Don’t have your Nedbank ID yet?
Nedbank ID single sign-on gives you full digital access to Nedbank’s banking and lifestyle products and services on the Money app or Online Banking.
Log in
Log in to Online Banking or another one of our secured services.
Get in touch
Find us
- Login & Register
- Online Banking
- Online Share Trading
- NetBank Business
- NedFleet
- Nedbank Greenbacks
- Nedgroup Investments
- Nedbank ID
- Bank
- Accounts
- Credit cards
- Greenbacks
- Digital banking
- Switch to Nedbank
- Fraud awareness
- Forex
- Explore Bank
- Accounts
- Everyday banking
- Kids accounts
- Youth banking
- Seniors accounts
- Private Clients
- Private Wealth
- Digital wallet
- See all accounts
- Premium banking
- Get help choosing
- Goal saving
- Family Banking
- Foreign nationals
- FAQ
- How-to guides
- Discontinued accounts
- Everyday banking
- MiGoals Premium
- MiGoals Plus
- MiGoals
- Kids accounts
- MiGoals4Kids
- Youth banking
- MiGoals Premium
- MiGoals
- MiGoals Plus
- Seniors accounts
- MiGoals Premium Senior
- MiGoals Plus
- Private Clients
- Pay-as-you-use
- Young Professionals
- Private Bundle and Private One
- Private Wealth
- Private Wealth Bundle
- Digital wallet
- MobiMoney
- American Express
- Amex Gold
- Amex Platinum
- Greenbacks
- Exclusive discounts
- FAQ
- How-to guides
- Digital banking
- Switch to Nedbank
- Fraud awareness
- Forex
- Save & Invest
- Accounts
- Investment services
- Share trading
- Explore Save & Invest
- In 24 hours
- JustInvest
- PlatinumInvest
- Tax-free Savings
- MoneyTrader
- EasyAccess Fixed Deposit
- PrimeSelect
- In 32 days
- Electronic 32Day Notice
- 32Day Notice
- End of term
- Tax-free Fixed Deposit
- Electronic Fixed Deposit
- Electronic Optimum Plus
- Platinum Fixed Deposit
- Fixed Deposit
- OptimumPlus
- Investment services
- Share trading
- Borrow
- Personal loans
- Home loans
- Student loans
- Overdrafts
- Vehicle finance
- Solar finance
- Debt assistance
- Explore Borrow
- Personal loans
- Loan consolidation
- Personal loans
- Home improvement loan
- Exclusive short-term loan offers
- Explore loans
- FAQ
- How to guides
- Loan consolidation
- Personal loans
- Home improvement loan
- Exclusive short-term loan offers
- Home loans
- Buy
- Build
- Switch
- Manage
- Further lending
- Explore home loans
- Request a call back
- Track application
- FAQ
- How to guides
- Buy
- Explore buy
- First time home buyer
- Repeat buyer
- Renewable energy financing
- HomeVision
- Home-buying Toolkit
- Edge properties
- Repossessed properties
- Switch
- Explore switch
- Further lending
- Explore further lending
- Student loans
- Explore student loans
- Overdrafts
- Vehicle finance
- Solar finance
- Debt assistance
- Consolidate all your debts into a simple loan | Nedbank
- Short-term payment relief | Nedbank
- Take charge and restructure your finances | Nedbank
- Assisted-sales solutions for homes and vehicles | Nedbank
- Flexible payment plans for loans and credit | Nedbank
- Understanding how repo rate works | Nedbank
- We have payment solutions to get you back on track
- Consolidate all your debts into a simple loan | Nedbank
- Short-term payment relief | Nedbank
- Take charge and restructure your finances | Nedbank
- Assisted-sales solutions for homes and vehicles | Nedbank
- Flexible payment plans for loans and credit | Nedbank
- Understanding how repo rate works | Nedbank
- We have payment solutions to get you back on track
- Insure
- Life cover
- Funeral cover
- Short term insurance
- Credit Life
- Travel insurance
- Business cover
- Secure investments
- Explore Insure
- Life cover
- Get a call back
- Explore MyCover life
- Funeral cover
- Individual R10,000
- Individual R30,000
- Family Cover
- Build your own cover
- Get a call back
- Explore MyCover Funeral
- Individual R10,000
- Individual R30,000
- Family Cover
- Build your own cover
- Short term insurance
- Vehicle insurance
- Building insurance
- House contents insurance
- Valuables insurance
- Alternative energy insurance
- Legal expenses | Nedbank Insurance
- Get a call back
- Explore MyCover short term insurance
- Vehicle insurance
- Building insurance
- House contents insurance
- Valuables insurance
- Alternative energy insurance
- Legal expenses | Nedbank Insurance
- Credit Life
- Home loan credit life
- MFC Vehicle Finance Assurance
- Overdraft Assurance
- Balance Protection Plan
- Personal loan Assurance
- Get a call back
- Explore credit life
- Home loan credit life
- MFC Vehicle Finance Assurance
- Overdraft Assurance
- Balance Protection Plan
- Personal loan Assurance
- Travel insurance
- Business cover
- Secure investments
- Guaranteed Growth Income Plan
- Guaranteed Growth Plan
- Get a call back
- Explore MyCover Funeral
- Guaranteed Growth Income Plan
- Guaranteed Growth Plan
- Plan
- Financial planning
- Estate, wills & trust services
- Nedbank Private Wealth
- Speak to a financial adviser
- Explore Plan
- Financial planning
- Investment planning
- Insurance planning
- Give
- Retirement planning
- Investment planning
- Insurance planning
- Give
- Retirement planning
- Estate, wills & trust services
- Will drafting
- Ensure your estate is managed by an executor | Nedbank
- Trust services
- Financial accounting
- Tax services
- Leave the admin of your estate to us, and not to your loved ones | Nedbank
- Will drafting
- Ensure your estate is managed by an executor | Nedbank
- Trust services
- Financial accounting
- Tax services
- Leave the admin of your estate to us, and not to your loved ones | Nedbank
- Nedbank Private Wealth
- Speak to a financial adviser
- Learn
- Blog
- Explore Learn
- Blog
- A financial adviser can help you plan your future
- Everything you need to know about student loans
- A financial adviser can help you plan your future
- Everything you need to know about student loans
- Contact us
- Talk to us
- Find us
- Explore Contact us
- Talk to us
- Find us
If you’re a student, can you get a credit card?
Yes, you can. Start building your credit record while getting what you need now.
It’s hard to always have cash when you’re a student. And sometimes you desperately need to buy essentials, like a specialist book that’s available only from overseas suppliers. If you study far from home, a special on a flight might give you the chance to spend a surprise weekend with your family – if you can pay for it on the spot. These are the moments when having a credit card, even on a student budget, makes sense.
With a credit card you can get what you want, when you want it, up to a certain limit that the bank knows you can afford. You don’t have to wait for an allowance from home – you can enjoy the freedom of buying things you need now, with the convenience of paying for them over time.
But a credit card is not about instant gratification. It’s also not meant to trap you into bad debt. A reputable lender will always first check your income and expenses carefully before giving you a credit card. They will also set a limit on your card to make sure that you can afford the monthly repayments.
Approached from this angle, a credit card gives you access to money when you need it most. It is also a great way to start building your credit record, which you will need in the future when you want to buy a home or car.
Who qualifies for a credit card?
To qualify, you must be at least 18 years old. You will also be screened, like any other credit card applicant, to make sure you have a regular income and can afford your card payments. As a student, your income could be proof of a bursary, a monthly allowance from your parents, or payslips from your part-time job.
What to look for in a credit card account
When comparing credit card accounts, you need to be mindful of what you can afford and what would work best for your needs.
Things to consider
- Make sure that you will get interest-free credit for up to 55 days.
- Check interest rates carefully – the lower the better.
- Be honest about your income and expenses so that the bank can work out how much money you have left in a month to pay for a credit card. The amount you can afford will determine your credit card limit.
- Choose a card that offers extras, like low maintenance fees and extra discounts or rewards that could help you save money in the long run.
How to avoid bad debt
Remember that a credit card can help you out of a jam, but if you don't pay your instalments on time, every time, you'll end up stuck with a bad credit score. Here are some tips:
- Set up a monthly budget so that you know exactly what you’re spending your money on and how much you have left after you’ve paid essentials like rent and electricity.
- Pay your monthly instalment on time, and if you can, pay a little extra. That will help increase your credit score, lower the total amount of interest you pay and settle your debt quicker.
- Don’t buy anything you don’t need 'just because you can'. Use your credit card only when you absolutely need to.
- Set up a debit order for your monthly instalment. That way you know it’s paid on time, every time.
From only R40 per month you can get a new Nedbank Gold Credit Card and pay zero fees when you tap, dip or swipe to pay.
