Essential Credit Cards Every Student Abroad Should Have

Studying abroad is an exciting experience, filled with new adventures and opportunities. If you're a college student getting ready to explore life outside the U.S., you'll have the chance to travel and discover new cities every weekend.

However, this adventure comes with a price tag. A semester abroad in Europe could cost you anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000, based on various reports.

The good news is, using the right credit card can help you rack up rewards on your study abroad expenses. Plus, the best cards minimize fees and offer protection if your travel plans get disrupted.

Everything You Need to Know to Pick the Perfect Credit Card for Studying Abroad

Key Factors to Consider When Selecting a Credit Card for Study Abroad

As you get ready for your journey, keep these important features in mind to find the best credit card for your study abroad experience.

Sign-Up Bonus

Look for a credit card that offers a sign-up bonus. The increased spending during your semester abroad can help you meet the minimum spend requirements to unlock the bonus on a new card.

Foreign Transaction Fees

To save money abroad, choose a credit card that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees. If you use a debit or credit card with these fees, you'll face an additional charge of up to 5% on every purchase. Avoid this by opting for a card that has no foreign transaction fees.

Travel Protections

In today's world, it's more important than ever to have protection against travel disruptions like delays and cancellations. Choose a credit card with travel protections that can cover you when things don't go as planned.

Become an Authorized User

If you haven't yet built enough credit to qualify for one of our top travel rewards cards, think about becoming an authorized user on a family member's account. This can give you access to the card's benefits and might even help improve your credit score.

Top Credit Cards for Students Studying Abroad

• Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card: Best for earning transferable miles
• Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for cashback
• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best for maximizing points
• The Platinum Card® from American Express: Best for adding authorized users
• Discover it Student Cash Back: Best for students building credit

The information for the Discover it Student Cash Back card has been independently collected by Dinogo. The details provided on this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the card issuer.

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

Sign-up bonus: Earn 20,000 bonus miles after spending $500 within the first three months of account opening. This bonus is valued at $370, based on TPG’s assessments.

Annual fee: $0 (see rates and fees)

Why this card stands out: The VentureOne card has no annual fee and earns a flat 1.25 miles per dollar on all purchases. You can redeem your miles for any travel-related expenses or book travel directly through the Capital One Travel portal. What's unique about this card is the ability to transfer your miles to over 15 airline and hotel partners, making it one of the most valuable options for travelers.

Few no-annual-fee cards offer the ability to transfer miles to travel partners, making this card a fantastic choice for students studying abroad.

* Benefits are available only for accounts approved for the World Elite Mastercard. Terms and conditions apply.

Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card

Sign-up bonus: Earn a one-time $250 cash bonus after spending $500 in the first three months of opening your account.

Annual fee: $0 (see rates and fees)

What makes this card unique: The Savor card from Capital One offers great cash back rates across various categories. Earn 3% on dining, streaming, and entertainment purchases, and 1% on everything else. Plus, you can earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases and 5% back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Terms apply.

This card has no foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees) and is an excellent option if you're looking to avoid an annual fee. While the $250 welcome bonus isn't the most generous, it comes with a relatively low spending requirement. Considering the expenses of studying abroad, every little bit of savings counts.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points after spending $4,000 within the first three months of account opening, plus receive a $300 statement credit on Chase Travel℠ purchases in the first year.

Annual fee: $95

Why this card stands out: There's a reason (or maybe 10) why everyone seems to have this credit card.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred might be out of reach if you're just beginning your credit card journey, but it’s definitely one to consider once you qualify. It's a fantastic entry-level card for earning points and miles, offering 3 points per dollar on dining and 2 points per dollar on travel. Whether you're booking a flight with Ryanair or grabbing a bite at Wok to Walk, you'll be collecting transferable points.

The sign-up bonus is pretty solid as well: 60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months, plus a $300 statement credit for Chase Travel℠ purchases within the first year. The $95 annual fee is easily offset by benefits like trip delay coverage, trip cancellation insurance, purchase protection, and baggage delay insurance.

When it's time to redeem your points, the Chase Sapphire Preferred offers great flexibility. You can simply use your points for travel bookings—flights, hotels, or car rentals—at a rate of 1.25 cents per point through the Chase Travel℠ portal.

However, you can get even more value by transferring your points to any of Chase's airline or hotel partners. This approach requires a bit more effort, but it can unlock tremendous value from your rewards.

The Platinum Card® from American Express

Why this card is special: If someone close to you holds The Platinum Card® from American Express, you might have struck gold. They can add you as an authorized user for an additional $195 annually (see rates and fees). While it may seem expensive, the benefits you gain easily justify the cost.

As an authorized user, you'll get access to exclusive perks like American Express Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, and Delta Sky Clubs* (though the latter is only available when flying with Delta). You'll also enjoy TSA PreCheck/Global Entry credits to speed through security, plus Marriott and Hilton Gold elite status. Enrollment is required.

Although you won’t be eligible for the 80,000-point sign-up bonus (after spending $8,000 in the first six months) as an authorized user, the travel benefits you gain will greatly enhance your study abroad experience.

The annual fee for the primary cardholder is $695 (see rates and fees), but it includes a range of valuable perks.

*Effective February 1, 2025: Eligible Platinum Card members will receive 10 complimentary visits per year to Delta Sky Clubs or Grab and Go, when traveling on a same-day Delta-operated flight.

Discover it Student Cash Back

Sign-up bonus: All the cash back you earn during your first year will be matched.

Annual fee: $0

Why this card stands out: Designed specifically for students, this card has no foreign transaction fees.

With the Discover it Student Cash Back card, you'll earn 5% cash back on the first $1,500 spent in rotating categories each quarter (after enrollment), and 1% back on all other purchases. The catch? The bonus categories are limited to U.S. merchants only.

Studying abroad? This card is still a great option since all cash back earned during your first year is doubled. Plus, there are no annual or foreign transaction fees, so you can use it overseas without worrying about extra charges.

You can also redeem your rewards at any time, without having to hit a minimum redemption amount.

Bottom line

Studying abroad will surely be a major expense, but by following these tips, you can ease some of the financial burden—and possibly earn free flights or hotel stays along the way. We hope this guide helps you find the best credit card for your study abroad journey, making the experience even more rewarding.

Additional reading:

• 10 essential travel tips every study-abroad student should know before departure
• How to create a budget for your study abroad trip
• The best credit cards for college students
  
• 7 top starter travel credit cards
  
• How to get started with points, miles, and credit cards for travel
  

For Capital One products listed here, some benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may differ by product. Refer to the individual Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.