Eligibility · Students · updated 2026-09-19

Credit cards for students (no income proof)

Cards issued against a small fixed deposit, which need no salary or ITR, followed by low-fee entry cards if you have a stipend or part-time income of ₹3 lakh a year. “Likely eligible” – approval is the issuer's decision.

Credit cards for students (no income proof) (Sept 2026): 46 options – cards issued against a small fixed deposit, which need no salary or ITR, followed by low-fee entry cards if you have a stipend or part-time income of ₹3 lakh a year. Start with IDFC FIRST Bank FIRST WOW, issued against a ₹5,000 fixed deposit.

Most banks do not issue unsecured cards to students. A card against a ₹5,000–₹10,000 fixed deposit is the reliable route and builds a credit history; the FD stays yours and earns interest.

Standard profile
Scored for Entry-level profile · ₹16k/monthBills paid in full · first-year offers shown separately · set up your profile to score cards for your own spend

Your options, ranked

IDFC FIRST Bank FIRST WOW credit card
IDFC FIRST BankVisa

FIRST WOW

41
Net savings₹1,154/yr
Savings rate0.7%
Annual feeFree for life
Lounge✈ none

✓ Base rate 0.67% on other spends earns you about ₹974 a year on ₹1,45,320 of spend.

Details
Kotak Mahindra Bank 811 #DreamDifferent credit card
Kotak Mahindra BankVisa

811 #DreamDifferent

36
Net savings₹917/yr
Savings rate0.6%
Annual feeFree for life
Lounge✈ none

✓ 2 points/₹100 on online spends earns you about ₹498 a year on ₹99,600 of spend.

Details
HDFC Bank PIXEL Play credit card
HDFC BankVisa

PIXEL Play

82
Net savings₹3,366/yr
Savings rate2.1%
Annual feeWaived ₹590
Lounge✈ none

✓ 5% on chosen packs (we assume Dining & Entertainment + Grocery) earns you about ₹2,376 a…

Details
Credit cards for students (no income proof)
#CardScoreNet savings / yrStated eligibilityAnnual feeLounge
1IDFC FIRST Bank FIRST WOW credit cardFIRST WOWIDFC FIRST Bank41/100₹1,154
0.7% rate		Fixed deposit of ₹5,000+; no income proofFree for lifeNo lounge access
2Kotak Mahindra Bank 811 #DreamDifferent credit card811 #DreamDifferentKotak Mahindra Bank36/100₹917
0.6% rate		Fixed deposit of ₹5,000+; no income proofFree for lifeNo lounge access
3HDFC Bank PIXEL Play credit cardPIXEL PlayHDFC Bank82/100₹3,366
2.1% rate		Income ₹3L+/yr or ₹25k+/month salaryWaived ₹590No lounge access
4Yes Bank Paisabazaar PaisaSave credit cardPaisabazaar PaisaSaveYes Bank81/100₹3,591
1.9% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrWaived ₹589No lounge access
5IDFC FIRST Bank FIRST Power+ credit cardFIRST Power+IDFC FIRST Bank × HPCL79/100₹3,954
2.0% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrWaived ₹589No lounge access
6Axis Bank Airtel Axis Bank credit cardAirtel Axis BankAxis Bank76/100₹3,059
1.9% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrYou pay ₹590No lounge access
7AU Small Finance Bank LIT credit cardLITAU Small Finance Bank74/100₹3,219
2.0% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrFree for life4 domestic/yr
8Standard Chartered EaseMyTrip Standard Chartered credit cardEaseMyTrip Standard CharteredStandard Chartered72/100₹3,097
1.9% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrWaived ₹4134 domestic/yr
9HDFC Bank IndianOil HDFC Bank credit cardIndianOil HDFC BankHDFC Bank71/100₹2,892
1.8% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrWaived ₹590No lounge access
10Axis Bank ACE credit cardACEAxis Bank × Google Pay71/100₹2,654
1.6% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrYou pay ₹589No lounge access
11ICICI Bank Amazon Pay ICICI Bank credit cardAmazon Pay ICICI BankICICI Bank69/100₹2,371
1.5% rate		Income ₹3L+/yr; instant issuance for many Amazon usersFree for lifeNo lounge access
12Federal Bank Scapia Federal Bank credit cardScapia Federal BankFederal Bank67/100₹2,786
1.7% rate		Income ₹3L+/yr; digital onboardingFree for lifeunlimited domestic/yr
13Standard Chartered Smart credit cardSmartStandard Chartered65/100₹2,149
1.3% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrWaived ₹589No lounge access
14Bank of Baroda HPCL BOBCARD ENERGIE credit cardHPCL BOBCARD ENERGIEBank of Baroda60/100₹2,299
1.4% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrWaived ₹5894 domestic/yr
15ICICI Bank HPCL Super Saver ICICI Bank credit cardHPCL Super Saver ICICI BankICICI Bank57/100₹2,171
1.3% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrWaived ₹5904 domestic/yr
16AU Small Finance Bank Altura Plus credit cardAltura PlusAU Small Finance Bank55/100₹1,634
1.0% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrWaived ₹5894 domestic/yr
17SBI Card Paytm SBI Card credit cardPaytm SBI CardSBI Card55/100₹1,573
1.0% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrWaived ₹589No lounge access
18HDFC Bank 6E Rewards IndiGo HDFC Bank credit card6E Rewards IndiGo HDFC BankHDFC Bank50/100₹1,868
1.1% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrWaived ₹590No lounge access
19Axis Bank Flipkart Axis Bank credit cardFlipkart Axis BankAxis Bank50/100₹1,559
1.0% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrYou pay ₹590No lounge access
20Yes Bank Kiwi (Yes Bank RuPay) credit cardKiwi (Yes Bank RuPay)Yes Bank50/100₹1,518
0.8% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrFree for lifeNo lounge access
21Uni (Yes Bank RuPay) Uni Card credit cardUni CardUni (Yes Bank RuPay)50/100₹1,518
0.8% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrFree for lifeNo lounge access
22HDFC Bank Tata Neu Plus HDFC Bank credit cardTata Neu Plus HDFC BankHDFC Bank49/100₹1,938
1.0% rate		Income ₹3L+/yr or ₹25k+/month salaryWaived ₹5894 domestic/yr
23HDFC Bank MoneyBack+ credit cardMoneyBack+HDFC Bank48/100₹1,578
1.0% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrWaived ₹590No lounge access
24SBI Card SimplySAVE SBI Card credit cardSimplySAVE SBI CardSBI Card48/100₹1,553
1.0% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrWaived ₹589No lounge access
25SBI Card Yatra SBI Card credit cardYatra SBI CardSBI Card47/100₹1,752
1.1% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrWaived ₹589No lounge access
26Kotak Mahindra Bank Myntra Kotak credit cardMyntra KotakKotak Mahindra Bank47/100₹1,422
0.9% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrYou pay ₹590No lounge access
27RBL Bank ShopRite credit cardShopRiteRBL Bank46/100₹1,509
0.9% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrWaived ₹590No lounge access
28Axis Bank MY ZONE credit cardMY ZONEAxis Bank46/100₹1,472
0.9% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrWaived ₹5904 domestic/yr
29IndusInd Bank Tiger credit cardTigerIndusInd Bank46/100₹1,468
0.9% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrFree for lifeNo lounge access
30CSB Bank Jupiter Edge CSB Bank credit cardJupiter Edge CSB BankCSB Bank45/100₹1,291
0.7% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrFree for lifeNo lounge access
31Axis Bank IndianOil Axis Bank credit cardIndianOil Axis BankAxis Bank43/100₹1,492
0.8% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrWaived ₹590No lounge access
32Kotak Mahindra Bank League Platinum credit cardLeague PlatinumKotak Mahindra Bank43/100₹1,306
0.8% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrWaived ₹589No lounge access
33Axis Bank Neo credit cardNeoAxis Bank43/100₹1,133
0.7% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrWaived ₹295No lounge access
34Punjab National Bank PNB RuPay Select credit cardPNB RuPay SelectPunjab National Bank41/100₹1,358
0.7% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrWaived ₹5908 domestic/yr
35HDFC Bank Shoppers Stop HDFC Bank credit cardShoppers Stop HDFC BankHDFC Bank39/100₹1,184
0.7% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrWaived ₹353No lounge access
36HSBC HSBC Visa Platinum credit cardHSBC Visa PlatinumHSBC38/100₹993
0.6% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrFree for lifeNo lounge access
37IDFC FIRST Bank FIRST Classic credit cardFIRST ClassicIDFC FIRST Bank35/100₹827
0.5% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrFree for lifeNo lounge access
38ICICI Bank Coral credit cardCoralICICI Bank34/100₹847
0.5% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrWaived ₹5904 domestic/yr
39OneCard (SBM / partner banks) OneCard credit cardOneCardOneCard (SBM / partner banks)34/100₹632
0.4% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrFree for lifeNo lounge access
40Kotak Mahindra Bank PVR INOX Kotak credit cardPVR INOX KotakKotak Mahindra Bank33/100₹787
0.5% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrWaived ₹589No lounge access
41Bank of Baroda BOBCARD EASY credit cardBOBCARD EASYBank of Baroda33/100₹747
0.5% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrWaived ₹590No lounge access
42RBL Bank Play credit cardPlayRBL Bank31/100₹711
0.4% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrWaived ₹590No lounge access
43RBL Bank IRCTC RBL Bank credit cardIRCTC RBL BankRBL Bank27/100₹654
0.3% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrWaived ₹590No lounge access
44SBI Card IRCTC SBI Platinum credit cardIRCTC SBI PlatinumSBI Card25/100₹732
0.4% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrYou pay ₹354No lounge access
45HDFC Bank Freedom credit cardFreedomHDFC Bank25/100₹436
0.3% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrWaived ₹590No lounge access
46Axis Bank Samsung Axis Bank credit cardSamsung Axis BankAxis Bank15/100−₹100
-0.1% rate		Income ₹3L+/yrYou pay ₹5904 domestic/yr

Ranked by the open CardLens engine: rewards at realistic redemption value + milestones + waivers − fee incl. 18% GST − forex, for the spend profile stated above. Figures are estimates from public issuer terms – verify on the issuer page before applying. How the score works →

By salary instead

₹15,000/month₹25,000/month₹30,000/month₹50,000/month₹1 lakh/month₹1.5 lakh/month₹2 lakh/month₹3 lakh/month

Frequently asked questions

Which credit cards work for students (no income proof)?

IDFC FIRST Bank FIRST WOW, Kotak Mahindra Bank 811 #DreamDifferent, HDFC Bank PIXEL Play, Yes Bank Paisabazaar PaisaSave, IDFC FIRST Bank FIRST Power+ (HPCL), Airtel Axis Bank, AU Small Finance Bank LIT, EaseMyTrip Standard Chartered, IndianOil HDFC Bank, Axis Bank ACE (Google Pay), Amazon Pay ICICI Bank, Scapia Federal Bank, Standard Chartered Smart, Bank of Baroda HPCL BOBCARD ENERGIE, HPCL Super Saver ICICI Bank, AU Small Finance Bank Altura Plus, Paytm SBI Card, 6E Rewards IndiGo HDFC Bank, Flipkart Axis Bank, Kiwi (Yes Bank RuPay), Uni (Yes Bank RuPay) Uni Card, Tata Neu Plus HDFC Bank, HDFC Bank MoneyBack+, SimplySAVE SBI Card, Yatra SBI Card, Kotak Mahindra Bank Myntra Kotak, RBL Bank ShopRite, Axis Bank MY ZONE, IndusInd Bank Tiger, Jupiter Edge CSB Bank, IndianOil Axis Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank League Platinum, Axis Bank Neo, Punjab National Bank PNB RuPay Select, Shoppers Stop HDFC Bank, HSBC Visa Platinum, IDFC FIRST Bank FIRST Classic, ICICI Bank Coral, OneCard (SBM / partner banks) OneCard, Kotak Mahindra Bank PVR INOX Kotak, Bank of Baroda BOBCARD EASY, RBL Bank Play, IRCTC RBL Bank, SBI Card IRCTC SBI Platinum, HDFC Bank Freedom, Samsung Axis Bank. Most banks do not issue unsecured cards to students. A card against a ₹5,000–₹10,000 fixed deposit is the reliable route and builds a credit history; the FD stays yours and earns interest.

Does a secured credit card build my credit score?

Yes. It reports to the bureaus like any card. Keep utilisation under 30% of the limit and pay the full statement before the due date; most people see a usable score within 6–12 months.