Best Student Credit Cards 2024

Having a credit card is an important step to building a credit score while preparing to enter adulthood. After careful analysis, our experts identified the best credit cards in Singapore specifically designed for students. Many have a S$500 monthly credit limit, paired with no income requirement–perfect for first-timers.

Maybank eVibes:
  • Highest rebate for students–1% on all spend
CIMB AWSM:
  • Unltd 1% rebate on dining, entertainment & more for students
DBS Live Fresh Student:
  • 5% everyday rebates w/S$500 min spend
Citi Clear:
  • 0.4 miles per S$1 for students, foodie privileges
SC Manhattan S$500:
  • 0.25% cashback for students & low-income adults

Maybank eVibes Credit Card: Best Flat Rate for Students

Maybank eVibes Card is an easy to use student card offering 1% cash rebates on all retail transactions. Another benefit: S$20 annual fee waived for 2 years.
  • Pros
    • Students & NSF earning less than S$30,000/year
    • People looking for easy cashback on all spend
    • Individuals hoping to avoid paying an annual fee
    • Cons
      • Young adults who’d prefer a card with EZ-Link functionality
      • Annual fee: S$20 (waived for using the card once every 3 months)
      • 1% unlimited rebate on all spend, no minimum requirement
      • S$500 credit limit
      • Access to Maybank TREATS discounts

      Here is why Maybank eVibes Credit Card is one of the best flat rate credit card options for students in Singapore.

      With Maybank eVibes Card, students can earn up to 4x the rewards offered by competitors. In fact, cardholders earn a market-leading 1% rebate on all of their spend–there are no merchant or category restrictions, making it incredibly easy to maximise cashback. Maybank eVIbes Card also has no minimum spend requirement to earn at this rate, and the S$5.0 quarterly fee (S$20.0/year) is waived simply with card use. Essentially, earning is easy and maintenance-free.


      To top it off, students have access to Maybank’s TREATS Programme, which offers everything from S$1 meals coupons to discounted amusement park tickets. If you’re a student or NSF, there’s simply no better credit card than Maybank eVibes Card.

      Maybank eVibes Card is an easy to use student card offering 1% cash rebates on all retail transactions. Another benefit: S$20 annual fee waived for 2 years.
      • Pros
        • Students & NSF earning less than S$30,000/year
        • People looking for easy cashback on all spend
        • Individuals hoping to avoid paying an annual fee
        • Cons
          • Young adults who’d prefer a card with EZ-Link functionality
          • Annual fee: S$20 (waived for using the card once every 3 months)
          • 1% unlimited rebate on all spend, no minimum requirement
          • S$500 credit limit
          • Access to Maybank TREATS discounts

          Here is why Maybank eVibes Credit Card is one of the best flat rate credit card options for students in Singapore.

          With Maybank eVibes Card, students can earn up to 4x the rewards offered by competitors. In fact, cardholders earn a market-leading 1% rebate on all of their spend–there are no merchant or category restrictions, making it incredibly easy to maximise cashback. Maybank eVIbes Card also has no minimum spend requirement to earn at this rate, and the S$5.0 quarterly fee (S$20.0/year) is waived simply with card use. Essentially, earning is easy and maintenance-free.


          To top it off, students have access to Maybank’s TREATS Programme, which offers everything from S$1 meals coupons to discounted amusement park tickets. If you’re a student or NSF, there’s simply no better credit card than Maybank eVibes Card.

          CIMB AWSM Credit Card: Competitive Rebates in Popular Categories

          CIMB AWSM Card
          CIMB AWSM Card
          CIMB AWSM offers unlimited 1% cashback on dining, online shopping, telco and entertainment. Also, it's SimplyGo compatible and free for life.
          • Pros
            • Students, NSFs & low-income consumers earning less than S$30,000/year
            • People with high spend on dining, entertainment, online shopping & telco
            • Individuals interested in discounts & deals in Indonesia and Malaysia
            • Cons
              • Individuals who earn more than S$30,000/year
              • People who tend to eat in, and prefer to shop offline
              • Young adults looking for cashback on their utilities spend
              • Annual fee: free
              • 1% unlimited cashback on dining, entertainment, online shopping & telco
              • No minimum spend requirement
              • Access to CIMB Deals & Discounts
              CIMB AWSM Card is an excellent credit card option for students, and the absolute best credit card for salaried employees earning less than S$30,000/year. In fact, CIMB AWSM Card is one of the only cards on the market open to salaried employees with low-incomes (who otherwise, would not qualify for typical cards requiring salaries of S$30,000+ for approval).


              CIMB AWSM Card is still one of the best options for students as well. Cardholders earn a high 1% unlimited rebate on dining, entertainment, online shopping & telco–key spend categories for young adults. There’s no minimum spend requirement, and the card is free forever, making it a great way to earn stress and maintenance-free cashback. Finally, students can access CIMB Deals & Discounts, which offer travel, dining and regional promotions across Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia.

              CIMB AWSM Card
              CIMB AWSM Card
              CIMB AWSM offers unlimited 1% cashback on dining, online shopping, telco and entertainment. Also, it's SimplyGo compatible and free for life.
              • Pros
                • Students, NSFs & low-income consumers earning less than S$30,000/year
                • People with high spend on dining, entertainment, online shopping & telco
                • Individuals interested in discounts & deals in Indonesia and Malaysia
                • Cons
                  • Individuals who earn more than S$30,000/year
                  • People who tend to eat in, and prefer to shop offline
                  • Young adults looking for cashback on their utilities spend
                  • Annual fee: free
                  • 1% unlimited cashback on dining, entertainment, online shopping & telco
                  • No minimum spend requirement
                  • Access to CIMB Deals & Discounts

                  CIMB AWSM Card is an excellent credit card option for students, and the absolute best credit card for salaried employees earning less than S$30,000/year. In fact, CIMB AWSM Card is one of the only cards on the market open to salaried employees with low-incomes (who otherwise, would not qualify for typical cards requiring salaries of S$30,000+ for approval).


                  CIMB AWSM Card is still one of the best options for students as well. Cardholders earn a high 1% unlimited rebate on dining, entertainment, online shopping & telco–key spend categories for young adults. There’s no minimum spend requirement, and the card is free forever, making it a great way to earn stress and maintenance-free cashback. Finally, students can access CIMB Deals & Discounts, which offer travel, dining and regional promotions across Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia.

                  DBS Live Fresh Student Credit Card: Cashback Boost for Social Spenders

                  DBS Live Fresh Student Card
                  DBS Live Fresh Student Card
                  DBS Live Fresh Student Card is a great fit for those who spend at eco-friendly merchants. Customers earn 5% at select merchants and 5% at eco-eateries, retailers and transport.
                  • Pros
                    • 5% rebate on select merchants & 5% rebate on sustainable spend
                    • No minimum spend requirement
                    • Annual fee waived 5 full years
                    • Cons
                      • Just 0.3% rebate on general spend
                      • otal rewards capped at just S$50/mo
                      • Annual fee: S$192.60 (waived for 5 years)
                      • 5% rebate on favourite brands
                      • Additional 5% cashback on sustainable spend (eco-eateries, eco-retailers and eco-transport)
                      • 0.3% cashback on all other spend
                      • Cashback capped at S$50/month
                      • Eligibility: 21-27 yrs old
                      DBS Live Fresh Student Card is the best credit card option on the market for social young adults who spend about S$300/month on dining & entertainment. Cardholders earn a boosted 5% cashback for spend with Starbucks, McDonald's (inc. McDelivery), Golden Village, Netflix and even Spotify. This is a higher rate than offered by any other student card, with any merchants or categories. While cashback at the 5% rate is capped at S$15/month, students can easily max out their rewards on a regular basis with just S$300 merchant spend.


                      DBS Live Fresh Student Card does have a slightly less competitive general rate. Cardholders earn 0.3% cashback on all other purchases, capped at S$20/month. It's far more difficult to max out this rewards category–in fact, doing so would require S$6,667 monthly spend. As a result, students should think of DBS Live Fresh Student Card as an easy opportunity to earn S$15/month on select dining & entertainment, adding up to a S$180/year.

                      DBS Live Fresh Student Card
                      DBS Live Fresh Student Card
                      DBS Live Fresh Student Card is a great fit for those who spend at eco-friendly merchants. Customers earn 5% at select merchants and 5% at eco-eateries, retailers and transport.
                      • Pros
                        • 5% rebate on select merchants & 5% rebate on sustainable spend
                        • No minimum spend requirement
                        • Annual fee waived 5 full years
                        • Cons
                          • Just 0.3% rebate on general spend
                          • otal rewards capped at just S$50/mo
                          • Annual fee: S$192.60 (waived for 5 years)
                          • 5% rebate on favourite brands
                          • Additional 5% cashback on sustainable spend (eco-eateries, eco-retailers and eco-transport)
                          • 0.3% cashback on all other spend
                          • Cashback capped at S$50/month
                          • Eligibility: 21-27 yrs old

                          DBS Live Fresh Student Card is the best credit card option on the market for social young adults who spend about S$300/month on dining & entertainment. Cardholders earn a boosted 5% cashback for spend with Starbucks, McDonald's (inc. McDelivery), Golden Village, Netflix and even Spotify. This is a higher rate than offered by any other student card, with any merchants or categories. While cashback at the 5% rate is capped at S$15/month, students can easily max out their rewards on a regular basis with just S$300 merchant spend.


                          DBS Live Fresh Student Card does have a slightly less competitive general rate. Cardholders earn 0.3% cashback on all other purchases, capped at S$20/month. It's far more difficult to max out this rewards category–in fact, doing so would require S$6,667 monthly spend. As a result, students should think of DBS Live Fresh Student Card as an easy opportunity to earn S$15/month on select dining & entertainment, adding up to a S$180/year.

                          Citi Clear Credit Card: Opportunity to Earn Miles

                          Citi Clear Card
                          Citi Clear Card
                          While Citi Clear Card's annual fee is only waived for the first year (S$29.96 thereafter), it does offer various fashion, dining and lifestyle discounts for students.
                          • Pros
                            • Great for student/young adult budgets
                            • Good rewards at Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts and Subway
                            • Cons
                              • Not suitable for salaries above S$30,000/year
                              • Lacks rewards on education and bills
                              • Annual fee: S$29.96 (first year - waived)
                              • 1 point (0.4 miles) per S$1 spend
                              • No min income required and S$500 credit limit
                              • Exclusive dining deals at over 1,000 eateries in Singapore
                              • Access to Gourmet Pleasures dining programme
                              Citi Clear Card is one of the only student oriented credit cards in Singapore that offers points/miles rather than cashback. Cardholders earn 1 point (0.4 miles) per S$1 spend, with no minimum requirements. This is roughly equal in value to 0.4% cashback–which is still a higher rate than that offered by some alternatives.


                              Beyond this unique perk, students also have access to select Citi benefits. These include access to Citi Gourmet Pleasures (which offers dining privileges on everything from delivery services to high-end steakhouses) and Citi World Privileges (which offers deals with select travel, shopping and lifestyle merchants). Students who drive can even enjoy up to 14% year-round fuel savings at Esso and Shell. Overall, Citi Clear Card is a great option for young adults interested in earning miles and enjoying a wider variety of perks.

                              Citi Clear Card
                              Citi Clear Card
                              While Citi Clear Card's annual fee is only waived for the first year (S$29.96 thereafter), it does offer various fashion, dining and lifestyle discounts for students.
                              • Pros
                                • Great for student/young adult budgets
                                • Good rewards at Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts and Subway
                                • Cons
                                  • Not suitable for salaries above S$30,000/year
                                  • Lacks rewards on education and bills
                                  • Annual fee: S$29.96 (first year - waived)
                                  • 1 point (0.4 miles) per S$1 spend
                                  • No min income required and S$500 credit limit
                                  • Exclusive dining deals at over 1,000 eateries in Singapore
                                  • Access to Gourmet Pleasures dining programme

                                  Citi Clear Card is one of the only student oriented credit cards in Singapore that offers points/miles rather than cashback. Cardholders earn 1 point (0.4 miles) per S$1 spend, with no minimum requirements. This is roughly equal in value to 0.4% cashback–which is still a higher rate than that offered by some alternatives.


                                  Beyond this unique perk, students also have access to select Citi benefits. These include access to Citi Gourmet Pleasures (which offers dining privileges on everything from delivery services to high-end steakhouses) and Citi World Privileges (which offers deals with select travel, shopping and lifestyle merchants). Students who drive can even enjoy up to 14% year-round fuel savings at Esso and Shell. Overall, Citi Clear Card is a great option for young adults interested in earning miles and enjoying a wider variety of perks.

                                  Standard Chartered Manhattan S$500 Credit Card: Straightforward Cashback for Starters

                                  Standard Chartered MANHATTAN $500 Card
                                  Standard Chartered MANHATTAN $500 Card
                                  SC Manhattan S$500 Card offers students 0.25% cashback on all purchases. Downside: annual fee only waived for 1 year (S$32.10 thereafter).
                                  • Pros
                                    • Low-income young adults earning less than S$30,000/year
                                    • People looking for a straightforward cashback card
                                    • Cons
                                      • Students & NSFs looking to maximise cashback rewards
                                      • Consumers seeking cards with extra benefits & rebates
                                      • People who want to avoid card fees altogether
                                      • Annual fee: S$32.10 (waived for the first year)
                                      • 0.25% cashback on general spend
                                      • Exclusions include spend on recurring bills
                                      • No minimum spend requirement and no cap on earnings
                                      • S$500 credit limit
                                      Standard Chartered Manhattan S$500 Card offers straightforward cashback and is best fit for low-income working adults earning less than S$30,000/year. Cardholders earn 0.25% flat rebate, which is lower than some alternatives, so students might prefer another card. However, working adults earning at least S$18,000/year have fewer options overall, but can qualify for this credit card.


                                      SC Manhattan S$500 Card does have a few benefits. There is no minimum spend requirement and no cap on earnings. In addition, the S$32.1 annual fee is waived 1 year.

                                      Standard Chartered MANHATTAN $500 Card
                                      Standard Chartered MANHATTAN $500 Card
                                      SC Manhattan S$500 Card offers students 0.25% cashback on all purchases. Downside: annual fee only waived for 1 year (S$32.10 thereafter).
                                      • Pros
                                        • Low-income young adults earning less than S$30,000/year
                                        • People looking for a straightforward cashback card
                                        • Cons
                                          • Students & NSFs looking to maximise cashback rewards
                                          • Consumers seeking cards with extra benefits & rebates
                                          • People who want to avoid card fees altogether
                                          • Annual fee: S$32.10 (waived for the first year)
                                          • 0.25% cashback on general spend
                                          • Exclusions include spend on recurring bills
                                          • No minimum spend requirement and no cap on earnings
                                          • S$500 credit limit

                                          Standard Chartered Manhattan S$500 Card offers straightforward cashback and is best fit for low-income working adults earning less than S$30,000/year. Cardholders earn 0.25% flat rebate, which is lower than some alternatives, so students might prefer another card. However, working adults earning at least S$18,000/year have fewer options overall, but can qualify for this credit card.


                                          SC Manhattan S$500 Card does have a few benefits. There is no minimum spend requirement and no cap on earnings. In addition, the S$32.1 annual fee is waived 1 year.

                                          Learn More About Credit Cards & Student Financial Products

                                          Zoryana Melesh

                                          Zoryana is a Senior Research Analyst at ValueChampion, who focuses on evaluating credit cards, savings and fixed deposits in Singapore. She holds a BA in Political Science and an MPA in International Finance and Economic Policy, both from Columbia University. Prior to joining ValueChampion, Zoryana worked in treasury management consulting.