- Discover
- Credit Cards
- Credit Cards for No Credit History
Get a Discover credit card with no credit score required to apply1
Earn 5% cash back
on everyday purchases at different places each quarter, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate.
Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases — automatically.
Unlimited Cashback Match
Only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year!7 There's no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
x% Intro APR† for x months on purchases.
Then x% - x% Standard Variable Purchase APR will apply.
No credit score required to apply1
Earn 2% cash back
at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter.6
Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases — automatically.
Unlimited Cashback Match
Only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year!7 There's no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
x% Intro APR† for x months on purchases.
Then x% - x% Standard Variable Purchase APR will apply.
No credit score required to apply1
Earn 2% cash back
at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter.6
Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases — automatically.
Unlimited Cashback Match
Only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year!7 There's no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
Build your credit with responsible use.2
x% Standard
Variable Purchase APR.†
Your credit line will equal your deposit amount, starting at $200.8
No credit score required to apply1
What to do before you apply for a credit card with no credit score
Reviewing your current credit score can help you establish credit score goals and see how credit actions impact your score. But if you don't have a credit score, rest assured, Discover has credit cards with no credit score required to apply.1
Find the right types of credit cards for beginners
If you are looking for your first credit card, a student credit card or a secured credit card may have different credit requirements than traditional credit cards. Among other criteria, student cards require active student status. Secured cards require a security deposit from your bank account, which secures your credit limit.
Apply for starter credit cards
Making multiple applications at once for many credit cards may impact your credit score negatively, because the applications will result in hard inquiries placed on your credit report. But applying for credit cards that are built for people with no credit scores may make more sense for someone starting their credit journey.
Create good credit habits
Responsibly using a new credit card, like paying every bill on time, can help you build credit.2 After you use a secured credit card responsibly for a while, you may be able to upgrade to an unsecured card. With the Discover it® Secured credit card, you can upgrade to an unsecured card after 6 consecutive on-time payments and maintaining good status on all your credit accounts.3
What to look for in a starter credit card
Discover student and secured credit cards also have no foreign transaction fee, no overlimit fee, no late fee on your first late payment, and no APR increase for paying late. See important pricing info.
Lower credit score requirements
Flexible secured credit cards
Your credit card company may review your account to see if you qualify to upgrade from a secured credit card to a traditional card. If you have a secured credit card with Discover, you can get your deposit back when you upgrade to an unsecured credit card after six consecutive on-time payments and six months of good status on all your credit accounts.3
Benefits of getting your first credit card when you have no credit score
Building credit history
Establishing a credit history requires having a credit card or other credit line like a personal loan that reports activity to a credit bureau. Payments you make (or miss) on a Discover credit card and other information will be reported on your credit report to begin building your credit history, where a debit card or prepaid card generally won't report activity to credit bureaus.
Some cards offer cash back rewards
Cash back rewards are one of the best benefits of many credit cards. And Discover it® Student Cash Back, Discover it® Student Chrome, and Discover it® Secured all offer cash back rewards on every purchase. Learn more about our cash back program.
How to build credit history as a new credit user in the U.S.
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Build a budget
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Review your free credit report
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Learn about credit score factors
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Establish U.S. credit history
Annualcreditreport.com requires some basic information like your name and Social Security number and then provides you with one free credit report from each major credit bureau (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) every year. Reviewing your credit report can help you confirm that the information reported is accurate, can build credit knowledge and see why lenders may think you have good credit, fair credit, poor credit, or limited credit.
While your payment history is the biggest factor in your FICO® Score, your amounts owed (including your balances as compared to your limits), the age of your credit accounts, the mix of your credit accounts, and the number of credit applications you have submitted all can impact your score.4
For people immigrating to the U.S. with a limited credit history, establishing personal credit can be challenging, but not impossible. After you have the required documents to apply, a secured credit card or student credit card may help you build a credit history.
Credit card questions for people with no credit
People just starting with credit cards will want to focus on credit cards that are for people with no credit history. No credit history is required to apply for a Discover secured credit card1 but you’ll need to provide a refundable security deposit, which will equal your credit line. Student credit cards are also popular with younger users that may not have sufficient credit history to apply for traditional credit cards.
For many credit cards, having no credit history could disqualify you from earning approval. However, as many people need to start their credit journey somewhere, student credit cards and secured credit cards often have different eligibility standards than traditional unsecured cards. There is no credit score required to apply for a Discover it® Secured credit card1 or a Discover student credit card1.
If you are new to the U.S., you may not have any credit history: but be sure to review your credit report, as student loans or other bills may supply some level of credit history.
Look for a secured credit card or see if you're pre-approved for an offer with low eligibility requirements if you can provide a security deposit for the card.
When you've established credit, you may qualify to get your deposit back or access other credit card benefits and services, like a cash advance or balance transfer, depending on the credit card issuer.
Learn more about no credit required credit cards
Find out which credit cards you qualify for by trying online card pre-approval tool, checking doesn’t impact your credit score and can personalize your offer.
Learn what credit score you start with, and what goes into building a credit score.
Learn when you can get a credit card, what information you need to get started, and whether you can get a credit card at 18, even if you have no income.