Heading to college? 5 cards to build your credit score

College can be time to grow up and hit the books. Yet many students need to do some unexpected homework to learn how to achieve adult milestones such as leasing an apartment or getting a car loan.

Those milestones typically require building up a strong credit score, often through a first credit card. The percentage of college students with credit cards has declined every year since 2009, when regulators cracked down on predatory marketing, according to a Sally Mae report.

But while there are fewer student credit cards on the market in recent years, there are still cards that give young people with little or no credit history the perks of a quality card.

Students should look for low interest rates and plenty of rewards, with a smaller credit limit to keep beginners out of trouble, said Matthew Goldman, CEO of Wallaby Financial, a credit card tracking software company. Owned by Bankrate (RATE), Wallaby makes software for personal finance apps and gets a small compensation when users apply for some recommended cards.

Student Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs) has some more specific guidelines for cards, including annual percentage rates (APRs) near or below 15.04%, a grace period of at least 25 days, a late-payment fee no higher than $20 and no annual fee or penalty APR for missed payments.

As Northern Illinois University points out to their students, college folks are often given a credit limit of $1,000 — but that doesn’t mean you should use all of it. Making minimum payments, it would take 12 years to pay off $1,000 at 18% APR, the university said on their website.

“Pick one or two charges to have every month like your cellphone bill, your Internet or cable bill, and have it automatically charge to your credit card,” Goldman said. “You know what the charge will be, and you create consistent payment data at around 20% of your credit limit. If you only use it in emergencies, it doesn’t create that positive payment record.”

For instance, with a $1,000 credit limit, you set your utility and phone bills up to $200 to charge to your account each month, and pay off the balance in full. Then, the remaining credit limit is there in case of emergencies.

That said, the National Foundation of Credit Counseling cautions families to think long term, because a bad credit history can follow you for the rest of your life.

Here are Goldman’s picks for good starter cards for students, pulled from Wallaby’s CardBase, the largest credit card database in the country. (Note: Wallaby receives compensation for approved credit applications on some cards in the database.) The cards have no annual fees.

Journey Student from Capital One

Why he likes it: This is a popular card, with rewards for being responsible. You get 1% cash back on all purchases. Once your 1% reward is tallied up for the month, Capital One will calculate 25% of your new rewards balance. If you pay on time, you get the 25% bonus.

So, say you spent $100. You get $1 cash back for the month, but $1.25 if you pay on time.

The downside: The APR on this card comes in just under 20%, higher than recommended.

Citi ThankYou Preferred for College Students

Why he likes it: You earn rewards points for hitting goals that are achievable for college students: One point per dollar on regular purchases, 2 points per dollar spent on entertainment and eating out. If you spend $500 in the first three months, you get 2,500 bonus points. This one has a lower interest rate, at 0% introductory APR for seven months and 14%, 19%, or 24%, based on creditworthiness after that.

Citi’s “Thank You” reward points can be put toward the account balance, online bill pay or even donated to a charity for the Millennial with a conscience, according to thankyou.com.

The downside: It has a foreign transaction fee of 3%, and rewards can vary based on your card and the time of year.

Discover it for Students

Why he likes it: This is a card that doesn’t penalize students for learning: There is no late payment fee for your first late payment and no penalty APR. It has similar rates to the Citi card (0% APR for six months and 13% to 22% after that). There’s a rotating schedule of cash-back rewards, including double cash back on the first year.

The downside: Late fees can be as high as $35.

BankAmericard Travel Rewards for Students

Why he likes it: This card has rewards toward travel, something many students do in college. It has 1.5 points for every $1 you spend on purchases and travel. It also has 0% Introductory APR for the first 12 statements, with an APR of 15% to 23% after that. It also has a chip for traveling abroad.

The downside: Travel points are used to reimburse credit card purchases, rather than make them. So if you charge a travel expense, and you had earned 2,500 points, you can use it to get $15 off your regular bill or $25 off travel expenses on your bill. Late fees can be as high as $38, and there can be a penalty APR in some cases.

BankAmericard Cash Rewards for Students

Why he likes it: Again, this is a card with achievable rewards: 1% cash back on purchases, with 2% at grocery stores and 3% on gas. It also has a 0% Introductory APR for the first 12 statements, and 13% to 23% after that. It has a foreign transaction fee of 3%.

The downside: Late fees can be as high as $38, and there can be a penalty APR in some cases.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has its own independent database of credit cards, and offers some additional tips concerning common complaints from students with credit cards. A college can’t force students to use a certain brand of credit card, even if it is offered as part of a student ID card or as an option to receive financial aid directly to the card. The bureau also suggests shopping around for cards before moving to campus in the fall, and signing up for direct deposit right away when you get a new source of income.

Credit card terms can be intimidating, but Goldman said unlike a loan, a card shows credit-scoring agencies that a student can manage a line of revolving credit.

While college students are focused on graduation and getting a job, Goldman said it’s important to remember that potential employers check your credit score, too. “It’s a good time to learn,” he said.