Synopsis– These are the top 5 student-friendly credit cards in India with zero or low annual fees, offering key benefits like rewards, fuel waivers, and easy approval without income proof.
Selecting the appropriate credit card as a college student plays a big role in shaping up a good financial base and credit history. This paper talks about top five student friendly credit cards available in India with zero or low annual fee with useful features like cash withdrawal, reward points, fuel surcharge waiver, and international acceptance. These secured cards are backed by the fixed deposits and are catered towards new entrants without income proof or credit history as well as enabling students to access credit in the safest and lowest costing method possible.
1. IDFC FIRST WOW Student Credit Card
- This secured credit card has a high level of features that comes with zero joining and annual fee. It is given against a fixed deposit and no proof of income is required.
- Annual Fee: ₹0 (Lifetime Free)
- Min FD: ₹20,000
- Benefits & Features:
- 100% credit limit, ATM Cash Withdrawal against FD.
- A no-interest period of up to 45 days is provided; ₹199 cash advance charge per transaction.
- Rewards: 4 RP for every ₹150 on regular spends (Excluding fuel/ EMI/ Cash transactions); 1 RP per ₹150 on utilities/ insurance payment; (1 RP = ₹0.25)
- No forex mark up on international transactions.
- Comes with FASTag and free insurance cover.
- Digital Application process; Applicable to Indian citizens, aged 18 and above.
2. Kotak 811 #DreamDifferent Credit Card
- It has one of the lowest requirements of FD in the market, which makes this card tailored towards the younger user and offers good rewards on online shopping.
- Annual Fee: ₹0 (Lifetime Free)
- Min FD: ₹10,000
- Credit Limit: up to 90% of FD
- Benefits & Features:
- Rewards: 4 RP on every ₹100 online spending and 1 RP on every ₹100 other spending; (1 RP = ₹0.20)
- Annual milestone reward: Spend 72,000 to gain ₹1000 Amazon voucher or 4 movie tickets in PVR.
- Waiver of fuel surcharge of 1% in transactions between ₹500 to ₹4,000 and a 1.8% waiver of railway surcharge on IRCTC website.
- Up to 48 days interest free on cash advances of up to 90 % of the credit limit (Cash advance fee applies)
3. Paisabazaar Step UP (SBM) Secured Credit Card
- It is one of the most available secured cards in India that have no fuss but a full-digital experience even to first-time users who do not have a credit history.
- Annual fee: ₹0 ( For FD ₹5000)
- Min FD: ₹2000 (₹500 joining fee applicable for ₹2000 FD)
- Credit Limit: 90% of FD amount.
- Benefits & Features
- FD accrues interest of up to 6.5% per annum.
- Reward points 1 RP / 200 points on all spends; redemptions can be flexi.
- Zero renewal fee:
- There is joining fee @ RS 500 + GST on the FD of 2000, 250 + GST on the FD of 5000, and zero on an FD of more than 5000).
- Instant issuance of virtual card upon FD funding.
Also read: Best 5 UPI-Linked RuPay Credit Cards in India 2025 – Which One Should You Choose?
4. SBI Unnati Credit Card
- A trusted offering of SBI, this card offers broad merchant coverage and simple eligibility criteria to the student customers opening up an FD.
- Annual Fee/Renewal Fee: ₹0 for first 4 years of usage, after which it will cost ₹499
- Min FD is ₹25,000
- Benefits & Features:
- 1 RP on every 100 spent redeemable via SBI Rewards.
- 1 year milestone cashback of 500 on spends of Rs.50,000 and above.
- 1% fuel surcharge waiver of transactions between Rs.500-Rs.3000 (maximum Rs.100 in a billing cycle); free add-on cards.
- Flexipay EMIs and the balance transfer option is also available on purchases above ₹2,500.
- International Visa acceptance in more than 24 million outlets.
5. ICICI Bank Instant Platinum Credit Card
- Annual Fee: ₹0 (Lifetime Free)
- Minimum FD: ₹50,000
- Credit Limit: value up to 80% or 90 (usually 80%).
- Features and Benefits:
- Guaranteed Approval: It can be obtained against a fixed deposit, hence it is also available without income proof or a previous credit history.
- Rewards Program:
- Every ₹100 worth of retail purchases (except fuel) will earn you 2 ICICI Bank Reward Points.
- 1 ICICI Bank Reward Point on every 100 Rupees spent on the utility and insurance.
- Movie Discount: 25% discount (up to 100 rupees) on the purchase of the movie tickets through BookMyShow and INOX twice a month.
- Fuel Surcharge Waiver: 1% of fuel surcharge waiver on transactions up to ₹4,000 on HPCL pumps. Maximum ₹100/ per month.
- Interest Free Period: Retail purchases get up to 48 days credit interest free.
Table Showing Top 5 Credit Cards for Students with Annual Fees ₹0*
| Card Name | Annual Fee | Minimum FD Required | Credit Limit | Rewards |
| IDFC FIRST WOW | ₹0 (Lifetime Free) | ₹20,000 | 100% of FD | 4 RP/₹150 (retail), 1RP/₹150 (utilities/insurance) |
| Kotak 811 #DreamDifferent | ₹0 (Lifetime Free) | ₹10,000 | Up to 90% of FD | 4 RP/₹100 (online), 1 RP/₹100 (others) |
| Paisabazaar Step UP (SBM) | ₹0 (on FD > ₹5K)₹500/₹250 + GST on lower FDs | ₹2,000 | 90% of FD | 1 RP/₹200 |
| SBI Unnati | ₹0 (First 4 years), ₹499 after | ₹25,000 | Up to 80–90% of FD | 1 RP/₹100 |
| ICICI Instant Platinum | ₹0 (Lifetime Free) | ₹50,000 | Up to 80–90% of FD | 2 RP/₹100 (retail), 1RP/₹100 (utilities/insurance) |
Final Thoughts
As a student seeking to create a better credit profile, you should start by applying to a card that is inexpensive, not difficult to qualify and lastly, a card that has the potential to add value to you long term. The cards contained in this list are good starting points and have zero joining fees, no income requirement, and have fixed deposit-based security.
- IDFC FIRST WOW And Kotak 811 are good zero-fee options with full reward and cash access.
- Paisabazaar Step UP is good when the student has less FD capacity.
- SBI Unnati offers a reliable and popular card with cashback milestones and four years of free participation in it.
- ICICI Instant Platinum comes with unbeatable movie benefits and also has fuel saving advantages but requires a higher FD but it is lifetime free.
Written by Prajwal Hegde
