Citi Forward® Card for College Students

Citi Forward® Card for College Students Sponsored Card
  • Minimum Credit Required: Good, Limited History
  • Annual Fee:$0*
  • Network: VISA
  • Rating:
    4.04.0 / 5 from 234 votes - Cast your vote!
 
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Rewards: Yes Type:  Points
Initial Bonus None Base Earn 1 point / $1 Max Earn 5 points / $1 Earn / Redeem Limit Yes
Reward Details:
  • No Cosigner Required.
  • 5 ThankYou® Points for every $1 you spend at restaurants and on entertainment; 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.
  • 100 ThankYou Points each billing period that you pay on time and stay under your credit line.
 
 
Purchases:
Intro Rate 0% Intro Period 7 months Regular Rate 13.99% - 23.99% (V)
Balance Transfers: 
Intro RateNot Offered Intro PeriodN/A Regular Rate13.99% - 23.99% (V) Balance Transfer Fee 4% (min $5)
Cash Advances:
Cash Advance Rate 25.24% (V) Cash Advance Fee 5% (min $10)
 
 
Additional Info:
  • APR reduction on purchases when using credit wisely.
  • Max Late Fee:  $35
  • Max Overlimit Fee:  None
  • Max Penalty APR:  29.99% (V)
  • Grace Period:  23 days
  • Online Response:  No
  • Foreign Transaction Fee:  3%
 
 
Your Recommendation
4.0
Your Rating: 1 2 3 4 5  
Overall Rating: 4.0 / 5 from 234 users

If you currently have the Citi Forward® Card for College Students and are satisfied or you like the terms of this credit card offer please let your friends know.

 
 
 
 
 
 
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  • Kendall Tapp:
    About a year into my college career I saw various flyers around offering free subs, being a college student I went to check it out. Not realizing what was going on I ended up signing up for a credit card – what can I say I was young and didn’t really understand what I was doing. I choose to take the experience in stride and use it to build my credit. It was a negative experience to say the least! After overlooking my minimum payment one time my rate shot up to 29.99%. Now almost 6 years later of paying on time I still have not received a lower interest rate, and my credit was slashed by 75% in the wake of the 2008 crisis (I was told it was happening to everyone because it was “more expensive for the credit card companies”). Needless to say I rarely use this card and the only reason I still have it is because I don’t want to shatter my credit by closing this line.
    March 29, 2013 at 04:17pm
  • Nick Lewis:
    About two and a half years ago before I entered college I applied for the Citi mtvU student credit card to start building my credit as early as possible. That card eventually changed into the Citi Forward credit card which I still use as my primary credit card. It has been everything I would want in a student credit card. There have been no extra hidden fees and even when I couldn't make my full payment one month during the first year with this card I didn't have any extra fees to pay. The rewards system has been great. I've earned up to about $150 in rewards cards and amazon credit so far. The only complaint I can think of with this card is the fact that my limit is only $800. Otherwise I am completely satisfied with Citi.
    March 4, 2013 at 08:30pm
  • Matthew Davis Beal:
    This isn't the first credit card I have had, but it was the first rewards card I applied for and boy is it a good one. I primarily shop through the internet, mainly Amazon.com. Why do I bring that up? Because part of the perks of this card is that this card is that you get 5 reward points per dollar spent on entertainment, restaurants, and book stores. And guess what Citi counts as a bookstore? That's right, Amazon. The rewards points stack up fairly quickly and they have an excellent amount of option to redeem them on. Customer service with the card is exceptionally fast, polite, and overall helpful. They are also very generous on the credit line. I would highly recommend applying for this card if you do a lot of purchasing from amazon and are looking for a good rewards card.
    February 9, 2013 at 12:26am
  • Anonymous User:
    This was my first credit card that I had ever applied for. I've had it for just over a year now, and would definitely recommend it to any college student looking to build credit. One of the many perks of this card include the reward system, in which you receive points with certain purchases redeemable for many things. Another huge draw for me to the card was that there was no annual fee, which seemed to be a huge downfall with the other credit cards I looked into. The APR is low, and overall, I have had nothing but wonderful things to say about this credit card.
    September 14, 2012 at 03:31pm
  • Dima Ivanyuk:
    As a college student, I have been looking a card that can provide me with a source of money in emergencies and tough situations. The application process was pretty straightforward and I had no trouble getting approved. It's great that they give you a grace period on your bills, and it's come in handy the one time for me that I had to pay late. The reward system is a cool bonus, especially since you earn just by doing stuff right like paying your bill on time or staying under the credit limit. Overall, I would recommend this card to any college student.
    September 14, 2012 at 03:01pm
  • Anonymous User:
    I've had nothing but great experiences with this card and I would recommend it to any college student. It's been my first experience with a credit card and I have to say I enjoy getting points for things I do (gamer). It's a great starting point and I use it to develop good practices with credit cards. Keep up with payments, limit purchases etc. These practices earn you points. You get points for staying under your limit and for paying on time. The points can then be applied to 'almost' anything in the future. I haven't tried using my points yet however. It's a great deal and especially suitable for students just starting out on their credit card journey.
    September 6, 2012 at 07:10pm
  • Anonymous User:
    This card I got when I first started college. It is a great thing to have for a newly on there own college students. The APR is lower than most credit cards and it offers a slight grace period when it comes to payments.The citi forward offers a really cool website called thank you rewards. Every time you buy something with the credit card you earn points on the thank you reward site. The monthly payments are keep rather lower for the college kids not to get over whelmed I suppose. This card has been a major help to me and a few of my friends who also have this card.
    August 22, 2012 at 08:52pm
  • Shacoria Robinson:
    This is a great card for students. The best part about the card is that it has no annual fee. Some cards charge you just for the privilege of owning them. Thankfully, this one is completely free. I also like that it's designed specifically for students. I was really scared to get a credit card originally and it made me much more comfortable to apply for a card that was specific to college students. I didn't even need a cosigner to apply for it. This card has been great so far. It's Visa, so they accept it everywhere. I really like that this card offers me rewards for using it. I was late paying my bill a few times for this card, but thankfully it does have a grace period.
    August 13, 2012 at 03:56pm
  • Anonymous User:
    The Citi Forward card is a great starter card for students that are looking to start to begin building credit. After being denied by three other credit cards, I applied for the Citi Forward card and was immediately accepted. Unlike the other cards, the Citi Forward card gives you a number to call to check if you get accepted or not. So if you having trouble getting accepted for a card, then this card is one that accepts people pretty easily. I haven't gotten the rewards yet because I haven't paid for the billing for my first month, but from what I have heard the rewards program is up there with the Chase card and Capitol One cards.
    August 7, 2012 at 04:09am
  • Anonymous User:
    The Citi Forward card is for students looking to build credit while also having spending money in college. For me this was my first credit card as I would not have been approved for other cards having no credit history. This is a great card for all the features it holds. One of these features is for thank you reward points. With this you gain 1 point for every dollar you spend and more for different categories. Another feature is the low minimum payment. In case you cannot pay off your entire balance that month it comes with the low payment of twenty dollars. And the APR is not too high so you will not have an obscene amount of debt. So I would recommend this card to any college student looking to get their first credit card and to start building their credit history.
    July 25, 2012 at 02:39pm
  • Geoff Peterson:
    The Citi Forward card, being a student credit card, was my very first experience with a credit card. At first, I was a little nervous, being a student using this card, due to my unfamiliarity with the credit system. However, after doing a little research I found that this card was for me. Because I pay on time every month, they actually award you extra Thank You points for doing so. Also, they give you extra points if you buy certain items, like things in Amazon and groceries. If you are in need of raising your credit as a student and willing to be responsible with this card, you can both get cool rewards and raise your rating with credit companies for further down in the road of life. They will accept you pretty easily and you did not need an income when I got mine. They also have some great sign on features. There may be better cards out there reward wise, but you cannot go wrong with this if you are a studentj.k.
    July 17, 2012 at 02:53pm
  • Amanda J Wallace:
    I applied for the Citi Forward Card for students a few months ago and have been using it fairly often for the last 2 months. I was actually stunned I got approved for it since my credit isn’t great but I have been making progress on it. This is the third card I own and I have to say I like this card much better than my Capital One Card and a little more than my Chase Card. I like that there is not an annual fee and the rewards points are pretty nice. I signed up for paperless billing and received 1000 points just for doing so. I also like the 100 point bonus you get just for paying your bill on time. So far the rewards points are definitely better than Capital One and just slightly better than Chase. Citi’s customer service is also great. I had a problem with my card a few weeks ago and when I called customer service they were able to get the problem resolved right away and they even gave me 1000 rewards points just because I was experiencing trouble. The only thing negative I can say about this card is I would have liked a higher credit line but I was told I can have it raised in the future, so I guess we’ll see.
    July 12, 2012 at 05:17pm
  • Anonymous User:
    I originally had the MTV U credit card for students, but when CitiCards did away with it, they sent me this replacement card. My interest rate increased and my credit limit decreased. Customer service was unable to provide an explanation for these changes, but they were friendly about it. This credit card has no annual fee, offers balance transfers, and gives you reward points any time you use the card. I use my reward points for statement credits. Overall, I would say that this is an average credit card with an average company. I feel as if there are better options out there, but I have no issues keeping this card for emergencies.
    July 6, 2012 at 06:32pm
  • Anthony Glyadchenko:
    I've had this credit card recently and it's a really nice card for the college student. The APR is rather low for someone with low credit and the ThankYou rewards are a great perk. There's no annual fee, so that's one less thing for me to worry about. If you have any problems paying it off, they can lower your minimum payments if it's during a time when you are having financial difficulties. I would recommend this card to any college student especially if you have expenses like textbooks and other big expenses that would be a bit difficult for a college student to pull off.
    July 3, 2012 at 06:50pm
  • Anonymous User:
    I've had this credit card for about one year now, and I have had a great experience this far. I had a capital one card before this, and the customer service with them was not good. I would call, and be put on hold for a long time and I eventually got really fed up with them. I've spoken to Citi's customer service quite a few times, and they are extremely friendly and it was easy to speak with them. Citi's online payment method is easy to navigate and easy to use. This is a great first card to use for college students because there is no annual fee associated with some other cards. I love using this card.
    July 3, 2012 at 05:10pm
  • Yasmin Hardy:
    I originally had the MTVU Citicard but recently was switched to Citi Forward. So far, I’ve had no problems. I activated it about a month ago and find that it is relatively the same as the MTVU. As the card is used, it functions under a reward system where in qualified categories the more money spent while using the card gathers more points. For example, if I used my card for to pay for groceries or gas, the card matches each dollar with a single point, but if the card is used to pay for entertainment and/or restaurants then it rewards the carrier with five points. You begin your card with 0% APR(Annual Percentage Rate) for the first twelve months and then from 12% to 22% range is decided for the new APR. For someone just beginning to raise their credit, this card is useful but also be careful because like all credit cards you to keep your payments consistent and balance low. All in all, it is good credit card.
    June 27, 2012 at 05:15pm
  • Anonymous User:
    I've been using this card for 6 years now and it's the best credit card I have. The card was given to me while I was in college with absolutely no credit yet built and it was fantastic then as a first credit card. However, now that I’ve been out of college for a few years, it remains my everyday purchase card because the “Thank You” reward program is so great. Citi’s online services and paperless statements are fantastic as well. Furthermore, I’ve had nothing but good luck every time that I’ve dealt with the Citi customer service people as well. Overall, it’s a great card that I would recommend to any student that is trying to build their credit.
    June 27, 2012 at 03:45pm
  • Anonymous User:
    I’ve had this credit card for going on 5 years now and my experiences have been great. I got this credit card after having several problems with Capitol One and not wanting to deal with their terrible customer service anymore. I’ve spoken to Citi’s customer service a couple of times over the years, and it is always easy and efficient to have a problem resolved. Once, about 3 years ago, I was contacted by a representative who wanted to notify me of suspicious activity on my account. A small charge had been made and they contacted me immediately to confirm that the activity was not authorized. The representative reassured me that I would not be responsible for the charge and within just a few days I had a brand new card in the mail. I love the rewards program and even though I’m not a big spender, I’ve cashed in my points several times for movies and airline tickets.
    June 27, 2012 at 03:18pm
  • Anonymous User:
    I have had Citi Forward Card for Students for about two months now. I was surprised when Citi sent me the card because I was already using their MTV U card. So far, I've had no problems with this particular Citi card. Users can accumulate points for either paying with the card, or fulfilling certain tasks. The points can then be redeemed for various prizes that can be seen on the website. Citi also provides the option of online payment, which is great because Citi's payment portal is easy to navigate and payment can be made promptly. Additionally, Citi can email you when the statement is ready for reach cycle. That's a relief because the emails make it easy to remember when to pay. Thus, college students can begin to build their credit history safely. All in all, Citi Forward Card for College Students is convenient and valuable for busy college students.
    June 27, 2012 at 03:17pm
  • Tejas Desai:
    I originally owned the Citi MTVU card and was sent this Citi Forward Card for College Students in the mail with no strings attached. Being a college student, this card is very helpful to me due to the fact that there are no annual fees that come along with it. That means that I can use this card the bare minimum (mostly for books and other school expenses), and still build my credit for the future without having to worry about being charged any fees. Lastly, Citi will give you 100 ThankYou Points for each billing period that is paid on time. In conclusion, this card is a good choice for college students who are looking for a credit card they can use without having to pay the fees for more expensive cards.
    June 14, 2012 at 04:43pm
  • Joe Weider:
    Much of college is about promise and potential, building knowledge and improving career prospects. All of these things are forward-looking, so it’s no wonder why Citi calls its student credit card the Citi Forward Card for College Students; it leads you to think that this is the card that will leave you best set up for a bright future. Whether this is just clever branding remains to be seen though. The Citi Forward College Student Credit Card does not have an annual fee, which means it passes the first test for student credit cards. (Credit building is the main reason to have a student credit card and having no annual fee helps you build credit as inexpensively as possible, especially since you can build credit without actually using your card to make purchases). The next thing most students will want to know is what rewards the Citi Forward Card offers. Well, it gives you 1,000 bonus points when you sign up for paperless statements during the first three months as well as 100 bonus points each month you pay on time and stay under your balance. You should be able to garner all 2,200 of these bonus points since you’re likely more comfortable with digital account management and you’d have to opt-in for the ability to exceed your limit anyway (should not do so unless you trust yourself to go over-limit only in emergencies). You also get 5 points for each dollar you spend at restaurants and on books, music, and movies. Overall, this rewards structure is good in the sense that it rewards proper account management and gives you points on some of a college student’s biggest expenses. Whether it offers the best rewards depends on how much you will use your credit card. If you will use your card a lot and for all kinds of purchases, something like the Capital One Journey Card, which provides 1.25% cash back on all purchases might be better. If you plan on using your card minimally and only for food, entertainment and books, for example, then Citi’s Student Forward Card could provide could provide more benefit in bonus points alone than you’d get via an entire year using a different student card. The Discover Open Road Card is a good option for commuters since it gives you 2% cash back on the first $250 you spend on gas and at restaurants each month as well as 1% on everything else. You might be thinking that I forgot about rates. I didn’t, but they are generally not as important as other card features given that students should not be spending more than they can afford to pay. The Citi Forward Card for College Students does offer 0% on purchases for seven months though, which makes it middle of the road in the student category. The Discover Open Road Card offers 0% on purchases for the longest period of time – 9 months.
    January 20, 2012 at 10:43pm
 

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The card information shown on this page was last updated: May 2nd, 2013 at 11:37 EDT


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