Discover It® Student Cash Back
Discover and related product names are trademarks of their respective owners. Madeen is not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of Discover. Madeen is an independent credit-card comparison and education service. Issuer websites control current terms, fees, and eligibility.
How we calculate effective rate →
The Discover It® Student Cash Back from Discover earns up to 5% effective value on dining in Madeen's catalog snapshot. It has no annual fee.
- Top category
- Dining
- Effective value
- 5%
- Annual fee
- $0
Best for dining-heavy spend when you want to avoid an annual fee; confirm issuer terms before applying. Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 5% back.
What does the Discover It Student Cash Back earn in each category?
Dining is the strongest category at 5% effective value (5% back). That dining rate ranks higher than about 100% of the 2,850 cards we track in that category. The five-category effective-rate table on this page shows how Discover It Student Cash Back compares across dining, grocery, gas, travel, and other spend. Catalog spend signals highlight coffee at 5x among the.
Dining is the strongest category at 5% effective value (5% back). That dining rate ranks higher than about 100% of the 2,850 cards we track in that category. The five-category effective-rate table on this page shows how Discover It Student Cash Back compares across dining, grocery, gas, travel, and other spend.
| Category | Earn rate | Effective value |
|---|---|---|
| Dining Restaurants, cafes, takeout | 5% back | 5% Top category |
| Grocery Supermarkets and grocery stores | 1% back | 1% |
| Gas Gas stations and fuel | 1% back | 1% |
| Travel Flights, hotels, transit | 1% back | 1% |
| Other General everyday spend | 1% back | 1% |
Madeen values cash back at about 1 cents each. Madeen compares every card using this cash-equivalent estimate while still showing the raw earn rate for context.
What are the Discover It Student Cash Back reward caps and conditions?
The Discover It Student Cash Back has 1 notable cap or condition rule(s) in Madeen's catalog, including activation windows, spend limits, and category exclusions. Review each bullet below before assuming unlimited earn rates.
- Earn 5% Cashback Bonus at Restaurants Capped at $1500 per quarter. Offer window: 2026-04-01 to 2026-06-30.
Who should get the Discover It Student Cash Back?
The Discover It Student Cash Back fits spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 5% back. Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 5% back.
Discover It Student Cash Back fits spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 5% back. Madeen ranks its dining effective rate higher than about 100% of the catalog in that category. Compare it against cards you already carry with Madeen — no bank login required.
Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 5% back.
Compare it against simpler no-fee cards if you want minimum complexity.
Best for dining-heavy spend when you want to avoid an annual fee; confirm issuer terms before applying.
Pros
- Strongest Madeen category is dining at about 5% effective (5% back).
- That dining rate ranks higher than about 100% of cards we track in the category.
- No annual fee in our catalog snapshot.
- No foreign transaction fee listed.
Cons
- Compare simpler no-fee cards if you want minimum complexity.
Does the Discover It Student Cash Back have an annual fee?
The Discover It Student Cash Back has an annual fee of $0 and a foreign transaction fee of None. Confirm current fees on the issuer page before applying.
- Annual fee
- $0
- Foreign transaction fee
- None
What benefits come with the Discover It Student Cash Back?
The Discover It Student Cash Back includes 5% Cash Back, Unlimited Cashback Match in our snapshot. Perks and benefits can change; verify coverage on the issuer site before you rely on them.
Unlimited Cashback Match
$200/yrGet an unlimited dollar-for-dollar match of all the cash back you earn at the end of your first year, automatically. There is no limit to how much we'll match. So you could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or $100 into $200.
5% Cash Back
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Related encyclopedia topics
Common questions about the Discover It Student Cash Back
Where do cardholders spend most with the Discover It Student Cash Back?
Madeen's RewardsCC catalog snapshot shows the strongest bonus categories on coffee (5x), fast food (5x), other food and drink (5x) for the Discover It Student Cash Back. These are anonymized issuer category signals, not individual cardholder transactions. Route everyday spend through categories that match your habits, then compare effective rates with Madeen at checkout.
Does the Discover It Student Cash Back have an annual fee?
The Discover It Student Cash Back carries an annual fee of $0 in Madeen's catalog snapshot. Issuer terms can change, so confirm the current fee on the issuer's site before you apply. Madeen does not predict approval or prequalification.
What category earns the most with the Discover It Student Cash Back?
Dining is the strongest Madeen category for the Discover It Student Cash Back at about 5% effective value, based on our catalog snapshot and standard point valuations. Other categories are listed in the effective-rate table on this page.
Does the Discover It Student Cash Back charge foreign transaction fees?
The Discover It Student Cash Back does not charge a foreign transaction fee in Madeen's catalog snapshot, which can make it stronger for purchases outside the U.S. Issuer terms still control international acceptance and other fees.
What credit score do you need for the Discover It Student Cash Back?
Madeen's catalog lists a typical credit range of Fair for the Discover It Student Cash Back. Issuers decide approval using their own criteria; Madeen does not predict approval odds or prequalification.
How do you redeem rewards on the Discover It Student Cash Back?
Rewards on the Discover It Student Cash Back post as cash back. Redemption value depends on how you use cash back (statement credit, travel, transfers, or issuer portals). Madeen shows effective cash-equivalent rates using standard valuations.
How does the Discover It Student Cash Back compare to similar cards?
Compare the Discover It Student Cash Back against Discover it Cash Back (5% on Dining, $0 fee); NHL Discover It (5% on Dining, $0 fee); Discover it Chrome Gas & Restaurant (2% on Dining, $0 fee). Madeen ranks effective value by category and annual fee using the same catalog snapshot dated 2026-05-01.
| Card | Top category | Effective value | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|
Discover It Student Cash Back This card | Dining | 5% | $0 |
Discover | Dining | 5% | $0 |
Discover | Dining | 5% | $0 |
| Dining | 2% | $0 | |
Discover | Dining | 2% | $0 |
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Discover and related product names are trademarks of their respective owners. Madeen is not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of Discover. Madeen is an independent credit-card comparison and education service. Issuer websites control current terms, fees, and eligibility.
Madeen compares cards you add to your wallet using published catalog rules — no bank login required. Issuer pages control current fees, caps, exclusions, and eligibility; Madeen does not issue cards, make approval decisions, or provide financial advice. Apply links are temporarily hidden on madeen.app. Affiliate disclosure