Canada’s best student credit cards 2017

A simple no-fee card that offers a good combination of low annual fees and generous rewards is great for students looking to build a credit history. The key is for students to pay off the balance every month so buying a first car or home in the future will be effortless. MoneySense found the best cards for students. Note: we’ve assumed a $1,000 monthly spend when working out our rewards calculation.

Winner: Scotiabank Scene Visa

It’s free: So no annual fee.

Fast and simple. Great way to watch free movies.

First purchase gets you 4,000 points. Get 4,000 bonus Scene points – enough for 4 free general admission movie tickets – when you make your first purchase on the card (Note:(a movie can be redeemed for 1,000 points).

Earn Scene points at Cineplex theatres: Earn five Scene points for every $1 you spend on Scene Visa purchases at Cineplex Entertainment theatres of Cineplex.com.

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Earn 1 Scene point for every $1 you spend on regular credit card purchases.

Rent a car at Avis: car rental locations and save 20 per cent on the rental.

Redeem Scene points elsewhere: Sport Check allows members to earn and redeem their points at stores.

See everything the Scotiabank Scene Visa has to offer, on MoneySense.ca.

Second place: BMO SPC Cash Back Student MasterCard

• No annual fee

• 1 per cent cash back on all purchases

• $60 cash back welcome bonus

• Free SPC membership – a value of $10 every day. Through this program you’ll get an additional 10-15 per cent discount at hundreds of merchants across Canada.

• No reference letter, parent’s signature, or part-time income to be approved

See everything the BMO SPC Cash Back Student MasterCard has to offer, on MoneySense.ca.

Third: Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card

• No annual fee

• Not specifically designed for students but I would consider it one of the best credit cards for students

• 2 per cent cash back in three categories of your choice, and 0.5 per cent everywhere else

• No limits to how much cash back you can earn

• Convenience and choice – you choose the 2-3 categories that you want to earn 2% in based on your spending habits (you can change your selections at any time)

See everything the Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card has to offer, on MoneySense.ca.

How much can you expect in rewards in one year*?

*Based on $2,000 of monthly spending

Honorary Mention:  BMO SPC Air Miles MasterCard

• No annual fee

• One Air Miles reward mile for every $20 that you spend on your credit card

• SPC discounts of 10-15 per cent at hundreds of stores

• 500 bonus miles

Click here to see everything the BMO SPC Air Miles MasterCard has to offer.

See the full ranking on MoneySense.ca

MORE ABOUT STUDENT FINANCE:

• Want free university? Changes to OSAP, Canada Student Grants could help
• University of Calgary gets $40-million to spur entrepreneurship
• New OSAP rules mean ‘free’ tuition for mature students
• On campus, there can be such a thing as a free lunch
• How students are turning social-media intuition into tuition
• For hire: The eyes and ears of a vet near you
• The best part-time jobs for students
• The boss who pays student debts