If you are a student planning to study abroad or simply looking to fund your next spring break trip, the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card for Students offers a straightforward path to earning travel points. Unlike many student cards that cap your earnings or restrict where you can use them, this card offers a flat reward rate on every purchase and eliminates the hidden fees that often penalize international travel.
Here is our complete breakdown of whether this card deserves a spot in your wallet.
📊 Quick Facts & Financial Disclosures
(Note: Always check the official Bank of America terms and conditions for the most up-to-date rates before applying.)
- Annual Fee: $0
- Rewards Rate: Unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all purchases.
- Introductory Bonus: 25,000 online bonus points after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days of account opening (equivalent to a $250 statement credit toward travel).
- Foreign Transaction Fee: None (0%)
- Regular APR: 18.24% – 28.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers.
- Introductory APR: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles on purchases and any balance transfers made in the first 60 days.
✅ Pros and ❌ Cons
The Pros:
- No Foreign Transaction Fees: A massive advantage for students studying abroad. Most standard credit cards charge a 3% fee on international purchases, which adds up quickly.
- Flat-Rate Earning: You earn 1.5 points per dollar on everything—from textbooks and groceries to late-night pizza. There are no rotating categories to track.
- Flexible Redemptions: Points can be redeemed as a statement credit to erase travel and dining purchases, meaning you aren’t tied to a specific airline or hotel portal.
- No Annual Fee: Essential for safely building a long-term credit history, as you can keep the account open indefinitely at no cost.
The Cons:
- High Ongoing APR: If you carry a balance after the introductory 0% period, the variable interest rate will quickly negate any rewards you’ve earned.
- Requires Good Credit: While it is a “student” card, applicants generally need at least a limited but positive credit history to qualify.
How to Maximize Your Student Travel Rewards
1. Hitting the Welcome Bonus
The 25,000-point welcome bonus is highly competitive for a student card with no annual fee. Since it requires $1,000 in spending within the first 90 days, the best strategy is to use the card to pay for your semester’s textbooks, meal plans, or shared apartment utilities, ensuring you hit the threshold without overspending on luxury items.
2. The Study Abroad Advantage
The absence of foreign transaction fees is this card’s standout feature. If you spend $3,000 during a semester in Europe, a standard card would charge you $90 in extra fees. The Bank of America® Travel Rewards card charges you $0, while earning you 4,500 points on that exact same spend.
⚖️ Competitor Comparison
How does it stack up against other popular student cards?
| Feature | Bank of America® Travel Rewards for Students | Discover it® Student Chrome | Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards |
| Best For | Travel & Study Abroad | Dining & Gas | Everyday Cash Back |
| Rewards Rate | 1.5x points on everything | 2% cash back at Gas Stations & Restaurants (up to $1,000/quarter), 1% on everything else | 1.5% cash back on everything |
| Foreign Fees | None | None | None |
| Annual Fee | $0 | $0 | $0 |
The Final Verdict
The Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card for Students is an excellent utility card for young adults who want to travel. It removes the friction of foreign transaction fees and doesn’t complicate the earning process with rotating categories. As long as you pay your balance in full every month to avoid the high variable APR, it is a powerful tool for building credit while funding your next adventure.
Editorial Disclosure: This content is not provided or commissioned by any credit card issuer. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any credit card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any issuer.