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Capital One Quicksilver Student Card: Uncomplicated Cash Back

Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card review
KEY TAKEAWAYS
  • The Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card offers 1.5% cash back on everyday purchases. 
  • What we think: The Quicksilver Student card is a decent, straightforward cash-back option for students venturing into the world of credit cards. Other cards may have more earning potential, but this is still a solid option in our books.
  • This card doesn’t have an annual fee, and you also won’t pay foreign transaction fees, making it a good option if you plan to study abroad.
  • The interest rate on this card depends on your credit, and you typically need at least fair credit to get approved for a Quicksilver student rewards credit card.
  • This card is exclusively for students, and you need to demonstrate your student status to successfully apply.
SUMMARY

The Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card is exclusively for college students. You may be eligible if you attend a four-year university, graduate program or community college. With cash-back perks and an easy welcome bonus — plus plenty of other Capital One perks — this student credit card might be a good choice for your wallet. 

Discover more in this Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards credit card review, which covers:

  • How you can earn and use rewards with this card
  • What type of fees and interest you might pay
  • What credit score you need
PROS & CONS

Pros

  • No annual fee / no foreign transaction fees
  • No penalty APR
  • Unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases

Cons

  • High APR depending on creditworthiness
  • Limited cash back bonus categories
  • No intro APR offer for purchases
Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
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Key Information
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase you make with this card. This card does not have an annual fee.

Is the Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards card worth it?

The Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card is a worthy card for students who want to earn cash back without paying an annual fee.  This card lets you earn 1.5% cash back on most purchases and comes with perks, such as extended warranties and access to Capital One Shopping.  

Pros and cons of the Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards card

Pros
  • Earn 1.5% cash back on most purchases
  • Earn 5% cash back when booking through Capital One Travel
  • No annual fee
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Reports to all the credit bureaus to help you build your credit
  • Easy-to-earn welcome bonus
Cons
  • No bonus categories for earning extra on spending such as dining or grocery shopping
  • Interest rate could be higher than other cards, depending on your offer
  • You must be able to show student status
  • You need at least fair credit to get approved, so this isn’t an option for students who don’t yet have a credit history

Learn more about Capital One Quicksilver Student Rewards card

Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards card rewards

The Capital One Quicksilver rewards credit card for students offers several ways to earn cash back.  

Welcome bonus

The Quicksilver student card comes with an easy-to-earn sign-up bonus tailored to student spenders. You can get $50 in bonus cash back by spending $100 with this cash-back credit card in the first three months you’re a cardholder. 

For example, if you enjoy lunch out every Saturday at a local sandwich shop, you might use your card to cover that expense. Say your meal is around $10 every week — that adds up to enough in three months to earn the bonus. And that $50 bonus could cover your Saturday treat for more than a month.

Earn Capital One Quicksilver Student credit card rewards

When you use your Capital One Quicksilver rewards for students card, you earn a flat cash-back rate. That means you earn the same amount on all eligible purchases — not different amounts on various spending categories. This makes it easy to understand how your cash back adds up.

The earnings rate on this card is 1.5% cash back on daily purchases. 

Here are some examples:

If you purchase travel through Capital One Travel, you can earn 5% cash back on rental car and hotel bookings.

You can also earn referral bonuses via Capital One’s Refer a Friend program. Referral bonus details are unique for each credit card, and you can get a personal referral link from our online account once you’re a cardholder. To earn the referral, you must be a cardholder in good standing — that means you pay your bills on time and don’t carry a balance over your credit limit. 

It’s important to note that cash-back rewards only really benefit you if your interest expenses don’t outpace them. Paying your statement balance off every month is important, so plan to use your credit card for purchases already in your budget. 

Redeem Capital One Quicksilver Student credit card rewards

Capital One rewards don’t expire, and you can redeem them in a variety of ways, including:

1

As traditional cash back.

Get a check in the mail or a credit on your statement for the amount of your rewards.

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2

To cover a specific purchase.

Use your cash back as a credit for a specific purchase on your statement.

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3

For gift cards.

Use your Capital One rewards to purchase gift cards to various retailers and restaurants.

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4

To shop on Amazon.

You can use your cash-back rewards to make purchases via your Amazon account.

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5

To shop with PayPal.

Capital One rewards can also be used with PayPal to make purchases online.

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6

For travel.

You can use Capital One’s travel portal to book travel and cover some of the costs with rewards.

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Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards benefits

In addition to cash-back rewards, the Capital One Quicksilver student card offers other benefits.  

Travel benefits

While this isn’t a travel rewards credit card, student cardholders get some general Capital One travel perks, including:

Protections and alerts

Capital One offers benefits that help cardholders manage their accounts and get the most out of each purchase, including those below:

Other benefits

As a Capital One cardholder, you also get some perks related to shopping, dining and entertainment. Capital One Shopping is a browser extension or app that you can use to ensure you’re getting the best deal possible when shopping online. Capital One Dining and Capital One Entertainment are perks that help you access unique dining and entertainment opportunities, and Capital One Cafe discounts lets you save 50% on handcrafted beverages at Capital One Cafe locations. 

Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards card fees, rates & limit

Rewards and perks can enhance your experience with a rewards credit card, but it’s essential to ensure you know how much you’re paying, if anything, for those perks. Digging into the fine print regarding fees and interest rates before you open a credit card account helps you do that. 

Capital One Quicksilver Student credit card fees

This card doesn’t come with an annual fee, which means you don’t pay anything simply to have it in your wallet. 

Some other fees — or lack of fees — to know about include:

Capital One Quicksilver Student credit card interest rates

Your credit card interest rates determine how much you pay when you carry a balance from statement to statement. 

Here’s a look at the interest rates for the Capital One Quicksilver Student Rewards credit card:

Capital One Quicksilver Student credit card credit limit

The credit limit you’re offered depends on your credit score and other financial factors. Cardholders have reported credit limits starting around $750, but you might be offered a limit that is higher or lower. You’re automatically considered for the potential to increase your credit limit after six months, though.

How the Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards card compares

The Quicksilver Capital One student credit card compares favorably to other offers for college students on the market. 

It doesn’t require a security deposit, and you typically start with a decent credit limit with this card. However, there are some other cards on the market aimed at students that could offer better rewards, especially if you tend to spend a lot in specific categories. 

Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card vs. Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card is a good example of a card that might let you earn more cash back in certain categories. 

With this card, you earn:

In general, the SavorOne student card is otherwise similar to the Quicksilver card. The SavorOne might be a better choice if you mostly spend on entertainment and dining, as you can earn more rewards.

Read our full Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards card review

Is the Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards card right for me?

This Capital One credit card for college students is best for enrolled students who have at least fair credit but want to continue to build their credit. Capital One will report your timely payments to all three major credit bureaus, which helps you build a stronger credit history. 

If you’re still not convinced that the Quicksilver student card is the best credit card for you, these other options may be a good fit:  

Capital One is more than just a credit card issuer

The first step in growing and maintaining consistent savings is to understand your personal finances through checking and savings accounts, credit cards, and more.

If you want to save and grow your money, consider the following Capital One products:

How do I apply for the Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards card?

You can learn more about the Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card and apply online. 

You’ll need your full name, a residential address and other contact information. You will also need to provide an image of a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license. You can usually take this image with your smartphone. 

To demonstrate your status as a student, you may need a current student ID or a .edu email address. 

Capital One advertises this credit card for students with fair credit. That means a credit score ranging between around 580 and 660. You can also get approved for this card if you have a good credit score, and if you don’t have a score at all, you may have some chance at approval. If your score is lower than 580, you are unlikely to be approved for this card and may want to consider secured credit cards as an option to build your credit.

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FAQ: Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards card

Is the Capital One Quicksilver Student card good for students?

Yes, this student credit card from Capital One can be good for students. It is a credit card with no annual fee, so you won’t pay for the privilege to carry it in your wallet. Capital One reports to all three credit bureaus, ensuring you can use this card to help build your credit, and you’ll earn 1.5% cash back on most purchases.

What are the best Capital One Quicksilver Student card promotions?

Capital One sometimes offers promotions that include sign-up bonuses. If you are a new Capital One credit cardholder, as of March 2024, you can earn $50 when you spend $100 in the first three months with this card. That’s one of the easiest welcome bonuses to earn on the credit card market.

Is the Capital One Quicksilver Student card a cash-back credit card?

Yes, this is a cash-back credit card. You earn 1.5% on everyday purchases. If you spend a total of $3,000 on your card through the year — that’s $250 per month — you would earn $45 in cash back. Of course, you only profit from this cash back if you pay your statement off every month, so it’s important to budget for that and to only use your card for what you can afford.

Do you need to be a student to apply for the Quicksilver Student card?

Yes, the Capital One student credit cards are only for students. You must demonstrate your student status.

How can I get a cash advance with the Capital One Quicksilver Student card?

You can use your card at ATMs or the register to get cash. However, you will pay a fee for this convenience, and cash advances typically come with a higher interest rate than regular purchases.

Is Capital One Quicksilver Student card metal?

No, despite its name, this credit card is made of plastic.

Is Capital One Quicksilver Student a Visa or Mastercard?

The Capital One Quicksilver Student card is part of the Mastercard network.

Can I upgrade my Quicksilver student card?

You may be eligible for an upgrade if you’ve had the Capital One Quicksilver student card for several months and your account is in good standing. You can call the number on the back of your card to ask a representative if you’re eligible, or you could receive an offer on your Capital One online account.

Sarah Stasik
Sarah Stasik Personal Finance

Sarah Stasik is well versed in personal finance thanks to her previous role as a Revenue Cycle Manager for a Fortune 500 healthcare company. Using her inside knowledge and expertise, Sarah often covers topics ranging from insurance and the economics of private healthcare to personal finance and small business management.

Over the past 12 years, Sarah has contributed to numerous publications in the personal and small business finance sector, including content on budgeting, bankruptcy, small business accounting, and financial tech. Her writing focuses on making complex or seemingly daunting financial topics more accessible and providing helpful, relevant resources for readers.

* Opinions expressed here are those of the LA Times Compare Cards Team and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser or entities included within this content. See our editorial policy for more details.

All products or services are presented in this content without warranty. The information, including card details such as rates and fees, is accurate at the time of publish. Please visit each bank's website directly for the most current information.

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