The Citi® Dividend Platinum Select® Card for College Students, issued by Citibank, is a cash back credit card designed specifically for students.

Through the reward program, cardholders earn a 5% cash back rebate on purchases made at supermarkets, gas stations, drugstores, convenience stores, and utilities including cable for six months and 2% thereafter, and they earn a 1% cash back rebate on all other purchases as well as on cash advances and convenience check transactions taken at the standard cash advance rate. Cardholders will receive $5 Dividend Dollars for each balance transfer transaction of $1,500 or more. Cardholders can also earn an average of 5% cash back on purchases made through the Citi Dividend Merchant Network. The rebates earned on purchases through the Citi Dividend Merchant Network are unlimited, but the rebates earned on all other purchases are subject to a $300 maximum per year. A $50 check will be issued upon request once $50 Dividend Dollars have been earned.

This card has no annual fee, but it does have an above average interest rate for purchases (for a student card). However, there is a 0% introductory rate that applies to all transactions for the first six months (a rare benefit for a student card).

It is important to understand that there is a minimum cap of 19.99% for cash advances; so no matter how low the Prime Rate falls (the APR is tied to the Prime Rate), the interest rate will not go below the minimum cap.

The card also offers several platinum benefits and services such as up to $1,000,000 in travel accident insurance, lost and stolen card reporting, and identity theft solutions. However, it is the reward program that proves to be the best benefit available to cardholders.

Therefore, students who can afford to pay in full each month after the introductory rate expires (to avoid finance charges) and plan to spend enough to take advantage of the rebate program will benefit most from what the Citi® Dividend Platinum Select® Card for College Students has to offer.

Those who plan to spend less on the credit card or plan to carry a revolving balance may want to consider a credit card with a lower interest rate.

Card Last Review 2008-02-28