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finder.com’s rating: 3.8 / 5
★★★★★
Up to 3%
Cash back
$0
Annual fee
0%
Intro purchase APR
for the first 6 months (then 11.15% to 21.15% variable)
0%
Intro balance transfer
for the first 6 months (then 11.15% to 21.15% variable)
Annual fee | $0 |
---|---|
Welcome Offer | N/A |
Rewards | 3% back on gas and groceries for the first 6 months, then 1% after that and on everything else |
Purchase APR | 0% intro for the first 6 months (then 11.15% to 21.15% variable) |
Balance transfer APR | 0% intro for the first 6 months (then 11.15% to 21.15% variable) |
Recommended minimum credit score | 620 |
Issuer | Visa |
Review by
Kevin Joey Chen is a credit cards, banking and investments writer whose work and analysis have appeared on CNN, U.S. News & World Report, Business.com, Lifehacker and CreditCards.com. He's passionate about helping you get your finances in order by expertly navigating cutting-edge financial tools — including credit cards, apps and budgeting software.
The Wells Fargo Cash Back College℠ Card is a stellar student product for 6 months, with an intro APR and an excellent cashback rate on gas, groceries and drugstore purchases.
It’s less effective after that time — you’ll only receive 1% cash back on all purchases. Though that’s decent for a student card, you’ll earn better rewards with other products.
You may receive an immediate decision on your application. If not, expect a response within two weeks. If you’re approved, look for your new card in the mail within seven to 10 days.
Let’s say you spend $150 a month total on gas, groceries and drugstore purchases. Over the first 6 months, you’d earn $27 cash back.
After 6 months, you’ll earn 1 cash back on all purchases. If you spend $150 a month, you’ll earn $18 cash back over a full year after the intro rate is up.
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If you pay your monthly cell phone bill with your card, your phone will be protected against damage or theft for up to $600.
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To apply for the Wells Fargo Cash Back College℠ Card, you must be at least 18 years old and a college student.
When you apply for the card, you’ll need to submit:
If you’re under 21 years old, you must prove you have enough income to repay your credit card debt. Usually, you can report only personal income such as wages and allowances, scholarships and grants.
If you can’t prove sufficient income, you can ask someone over 21 to be a cosigner on your application. Alternatively, you can become an authorized user on someone’s credit card account.
Because the Wells Fargo Cash Back College℠ Card is geared toward students, you may qualify with no credit history. However, you could be denied if your credit is poor. In which case, you may want to consider a secured credit card.
Some students say they’ve received credit-limit increases after a few months. Others say it’s taken longer to receive a credit-limit increase — about a year or more. Students also say it’s easy to make payments on this card.
Wells Fargo is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and it currently has five alerts on its BBB page. The bank has over 3,500 customer complaints.
You have many options to redeem your rewards:
The Wells Fargo Cash Back College℠ Card is excellent for 6 months, with strong cash back and an intro APR. However, it’s surpassed by other cards after that time. You can read more about your options using our guide.
★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
We rank card types — travel, cash back, business — on a set of factors that are most relevant to that type of card. We create these rankings to help you narrow down a credit card that best suits your spending and budget.