds a personalized touch so your money works harder for you.

But while this card offers several attractive benefits, I urge you to compare it with other student credit cards available on the market, especially the three alternatives reviewed above.

Shopping around for a card that meets your immediate needs and long-term financial goals is a worthwhile activity. Always consider factors such as interest rates, fees, credit requirements, and rewards programs to find the best card for your financial circumstances.