(9bbb3e6c1ebe70c5b38aba7b3de53a57) Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards for Students | CardSnark
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards for Students
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Reviews
4.6/5

Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards for Students

The CardSnark Verdict

Being a student is chaotic. One month you're buying textbooks, the next you're buying gas for a road trip. A normal credit card locks you into one category. The Bank of America Student Cash Rewards card lets you choose your own 3% category and change it every month. It's the only student card that adapts to your life.

Annual Fee $0
Credit Req Fair/Good (Student)
Intro APR 0% Intro APR (15 mos)
Foreign Fee 3%
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👍 The Good Stuff

  • ✅ You Choose: Pick your 3% category (e.g., Dining, Online Shopping).
  • ✅ Online Shopping: Includes Amazon, Target.com, and Uber Eats.
  • ✅ Sign-up Bonus: $200 bonus after spending $1,000.
  • ✅ 0% Intro APR: 15 months interest-free on purchases.

👎 The Bad Stuff

  • ❌ Foreign Fees: 3% fee makes this terrible for study abroad.
  • ❌ Quarterly Cap: 3% earning limited to $2,500 spend per quarter.
  • ❌ Harder Approval: Requires "Fair" credit; harder to get than Discover.

The Deep Dive

Because you spend money on different things during Finals Week than you do on Spring Break, you need a card that adapts.

The Offer (Power of Choice)

  • Annual Fee: $0.
  • 3% Category: You pick (Gas, Online Shopping, Dining, Travel, Drug Stores, or Home Improvement).
  • 2% Categories: Grocery Stores & Wholesale Clubs.

The Verdict: Most students should pick “Online Shopping” or “Dining.” Earning 3% on Amazon orders or Uber Eats with a starter card is excellent value.

The Strategy: How to Hack It

Don’t just set it and forget it. Be smart about your 3% category:

  • August/January (Back to School): Set it to “Online Shopping” for textbooks and dorm supplies.
  • Spring Break: Set it to “Travel” or “Gas.”
  • Finals Week: Set it to “Dining” for all the stress-eating takeout.
  • Moving Day: Set it to “Home Improvement” for furniture.

Bank of America vs. Discover Student

These are the two heavyweights. Discover offers 5% rotating categories (you can’t choose them) and a cashback match in year 1. Bank of America offers a 3% fixed category (you choose it) and a $200 bonus.

Who Should Get This Card?

  1. You do a lot of online shopping (Amazon, clothes, tech).
  2. You already have a checking account with Bank of America (helps approval odds).
  3. You want a $200 bonus right now.

Ready to get this card?

Apply Now →