Best Student Credit Cards in Canada (From Age 15)

Q: Do you need an income to get a student credit card?

Most student cards do not require any minimum income. This is notably the case for the CIBC Aventura® Visa* Card for Students, the CIBC Dividend® Visa* Card for Students, the BMO CashBack Mastercard for Students, and all American Express® Canada cards. However, you must demonstrate repayment capacity, which may take the form of a part-time job, a scholarship, documented parental support, or proof of full-time enrolment.

Q: What documents are required for a student card application?

Documents generally required:- Pièce d’identité avec photo (permis de conduire, passeport, carte d’identité provinciale).; - Numéro d’assurance sociale (NAS).; - Preuve d’inscription à un établissement d’enseignement postsecondaire admissible.; - Adresse (relevé de service public, bail, ou relevé bancaire).; - Si applicable : relevés de revenus (T4, T2202, ou attestation de bourse).; For international students, some banks (RBC, Scotiabank, BMO) offer special programs that accept a student visa as proof of identity.

Q: Does a prepaid card build credit?

No. A prepaid card such as the KOHO Prepaid Mastercard does not build your credit file since it does not generate a repayable loan. However, KOHO now offers a "Credit Building" feature for a monthly subscription, which creates a loan product reported to the credit bureaus. The Capital One Guaranteed Mastercard and Home Trust Secured Visa are other secured alternatives that build credit for profiles with no history.

Q: What are the best rewards programs for students?

For a student, the most useful programs are:- Aéroplan (Carte Visa Platineᴹᴰ TDᴹᴰ Aéroplanᴹᴰ pour étudiants ou Carte Aéroplanᴹᴰ American Expressᴹᴰ) : voyages internationaux à bon prix.; - Points-Privilèges American Expressᴹᴰ (Carte Verte Amex) : flexibles et transférables.; - Cobalt (Carte Cobaltᴹᴰ Amex) : 5x sur épicerie/restaurants, idéal pour le budget étudiant.; - Remises en argent (Tangerine, BMO Remises pour étudiants, KOHO) : pas de complexité, retour direct.; Choose a program whose end use you understand rather than accumulating rewards you will not know how to redeem.

The best student credit cards - September 2026

Back-to-school season is the perfect time to open your first credit card. The cards featured here are for students: they help build a credit history, offer rewards on everyday spending and, in most cases, require no minimum income. Some options are even available from age 15 with a parent’s consent.

Voici notre comparatif des offres, suivi des réponses aux questions les plus fréquentes des étudiants et de leurs parents. Cliquez sur le nom d’une carte pour consulter le détail de son offre et de ses assurances.

CIBC Dividend^® Visa* Card for Students

The CIBC Dividend^® Visa* Card for Students is one of the best cash back Visa student credit cards in Canada. Apply for the card and receive up to $125 cash back.

With this CIBC Student Credit Card, you get:

2% cash back on eligible grocery purchases^†
1% cash back on eligible gas, electric vehicle charging, transportation, and dining purchases and on eligible recurring payments^†
0.5% cash back on all other purchases^†

What’s more, with this CIBC Student Credit Card, you benefit from a free free membership to SPC, for instant savings on over 450 in-store and online transactions.

And this CIBC Student Credit Card offers some insurance coverages:

Purchase Security and Extended Protection Insurance

KOHO Prepaid Mastercard^® Essential Plan

Special Offer:

Enter the code MILESOPEDIA when you apply for your card
Get $20 when you open a KOHO account and make your first purchase within 30 days of signing up.

The features of the KOHO Prepaid Mastercard with the Essential Plan are as follows:

Earn 1% cash back on on groceries, eating & drinking, and transportation
Accepted at Costco
Get 2% interest on your spending and savings account. Your funds will also be eligible for CDIC insurance. Interest rates are annual, calculated daily, paid monthly and may be changed at any time without notice.
Automate your savings with Goals and RoundUps. Rounding off every purchase allows you to set aside savings, while goals make it easier to save for the things that make you happy.
Lock in savings with Vault that keeps the funds you don’t want to spend separate from your spendable balance
Create custom budgets and track your spending habits. Know where you’re at in real time with instant notifications every time you spend.
Strengthen your credit rating with our 6-month Credit Enhancement Program for only $10/month
Get access to a cash advance of up to $250 at 0% interest with KOHO Cover

CIBC Aventura^® Visa* Card for Students

CIBC Aventura Visa* Card for Students is one of the best travel rewards Visa student credit cards in Canada.

Get up to 12,500 Aventura points (a value of up to $125 toward travel^†):

2,500 Aventura Points when you complete all five activities within 60 days of your CIBC Aventura^® Visa* account approval.^†
10,000 Aventura points after making your first purchase during the period covered by your first 4 monthly statements^†

With this CIBC Aventura Student Credit Card, you get:

1 point for every $1 spent on travel purchased through the CIBC Rewards Centre^†
1 point for every dollar spent at gas stations, electric vehicle charging stations, and eligible grocery and drug stores^†
1 point per $2 spent on all other ^purchases†

What’s more, with this CIBC Student Credit Card, you benefit from a free free membership to SPC, for instant savings on over 450 in-store and online transactions. And this CIBC Student Credit Card offers some insurance coverage:

$100,000 Common Carrier Accident Insurance
Purchase Security and Extended Protection Insurance

Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card

The Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card has no annual fee and offers cash back.

With this limited-time welcome offer, you can earn an additional 10% cash back (up to $100) when you spend up to $1,000 on everyday purchases during the first 2 months.

You can choose two to three purchase categories that interest you (groceries, gas, home furnishings, renovations, recurring bills, pharmacy, etc.) to earn 2% cash back ! And there’s no annual cash-back limit. It is one of the best credit cards for renovations.

In addition, the Tangerine Mastercard offers several insurance coverages for your purchases :

90 days purchase insurance
One year extended warranty

Finally, during the first 30 days you hold the card, transfer credit card balances and pay only 1.95% interest on these balances for the first 6 months.

Save on fuel with Shell

All Tangerine cardholders can get savings and rewards on fuel with Shell and Scene+ when you link your cards to your Shell Go+ account. Get up to 8¢/L in value with a linked Money-Back World Mastercard or Money-Back Credit Card:

Instant savings of 3¢ per litre on all grades of Shell fuel.
Earn up to 3¢ per litre in cash back with fuel selected as a 2% category.
Earn 1¢ per litre in Scene+ points value on all grades of Shell fuel, or 2¢ per litre in Scene+ points value on Shell V-Power^® when you link your Scene+ Account to Shell Go+.

BMO eclipse rise Visa* Card

The new BMO eclipse rise Visa* Card is a no-annual-fee credit card with travel points, requiring no minimum income.

With this offer, you can earn up to 25,000 points as a welcome bonus:

20,000 points after $1,500 in purchases in the first 3 months
2,500 points when you redeem 12,000 points with the Pay with Points option over a 12-month period
2,500 points when you pay the balance on time for 12 months

What’s more, you can benefit from an interest rate of 0.99% on balance transfers for nine months (a 2% balance transfer fee applies).

With the new BMO eclipse rise Visa* Card, you earn :

5 points for every two dollars spent on recurring bill payments
5 points for every two dollars spent at the grocery store
5 points for every two dollars spent at restaurant and for takeaway
1 point per two dollars of purchases for all other purchase categories

You can use BMO Rewards points for all travel purchases made through the agency or website of your choice (plane tickets, hotels, rental cars, all-inclusive packages, Airbnb, etc.) or for rewards and gift cards on the BMO Rewards platform.

The new BMO eclipse rise Visa* Card also offers:

Mobile Device Insurance
Purchase Protection
Extended warranty insurance

Finally, enjoy three months of Instacart+ membership and a $5 monthly Instacart credit when you sign up with your eligible BMO credit card.

SimplyCash^® Card from American Express

Are you looking for a cash back credit card with no annual fee and an excellent cash back rate for your everyday purchases? Here is an option for you: the SimplyCash^® Card from American Express.

With this no-annual-fee credit card, you earn:

2% cash back on gas purchases
2% cash back on grocery purchases
1.25% cash back on all other purchases

And with this welcome offer, you can earn 5% cash back on all your purchases (up to $2,000 in purchases) during the first 3 months (which is up to $100 in statement credits).

You benefit from several types of insurance : $100,000 travel accident, Purchase Protection, Purchase Security.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.

American Express^® Green Card

Do you want a cash back credit card with no annual fee that earns travel points? Here’s an option for you: American Express^® Green Card.

By signing up for the American Express^® Green Card, you can earn 10,000 Membership Rewards Welcome Bonus Points when you charge $1,000 in purchases to your Card in the first 3 months of Cardmembership. This is a $100 value for travel or any purchase on the Card.

You can also transfer your points to airline partners (Aeroplan, British Airways Executive Club, Flying Blue, etc.) and hotel partners (Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors).

For example, with this welcome offer, if you decide to transfer your Membership Rewards points to a partner loyalty program, you would have the choice of earning:

10,000 Aeroplan points
10,000 Avios points
10,000 Flying Blue Miles
12,000 Marriott Bonvoy points

That’s a nice welcome bonus for a credit card with no annual fee.

You’ll also have access to online promotional offers to earn points or rebates on your purchases with this no annual fee credit card.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.

TD^® Aeroplan^® Visa Platinum* Credit Card

With the TD^® Aeroplan^® Visa Platinum* Card, you can earn up to 20,000 Aeroplan points and get a Annual Fee rebate for the first year:

10,000 Aeroplan points for the first purchase made with your card^†
10,000 additional Aeroplan points when you spend $1,500 within the first 90 days of opening your account^†
First-year Annual Fee waived for primary cardholder (instead of $89)^†.
To receive the first-year Annual Fee rebate for the Primary Cardholder, you must activate your Card and make your first Purchase on the Account within the first 3 months after Account opening. To receive the Additional Cardholder(s) first-year Annual Fee rebate, you must add your Additional Cardholder(s) while the offer is in effect.

With the TD^® Aeroplan^® Visa Platinum* Credit Card, you earn 1 point per dollar spent on eligible purchases for:

Grocery stores
Eligible purchases of gas or electric vehicle charging
Air Canada purchases, including Air Canada Vacations

This TD Aeroplan credit card requires no minimum income.

Combiner sa carte et son compte

Une carte étudiante ne se choisit pas toujours seule. Plusieurs banques versent une prime distincte quand la carte accompagne l’ouverture d’un compte chèques, ce qui double la valeur de la démarche pour un montant de dépenses identique.

La Banque Scotia pousse cette logique le plus loin cette année. Son Forfait Essentiel pour les étudiants et les jeunes verse 200 $ pour un compte ouvert entre le 2 juillet et le 1er novembre 2026, après deux opérations admissibles dans les 60 jours. En ajoutant le compte d’épargne et une carte admissible, le total grimpe à 625 $.

Compte chèques à 0 $ : pour les moins de 25 ans et les étudiants à temps plein
Prime cumulable : celle du compte s’ajoute à celle de la carte
Compte d’épargne en supplément : une troisième prime s’ajoute si vous l’ouvrez aussi

Du côté de la carte, la Carte Visa Momentum Scotia sans frais annuels est celle qui porte la plus grosse offre du groupe admissible : 5 % de remise en argent sur tous les achats pendant trois mois, jusqu’à 2 000 $ d’achats.

Pairing your card and account

A student card is not always chosen on its own. Several banks pay a separate bonus when the card comes with a new chequing account, which doubles the value of the exercise for the same amount of spending.

Scotiabank pushes that logic furthest this year. Its Preferred Package for Students and Youth pays $200 for an account opened between July 2 and November 1, 2026, after two eligible transactions within 60 days. Adding the savings account and an eligible card takes the total to $625.

$0 chequing account: for people under 25 and full-time students
Stackable bonus: the account bonus adds to the card bonus
Savings account on top: a third bonus applies if you open one too

On the card side, the Scotia Momentum No-Fee Visa Card carries the largest offer among the eligible group: 5% cash back on all purchases for three months, up to $2,000 in purchases.

Frequently Asked Questions about credit cards

Here are some frequently asked questions in the milesopedia community about credit cards in Canada.

What is the best student credit card in Canada?

There are several good student credit cards in Canada, including:

What is the best prepaid card for students in Canada?

The best student prepaid card in Canada is the KOHO Mastercard Prepaid Card. Read our review of the KOHO Mastercard Prepaid Card.

How to choose a student credit card in Canada?

When choosing a student credit card in Canada, it is important to consider several factors to find a card that best suits your needs and financial situation. Here are a few steps to help you choose the best student credit card:

Check your eligibility: Before applying for a credit card, check whether you are eligible. Banks and credit card issuers may require you to be a certain age, have a minimum income, or have full-time student status.
Compare offers: Compare offers from different banks and credit card issuers to find the card that best suits your needs. Check interest rates, annual fees, rewards programs, and the benefits offered by each card.
Check rewards programs: Rewards programs are additional perks that may be offered with a credit card. Look for rewards programs that match your spending habits, such as cash back on grocery purchases or points for travel.
Check interest rates: Interest rates can vary significantly from one card to another. Look for cards with reasonable interest rates and avoid cards with high interest rates, which can be difficult to pay off.
Check fees: Some credit cards have annual fees or hidden fees. Review the fees associated with each card and make sure they are reasonable.
Check credit limits: Credit limits can vary from one card to another. Make sure the card you choose has a credit limit that matches your spending habits.

Ultimately, it is important to choose a credit card that suits your needs and financial situation. Before applying for a credit card, take the time to compare the different options available and choose the one that best matches your spending habits and financial goals.

Also, if you are a student and shop at Costco with other students, it may be useful to have a credit card that earns rewards. See the page for the best Costco credit card offers.

What is the minimum age to get a student credit card?

The legal age requirement varies by province: 18 in Quebec, Alberta, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, and the territories; 19 in all other Canadian provinces.

The KOHO Prepaid Mastercard is available from age 15 with parental consent, making it an excellent option to get started before reaching the age of majority.

Do you need an income to get a student credit card?

Most student cards do not require any minimum income. This is notably the case for the CIBC Aventura^® Visa* Card for Students, the CIBC Dividend^® Visa* Card for Students, the BMO CashBack Mastercard for Students, and all American Express^® Canada cards.

However, you must demonstrate repayment capacity, which may take the form of a part-time job, a scholarship, documented parental support, or proof of full-time enrolment.

What documents are required for a student card application?

Documents generally required:

Pièce d’identité avec photo (permis de conduire, passeport, carte d’identité provinciale).
Numéro d’assurance sociale (NAS).
Preuve d’inscription à un établissement d’enseignement postsecondaire admissible.
Adresse (relevé de service public, bail, ou relevé bancaire).
Si applicable : relevés de revenus (T4, T2202, ou attestation de bourse).

For international students, some banks (RBC, Scotiabank, BMO) offer special programs that accept a student visa as proof of identity.

Does a prepaid card build credit?

No. A prepaid card such as the KOHO Prepaid Mastercard does not build your credit file since it does not generate a repayable loan.

However, KOHO now offers a “Credit Building” feature for a monthly subscription, which creates a loan product reported to the credit bureaus. The Capital One Guaranteed Mastercard and Home Trust Secured Visa are other secured alternatives that build credit for profiles with no history.

What are the best rewards programs for students?

For a student, the most useful programs are:

Aéroplan (Carte Visa Platine^MD TD^MD Aéroplan^MD pour étudiants ou Carte Aéroplan^MD American Express^MD) : voyages internationaux à bon prix.
Points-Privilèges American Express^MD (Carte Verte Amex) : flexibles et transférables.
Cobalt (Carte Cobalt^MD Amex) : 5x sur épicerie/restaurants, idéal pour le budget étudiant.
Remises en argent (Tangerine, BMO Remises pour étudiants, KOHO) : pas de complexité, retour direct.

Choose a program whose end use you understand rather than accumulating rewards you will not know how to redeem.