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If you’re a college student planning to study abroad, you’re in for a real treat. There’s nothing like living outside the U.S. and immersing yourself in another culture, traveling and exploring different cities virtually every weekend.
But this adventure doesn’t come cheap. For example, you can expect to spend anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000 during a semester abroad in Europe, according to some reports.
The good news? If you’re using a credit card, you can earn some serious rewards on your study abroad expenses. Plus, the right card will help you save money on fees and protect you if your travel plans go awry.
Here’s what you need to know to choose the best credit card for studying abroad.
The best cards for students studying abroad
The information for the Amex Green and Discover it Student Cash Back card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related: Getting started with points, miles and credit cards to travel
Comparing the best cards for studying abroad
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| Card | Best for | Welcome offer | Earning rates | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card | Transferable miles for no annual fee | Earn 20,000 bonus miles after spending $500 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. |
|
$0 |
| Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card | Cash back | Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after spending $500 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. |
|
$0 |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred Card | Maximizing bonus categories | Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. |
|
$95 |
| American Express Green Card | Bonus points on travel | Earn 40,000 points after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. |
|
$150 |
| Discover it Student Cash Back | Students who are still building credit | Discover will match all the cash back earned during the first 12 consecutive billing periods that the new account is open. |
|
$0 |
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
If transferable rewards for no annual fee are what you’re seeking, look no further than the Capital One VentureOne Rewards.
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Welcome bonus: Earn 20,000 bonus miles after spending $500 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
This bonus is worth $370, according to TPG’s June 2025 valuations.
Annual fee: $0
Why it’s great for studying abroad: The VentureOne doesn’t have an annual fee and earns an unlimited 1.25 miles per dollar on all purchases. Cardholders will also earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel.
You can use your miles in a variety of ways, but the best way is to transfer them to any of Capital One’s 15-plus hotel and airline partners. This is likely your most valuable redemption option.
There aren’t many no-annual-fee cards that allow you to transfer miles to travel partners, so this card is definitely worth a serious look for students studying abroad.
To learn more, check out our full review of the Capital One VentureOne.
Learn more: Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
If you want to keep your wallet simple, cash back is often the way to go. Consider the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card.
Welcome bonus: Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus welcome bonus after spending $500 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
Annual fee: $0
Why it’s great for studying abroad: The Savor Cash Rewards is a great way to earn cash back on all your purchases.
With it, you’ll earn 5% back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 3% back on dining, select streaming services and entertainment purchases and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target) and 1% back on all other purchases.
This card doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees and is a good choice if you don’t want to pay an annual fee.
While the $200 welcome bonus isn’t lucrative, it does have a relatively low spending requirement. When you’re looking at the expenses of studying abroad, every little bit helps.
To learn more, check out our full review of the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards.
Learn more: Capital One Savor Cash Rewards
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is one of our favorite credit cards, and for a good reason. It offers excellent value for its annual fee.
Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
TPG’s June 2025 valuations value this welcome bonus at $1,230.
Annual fee: $95
Why it’s great for studying abroad: There’s a reason (or 10) everyone you know has this credit card.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred may be out of range if you’re just starting your credit card journey, but it’s certainly one to set your sights on if you’re eligible.
It’s a great starter card if you want to get into points and miles because it earns 3 points per dollar on dining, streaming and online groceries (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs) and 2 points per dollar on travel booked outside of Chase Travel.
So, every time you book a flight on Ryanair or end up at Wok to Walk again, you’ll rack up fully transferable points.
The welcome bonus is solid, too. While this card does have a $95 annual fee on this card, perks like trip delay coverage, trip cancellation insurance, purchase protection and baggage delay insurance easily make up for it.
And when you’re ready to redeem the points you’ve earned with the Chase Sapphire Preferred, you have some great options. Most simply, you can use your points to purchase airfare, reserve hotel rooms and even rent a car at a rate of 1.25 cents per point through Chase Travel.
But you can get even more value from your rewards by taking advantage of the card’s ability to transfer points to any of Chase’s airline and hotel partners. This route takes a bit more time and energy to figure out, but it can help you unlock some incredible value from your rewards.
To learn more, check out our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
Apply here: Chase Sapphire Preferred
American Express Green Card
The Amex Green is a great entry point to Amex’s lucrative Membership Rewards points for travel enthusiasts.
Welcome bonus: Earn 40,000 points after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership.
This bonus is worth $800, per TPG’s June 2025 valuations.
Annual fee: $150.
Why it’s great for studying abroad: If you’re interested in adding the Amex Green to your wallet for your studies abroad, it’s a good idea to get the card before you book your travel. The card earns 3 points per dollar on a wide array of travel purchases, including:
- Airfare
- Campgrounds
- Car rentals
- Cruises
- Hotels
- Tours
- Vacation rentals
It also earns 3 points per dollar in transit, a category you’re likely to spend a good amount in while you’re away. This category includes:
- Buses
- Ferries
- Parking
- Ride-hailing services
- Subways
- Taxis
- Tolls
- Trains
Pair this with another bonus category, earning 3 points per dollar on dining at worldwide restaurants, and this card is a solid option for students abroad.
TPG values Membership Rewards points at 2 cents apiece when you maximize your earnings by transferring to one of Amex’s transfer partners. For a $150 annual fee, this card is a solid earner in the program. While it’s more of an investment than other cards on this list, it offers up to $199 each calendar year for a Clear Plus membership to help offset that.
Enrollment required; terms apply.
To learn more, check out our full review of the Amex Green.
Related: Who should (and who shouldn’t) get the Amex Green card?
Discover it Student Cash Back
Lacking a good credit score, or perhaps any score at all? In that case, a student card like the Discover it Student Cash Back is your best bet.
Welcome bonus: Get all of the cash back you earned during your first cardmember year matched.
Annual fee: $0.
Why it’s great for studying abroad: With the Discover it Student Cash Back, you’ll get 5% cash back on your first $1,500 in purchases on quarterly rotating categories after you enroll your card and then 1% cash back on everything else. While it isn’t a fancy earnings structure, receiving 5% back on certain purchases on a student card is fantastic.
Students studying abroad can get outsize value from this card since all earnings during the first year are doubled. The card also has no annual or foreign transaction fees, so you can use it abroad to your heart’s content without being penalized.
And you won’t have to worry about redemption minimums, so you can cash out your rewards at any time.
To learn more, check out our full review of the Discover it Student Cash Back.
Related: 8 things you should know before applying for a credit card in college
What to consider when choosing a card for studying abroad
As you prepare for your adventure, look for these qualities to help you choose your best credit card for studying abroad.
Welcome bonus
Look for a card that offers a welcome bonus. The extra spending you’ll do on your semester abroad is a great way to meet the minimum spend requirement to earn a bonus on a new credit card.
Foreign transaction fees
Choosing a credit card that doesn’t have foreign transaction fees is the easiest way to save money while you’re abroad. If you use a debit or credit card that charges them, you’ll incur an additional fee of up to 5% on every purchase. Avoid this extra expense by getting a credit card with no foreign transaction fees.
Travel protections
Now more than ever, you want to be protected against travel delays, cancellations and other mishaps.
Look for a credit card with travel protections that cover you when something goes wrong.
Become an authorized user
You may not have enough credit to qualify for one of our favorite travel rewards cards yet. If that’s the case, consider becoming an authorized user on a loved one’s account. This will allow you to benefit from the card’s protections and can have the added benefit of boosting your credit score simultaneously.
Related: Best credit cards for college students
Bottom line
Studying abroad will undoubtedly be a significant expense, but with these tips in mind, you’ll be able to offset some of the cost of it — and might even score some free flights or hotels in the process.
Hopefully, you’ll find your best match in this roundup of the best credit cards for students studying abroad and make your adventure much sweeter.
Related: You can now pay your student loan debt with Bilt points — here’s how
Discover more from Desi Rover
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