Student credit cards

As a student, you’ll be targeted by credit card companies offering tempting joining incentives and the ability to buy lots of cool new stuff. However, you may end up paying higher rates and having a debt on your hands that lasts well after you graduate. uSwitch.com gives you all the help you’ll need to make sure you are a master in credit card deals.

Finding the right credit card will take some research. You’ll need to bear the following in mind:

• low interest rates
• the best rewards or incentives
• the easiest terms
• a good Annual Percentage Rate
• lowest or no annual fee
• fraud guarantee
• customer service

No time? You can find the best credit card for you by using our independent and impartial credit card comparison service, which provides fast and accurate results.

The attraction in getting a student credit card lies in the terms and conditions of the cards: student credit card providers will allow you to borrow without having any regular income at all.

However, student credit cards generally charge a higher than average interest rate. Providers tend to offer things like record or book tokens to encourage you to sign up, but they don't cut their typical APR (Annual Percentage Rate).

Shop around to find the cheapest credit card and don't restrict yourself to student credit cards. There are some really low interest cards around that don't have a minimum income requirement. Others have quite a low requirement, so if you're working part time or over the holidays you might be accepted for one of these. However, they don't usually have the kinds of introductory offers the student cards have.

Some student credit cards offer money off in certain shops, but these are sometimes the same shops in which you'll get discounts with your NUS card. If this isn't the case and the discounts on offer are ones you'll take advantage of, a student credit card could still be a good deal for you.