The best first credit card for young adults and students

Young adults and students often need their first credit card to start building their credit and to help them manage their finances. There are many options offered by financial institutions, but some cards are better than others; they may offer benefits and rewards, low annual fees and interest rates, and additional protections.

When you start building your credit file or managing your finances, a good tool is to apply for a credit card.

It’s an excellent way to:

• Draw up a credit file;
• Learn how to manage expenses;
• Enjoy rewards and benefits at the same time!

Before choosing a credit card, it’s crucial to understand the associated fees. Credit cards have interest charges that apply when the balance is not paid in full each month. As a student, opting for a card with a low interest rate can help you save money in the long run. What’s more, some cards charge an annual fee, while others may have fees for foreign transactions or cash advances.

Obtaining a credit card as a student in Canada is a relatively straightforward process, although requirements may vary depending on the financial institution you choose.

In Canada and France, the legal age for obtaining a credit card without a co-signer is 18. However, in some Canadian provinces, such as British Columbia, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, the legal age is 19. Some credit card issuers may also require students to have a co-signer if they can’t provide proof of income.

Before applying for a card, assess your financial needs and capabilities. Think about how you plan to use the card and your repayment capacity. To apply, you’ll usually need to provide proof of enrolment in a post-secondary institution. This can be a copy of your student card or a letter of admission.

You can apply for a credit card online, for example by clicking on the link for the card you’re interested in, which will take you directly to the financial institution’s website, or in person at a branch of the chosen bank.

Once you’ve obtained your first card, you’ll be able to build up your credit history, and start adopting good spending and financial management habits.

Owning a credit card is a big responsibility. By using your card wisely, you’ll establish a good credit history, which will benefit you when you want to take out a loan or mortgage. Avoid spending more than you can repay, and always try to pay off your balance in full to avoid interest charges.

Security must be a priority when choosing a credit card. Make sure your card issuer offers fraud protection, suspicious use alerts and secure online services to check your transactions and balance.

As a student or young adult, it’s essential to consider your spending habits, the benefits the card can provide and your goal in using it.

Looking at the expenses in your bank account, which are the most frequent and essential?

• Payment of monthly cell phone or internet bills
• Grocery stores, restaurants, bars, food delivery like Uber or Skip the Dishes
• Gas or public transportation

Then, what do we want to do with the rewards? The most popular answers are:

• Cash back to reduce your account balance
• Take the opportunity to travel

Here are four of the best credit cards for young people (students or not) in Canada, according to their needs and objectives.

Many credit cards offer promotions to attract new customers, including reduced interest rates, cash rebates or bonus points for new cardholders. However, reading the small print on these offers is essential, as they may have conditions or expire after a certain period.

For a card that’s easy to manage, the National Bank Platinum Mastercard^® is excellent for building a credit score. You must be 18 years old at Quebec or have reached the age of majority in your province of residence to obtain this card.

According to our Milesopedia 2025 awards, the National Bank Platinum Mastercard^® also won the title of Best Credit Card for Young Professionals. It has an annual fee of $70, but it’s well worth it with the points it gives, its advantageous rewards program and its comprehensive insurance.

What’s more, this credit card also comes with valuable mobile device insurance. So if the cell phone or tablet purchased with this card is broken, lost or stolen, the warranty offers up to $1,000 replacement or repair!

The CIBC Dividend^® Visa* Card for Students is the card we voted the best student credit card of 2025.

Very easy to use and understand, it offers:

• 2% cash back on grocery purchases
• 1% on purchases of gas, electric vehicle recharging, transportation, restaurants and recurring payments (monthly Internet costs, gym membership, etc.)
• 0.5% on all other purchases

CIBC also offers free membership of SPC+. Plus, get a free 12-month membership of Skip+.

The CIBC Aventura Visa* Card for Students is one of the best Visa credit cards for students with travel points. You must beof legal age in your province to subscribe to this card.

The best way to use Aventura points for travel. So, with Aventura Points, go on an adventure for cheap!

It gives 1 Aventura point:

• for every $1 spent at gas stations, grocery stores and drug stores
• for every $1 spent on travel purchases on their CIBC Rewards Centre site
• for every $2 on other purchases

CIBC is also giving away a free membership to SPC+, which offers discounts on a ton of fashion, dining, entertainment and travel products.

The American Express^® Green Card is very flexible. Contrary to popular belief, it is accepted in many more shops than you might think. It is an unknown card that has great power.

The American Express Green Card is just as easy: it gives you 1 Membership Rewards point for every $1 spent on everything.

At Quebec, you have to be at least 18 to obtain it, and the card is made from 99% recycled plastic.

Then, the points can be used to:

• Reduce your credit card balance (1,000 points for $10 less on your account) on any expense
• Transfer to Aeroplan or Marriott Bonvoy, for cheaper travel

What’s more, this credit card has no annual fee!

Thanks to American Express Experiences and Avant-première, cardholders have access to pre-sales of the most popular shows before anyone else.

Please note that this type of card has no effect on your credit file, nor will it help to improve your credit score, as it is a prepaid card.

For someone who is just starting out or who is unsure at the outset, a prepaid card can be a good way to manage your budget. Then, when everything is under control, the next step is to move towards a credit card.

The KOHO Extra Prepaid Mastercard is a hybrid debit/credit card offered by Canadian fintech KOHO, and is available to people who have reached the age of majority in their province. So, from the age of 18 at Quebec, it can be used as a :

• Debit card, where you only spend what’s in the account;
• Credit card with cash back rewards.

This card offers the following benefits:

• Cash back for specific purchases
• No interest charges
• Perfect for bill payment and online shopping
• Available on Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay

Sometimes, word-of-mouth is the best indicator. Talk to other students or young adults to find out which cards they use and why. Their experiences can offer valuable insights.

Join the Milesopedia community on our private Facebook group to share your questions and learn more about credit cards and rewards programs. The more you read up on the subject, the more comfortable you’ll feel about it, and the more likely you’ll make the right choices according to your consumption profile.

For a first credit card, we recommend choosing one with no annual fee; you take it intending never to cancel it to build your credit history.

You can take out a credit card that is not linked to the financial institution where you have your bank account. To pay off the balance, simply treat it as if it were a bill. See how to pay a credit card on AccèsD (which is the same principle as for other banks).

Whatever you choose, it’s very important to pay your credit card balances on time, every month and in full.