How to apply for credit cards for unemployed students

What is needed to get a student credit card

The main condition is having Russian citizenship; foreign citizens, unfortunately, cannot participate in the loan programs of the country's financial and credit institutions. The second condition for getting a credit card for students at Sberbank and other credit institutions is being 18 years of age or older. Please note that banks have the right to regulate the age limit, but it must be at least 18 years old.

The application procedure for student credit cards

You can review available credit card offers on our financial services selection platform. Review the offer, go to the bank's official website by clicking the "Apply Now" button. Next, you need to fill out the application data requested by the bank. After that, click the "Submit Application" button on the official website and wait for the credit organization's decision. Then a bank operator will contact you or you will receive an SMS with information about your next steps. The card is delivered by a courier service or can be picked up at a bank branch within the period specified in the SMS message.

Tips on how to get a high approval rate

For an unemployed student's credit card to be approved by a banking institution, we recommend paying attention to practical tips that help solve the tasks of getting a profitable credit card.

1. Provide only reliable data in the application form. Do not try to use someone else's data, as the bank will automatically detect the inaccuracy of the submitted information.
2. Provide all open data from your main identity document—the internal passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation.
3. Banks consider applications for individuals who have permanent registration. The option of approving the application is also considered if there is official registration at the place of temporary stay (via migration service forms).
4. If you are a student and receive a scholarship, indicate the amount of your payout.
5. If you have an informal side job, also indicate the wage amount and the work address.
6. Similar requirements apply to students who have official employment.
7. To increase the chance of approval, you can submit an application to several credit institutions, after which you independently choose the loan option approved for you.

Upon approval, a student may be issued a credit limit for a lower amount than expected. This is due to the bank's marketing policy. Later, if the student complies with all loan requirements, the bank has the right to increase the credit limit to the amount specified in the tariff plan.

Which banks issue credit cards for students from 18 years old

We invite you to apply for credit cards for students from 18 years old, featuring the best offers:

Russia's leading credit institutions offer multiple programs designed specifically for students. Our financial services matching service recommends that you carefully review the bank's offer and choose a banking product suitable for students.

We would like to draw your attention to other banking products for students:

1. Sberbank of Russia. The organization offers several convenient and profitable credit cards for students. In most cases, the maximum credit line does not exceed 10,000 RUB for students. Subsequent credit line increases are possible.
2. Alfa-Bank also offers several credit products for students aged 18 and older. The cards are designed both for travel within Russia and worldwide, as well as for various categories, such as cards for gamers. All cards feature cashback, and some can be used to earn interest on the balance if you deposit your own funds.
3. VTB24. The bank offers special credit programs for students that allow them to learn the basics of financial literacy and subsequently manage their chosen banking product wisely.
4. Home Credit Bank. One of the few banks that imposes minimal requirements on the borrower and requests only a few details from students.

To make rational use of a banking product, we recommend that students determine important parameters for a credit card to reduce maintenance costs, such as the availability of cashback, as well as the ability to earn interest on the remaining card account balance.

Credit organizations accept student age limits only from 18 to 22 years old, and occasionally may consider ages up to 23. The minimum loan amount is due to the fact that students belong to a high-risk borrower group with lower financial discipline. Therefore, the first loan issued will always be small. Later, if you comply with all the terms of the credit program, the bank may increase the credit limit to the amount specified in the tariff plan.