Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card Review

Student credit cards are rarely rewards cards but this Capital One card gives 1.5% cash back on all purchases you make. It is a great incentive for students looking to build their credit and earn some cash back in the process.
author Jennifer Doss

Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
Our Rating:   
Average, Fair, Limited

CardRatings Editor's Analysis: Pros & Cons

  • Student expenses can be all over the place. What's great about this card is that it earns 1.5% cash back on everyday purchases and 5% on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
  • There is no annual fee, plus no foreign transaction fees so this is a great option for students planning to study abroad - or spend a summer backpacking in another country.
  • This card only requires fair credit, but has the perks of a credit card designed for someone with higher credit. This is a nice incentive for students looking to work on their credit score while earning rewards in the process.
  • The card's APR is a bit steep at RegAPR. If you plan to carry a balance, you might want to consider another option.
Terms and Limitations Apply.

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The CardName can help you establish a credit history and learn how to use credit cards responsibly during your college years. The card can also help students earn a little extra cash with 1.5% cash back earned on most purchases (and 5% earned on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel) – which can go a long way toward helping pay for some school expenses each year. Plus, as an early spend bonus, new cardholders can earn $50 once spending $100 in the first three months. Also, students save because there are no annual or foreign transaction fees.

On the other hand, the interest on this card is a bit high with a RegAPR APR, but this should serve as motivation to not carry a balance on the card, and thus help students build healthy credit habits.  See Rates and Fees

Although this card is designed to be a starter credit card for students, it's unique in that it has many of the same benefits that can be found with the non-student version of the card, the CardName, which is designed for those with higher levels of credit. Both cards, for instance, offer unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases. Student credit cards rarely come with many perks, so the fact that this card earns the same as its excellent-credit counterpart, is appealing.

QUICKSILVER STUDENT CREDIT CARD REWARDS

In addition to earning 1.5% cash back on all purchases made, the CardName offers a number of valuable perks that students are sure to really enjoy, such as tickets and VIP packages for concerts and music festivals, access to premier dining experiences, and on-site perks and discounts for sporting events through Capital One Experiences. Cardholders can also earn 10% cash back on purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats, plus complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024, plus the card features numerous protection and management perks which could help cardholders build healthy financial habits. To protect your account from fraud and put your mind at ease, Capital One provides security alerts that you can receive via text, email, or phone; virtual card numbers that you can use for online purchases; and a mobile card lock feature.

In order to save you money, or make you money, the Quicksilver Student card offers some additional perks like warranty protection for eligible purchases and $0 fraud liability for unauthorized charges – all while charging no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees. See Rates and Fees

The card also gives you access to perks that make having it in your wallet fun, such as online shopping tools; concierge services to help you with travel, entertainment and dining; access to culinary experiences; and access to tickets and VIP packages for numerous events, including sporting events, music festivals, and concerts.

Finally, in order to protect your account and give you peace of mind, the card offers a variety of services including travel assistance services available 24 hours a day for emergency cash advances or card replacement, instant push notifications for all new purchases, security alerts on suspicious activity on the card, the ability to lock card if it's lost or stolen and 24/7 customer service.

With these perks and protections, this card allows you to get a feel of what it's like to take on the responsibilities of a first credit card, while giving you access to all the benefits that are enjoyed by those more experienced with financial responsibility– consequently encouraging you to use your card responsibly to qualify for even better offers in the future.

Top Features

 Cash Back on Gas
1.5% Cash Back on every purchase, every day
 Cash Back on Groceries
1.5% Cash Back on every purchase, every day
 Cash Back on Other
1.5% Cash Back on every purchase, every day

WHAT CREDIT SCORE IS NEEDED FOR THE QUICKSILVER STUDENT CREDIT CARD?

Capital One states that fair credit is required to apply for this card, which is likely where a traditional college student who is applying for their first credit card, credit score stands. The credit scoring agency Fico considers a fair credit score anything that’s in the 580-699 range, but keep in mind that additional factors from your application and credit history could also be considered in the approval process.

QUICKSILVER STUDENT CREDIT CARD FEES

The CardName has no annual fee, which makes it a practical option for students. Also, this is a great choice if you plan on studying abroad or spending spring break in Mexico as the card doesn’t charge fees for international purchases. Many cash-back credit cards charge foreign transaction fees, usually around 3%. That means if you spent a semester abroad, and spent, say $10,000 in a foreign currency while away, you could end up paying $300 in fees alone with a different card. See Rates and Fees

However, this does not mean there are no fees associated with this card at all. Cardholders pay cash advance fees of cash_fee, and late payment fees of late_fee. Using a credit card for cash advances is almost never a good idea though, and the late payment fee is something to be mindful about, but as long as you’re paying your balances on time, you won’t have to worry about it.

WHO DOES CAPITAL ONE CONSIDER TO BE A STUDENT?

In order to be considered a student, you are required to be enrolled in an accredited college, university, or other type of higher education institution. In addition, those who have been admitted into an accredited school and plan to enroll within three months of applying for a card are eligible.

WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR QUICKSILVER STUDENT CREDIT CARD AFTER GRADUATION?

After graduation you can still keep your credit card open. In addition, all of your rewards and benefits will remain on your account. However, if you would like to upgrade your card to the non-student version, you may have that option, depending on your credit history. The benefit to this would be that you could be eligible for a lower APR, and possibly to a higher line of credit.

WHAT ARE THE DOWNSIDES OF THE QUICKSILVER STUDENT CREDIT CARD?

The APR of the CardName is a bit steep at RegAPR, which can make it more challenging for a college student to pay off their bill each month if carrying a balance. This should serve as an incentive though to not carry a balance on the card. If carrying a balance, any rewards you earn will likely be canceled out by interest charges. So, it’s best to spend only within your means and pay your statement each month on time and in full. Not only will this help you make the most out of your rewards earned with the card, but it should also help you in the long run as healthy financial habits like this could help raise your credit score. See Rates and Fees

How the CardName CARDHOLDER SCORES

CardRatings conducts a survey annually to learn what actual cardholders think of their cards. Here are the results:

Current Scores Past Scores
Overall Score 77.2 N/A
Features Satisfaction 7.1 N/A
Customer Service 8.3 N/A
Website/App Usability 8.3 N/A
Likelihood of Continuing to Use 8.2 N/A
Recommend to a Friend/Colleague 7.8 N/A

*Scores above reflect the results of surveys with actual cardholders. Full methodology below.

HOW DOES THE QUICKSILVER STUDENT CARD COMPARE TO OTHER STUDENT CREDIT CARDS?

Capital One QuickSilver Student Card vs. Capital One SavorOne Student Card

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The Quicksilver Student card and the CardName both allow you to save money on fees because there are no annual or foreign transaction fees.

Both cards offer unlimited cash back, but the SavorOne Student card has double the rate for some purchases with 3% cash back earned on eligible streaming services, dining, grocery (excluding superstores like Target and Walmart) and entertainment purchases. Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options (terms apply). Plus, earn 8% cash back on entertainment purchases when you book through the Capital One Entertainment portal and 10% cash back on purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats, plus complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024. However, cash-back earning drops to 1% for all other purchases, compared to the 1.5% rate offered by Quicksilver Student card across the board.

They both offer the same management perks, as well as the same early spend bonus of $50 once spending $100 in the first three months of opening an account. So if it comes down to choosing between these two cards, it really boils down to your spending habits. Do you spend regularly in various categories, or are streaming, dining, grocery, and entertainment purchases where most of your money goes? If it’s the latter, you might benefit more from the SavorOne Student card.

Capital One Quicksilver Student Card vs. CardName

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Instead of earning a flat rate on all purchases, the CardName card earns rewards in rotating bonus categories. Cardholders earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases, up to the quarterly maximum of $1,500 spent each quarter you activate, in categories that rotate. Some example categories include: grocery stores, restaurants and gas stations. All other purchases earn 1%.

What’s really nice about this card though is that it offers a welcome bonus to new cardholders – a rare perk for student cards. At the end of your first year as a cardholder, Discover will match every dollar you’ve earned. So say you earn $100 cash back that first year – Discover will automatically match that and you’ll pocket $200 instead.

Neither card charges annual or foreign transaction fees; however, the Discover card doesn't charge a late fee on the first missed payment either. It also offers a significantly lower APR, which is intro 0% for the first six months on purchases and RegAPR thereafter. See Rates and Fees

Capital One Quicksilver Student Card vs. Chase Freedom® Student

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While CardName's rate of 1% cash back earned on all purchases is lower than the QuickSilver Student rate of 1.5%, it offers a $50 bonus if you make your first purchase within three months of opening the account, and $20 every year for up to five years for keeping the account in good standing. Also, the Chase Freedom® Student card has a lower APR at RegAPR and gives you the opportunity to have your credit limit increased if you make five monthly payments on time within 10 months of having the card.

If lower APR and having a higher line of credit are more valuable perks to you than earning rewards on purchases, the Chase Freedom® Student is a worthy option to consider.

IS THE QUICKSILVER STUDENT CARD A GOOD CREDIT CARD?

The CardName is a good card to help you start building your credit and to earn some money in the process thanks to its cash back rewards. The high APR makes it a good idea to pay the balance of this card off each month, which is also a great habit to adopt for long-term credit card usage.

Survey Methodology: CardRatings commissioned Op4G in September 2023 to conduct surveys among 1,869 cardholders nationwide. CardRatings website analytics from Jan. 1, 2023-Aug. 31, 2023 were used to determine a selection of the most popular cards and additional cards were included to add survey breadth. Responses to each of nine questions were given on a scale of 1-10 and respondents' scores were then averaged under broad topics. To determine the overall score, responses from questions 1-8 were summed and the answer to "How likely are you to recommend this card to a friend, coworker or family member?" was double weighted. “Current Scores” reflect scores from the most recent survey (2023); "Past Scores" reflect scores from the 2022 survey.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card Compared to Other Cash back Cards

Apply online for Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Apply online for Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Apply online for Citi Double Cash<sup>®</sup> Card
Citi Double Cash® Card
Cash Back on Gas
1.5% Cash Back on every purchase, every day 
Cash Back on Gas
3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more). 
Cash Back on Gas
1.5% cash back on all other purchases. 
Cash Back on Gas
1% when you buy plus 1% as you pay 
Cash Back on Gas
1.5% Cash Back on every purchase, every day 
Cash Back on Groceries
1.5% Cash Back on every purchase, every day 
Cash Back on Groceries
6% at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%) 
Cash Back on Groceries
1.5% cash back on all other purchases. 
Cash Back on Groceries
1% when you buy plus 1% as you pay 
Cash Back on Groceries
1.5% Cash Back on every purchase, every day 
Cash Back on other
1.5% Cash Back on every purchase, every day 
Cash Back on other
1% Cash Back on other purchases. 
Cash Back on other
1.5% cash back on all other purchases. 
Cash Back on other
1% when you buy plus 1% as you pay 
Cash Back on other
1.5% Cash Back on every purchase, every day 

Disclaimer: The information in this article is believed to be accurate as of the date it was written. Please keep in mind that credit card offers change frequently. Therefore, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this article. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain accurate information. See the online credit card application for full terms and conditions on offers and rewards. Please verify all terms and conditions of any credit card prior to applying.

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