Student Debt and Credit Education Blog

Citi has recently launched a back-to-school promotion for a couple of their student credit cards which knocked our socks off. We already had rated them really high on our website and they happen to be two of the most commonly applied for cards on our site too.

When they contacted us and made this offer available to our customers we were thrilled. You should be thrilled too, here’s why:

• You’ll only find one student credit card site authorized to offer this deal- us.
• 10% cash back on gas purchases with the Citi Dividend Card for College Students
• Double points for three months with the Citi mtvU Student Credit Card
• Both cards offer 0% interest for the first 6-months!

So now we want to know which card you think is the best, we think both are pretty good deals. Especially since you’ll probably have lots of unplanned expenses at the beginning of the semester, the 0% interest offer can really come in handy.

Here’s what you do, review each card description below. Then at the bottom of this post follow the survey link and tell us which card you think is the best choice for students. If you’re a Scholarship Points Member we’ll give you 20 points for your vote.

Citi mtvU Student Credit Card

For a limited time, Citi is offering the Citi mtvU Platinum Select Visa Card for College Students in this special back-to-school offer. The mtvU Platinum Select Visa Card for College Students is designed specifically for students and offers a unique reward program that awards students for using credit wisely and for receiving good grades.

Through the reward program, cardholders earn five points for general purchases and ten points for every dollar spent at restaurants, bookstores, record stores, movie theaters, and video rentals during the first 3 months of having the card. These points can be redeemed for gift cards, CDs, a VIP mtvU Spring Break Pass, tickets to the MTV Video Music Awards, and airline tickets. There is a 75,000 yearly limit to the number of points that may be earned, and points expire in five years.

This card has no annual fee, but the interest rate for purchases and balance transfers is above average for a student card. However, there is a 0% introductory rate that applies to all transactions for the first six months (a rare benefit for a student credit card).

The card provides platinum cardholder benefits that include up to $1,000,000 in travel accident insurance, auto rental insurance, and various travel and emergency assistance services. Cardholders also receive a 10% discount on purchases made at the MTV online store and at the MTV New York City Store.

Students who can afford to pay in full each month after the introductory rate expires (to avoid finance charges) and plan to take advantage of the reward program will benefit most from what the Citi mtvU Platinum Select Visa Card for College Students has to offer.

Citi Dividend Card for College Students

For a limited time, Citi is featuring the Citi Dividend Platinum Select Card for College Students as part of this great back-to-school offer. Through the reward program, cardholders earn a 10% cash back rebate on purchases made at gas stations, supermarkets, drugstores, convenience stores, and utilities including cable for three months and 2% thereafter, and they earn a 1% cash back rebate on all other purchases as well as on cash advances and convenience check transactions taken at the standard cash advance rate.

Cardholders will receive $5 Dividend Dollars for each balance transfer transaction of $1,500 or more. Rebates earned on purchases through the Citi Bonus Cash Center(SM) are unlimited, but the rebates earned on all other purchases are subject to a $300 maximum per year. A $50 check will be issued upon request once $50 Dividend Dollars have been earned.

This card has no annual fee, but it does have an above average interest rate for purchases (for a student card). However, there is a 0% introductory rate that applies to all transactions for the first six months (a rare benefit for a student card).

The card also offers several platinum benefits and services such as up to $1,000,000 in travel accident insurance, lost and stolen card reporting, and identity theft solutions. However, it is the reward program that proves to be the best benefit available to cardholders.

Students who can afford to pay in full each month after the introductory rate expires (to avoid finance charges) and plan to spend enough to take advantage of the rebate program will benefit most from what the Citi Dividend Platinum Select Card for College Students has to offer. Those who plan to spend less on the credit card or plan to carry a revolving balance may want to consider a credit card with a lower interest rate.

Note: This is an old blog post.  Citi no longer offers the Dividend Platinum Select card.  To learn why, read our post – Why Student Credit Cards Could Vanish in 2009

---

5 Most Recent Student Credit Card Blog Posts:

• Do I need a credit card for college?
• Online Banking for College Students
• Annual Percentage Rates vs. Annual Percentage Yield
• 3 Student Debt Reduction Strategies
• Sorting Through Student Credit Card Offers