Can an international student get a credit card in Canada with no credit history?

Yes. Scotiabank's StartRight program offers newcomers a credit card with a limit of up to $5,000 and no Canadian credit history required. RBC's Cash Back Mastercard (limit up to $2,000, for students arrived within the last 12 months) and CIBC's student cards (up to $2,000, no minimum income) also approve students without prior Canadian credit. All are unsecured — no deposit required.

What is a secured credit card, and do I need one?

A secured card requires a refundable cash deposit that becomes your credit limit; an unsecured card requires no deposit. Most international students at Scotiabank, RBC, and CIBC qualify for unsecured student cards, so a secured card is usually only needed if an unsecured application is declined. TD routes some no-history applicants to secured options at the branch's discretion.

Does applying for a credit card hurt my credit score?

Each application triggers a hard inquiry, which temporarily lowers your score by a few points. Apply for one card, not several at once — multiple inquiries in a short period look risky to lenders. Once approved, on-time payments and low utilization quickly outweigh the inquiry's small effect.

How do I build a good credit score as a student in Canada?

Three habits: pay the full statement balance on time every month, keep your spending below about 30% of your credit limit, and keep your oldest card open. A consistent year of this typically builds a score strong enough for better cards, a phone plan without deposits, and eventually rental and mortgage applications.

Which bank gives the highest credit limit with no credit history?

Scotiabank's StartRight program advertises the highest no-history limit of the Big Five — up to $5,000, compared with up to $2,000 at RBC and CIBC. Final limits are always at the bank's discretion and depend on your documents, program, and finances.

The Complete 2026 Guide

Best Credit Cards for International Students in Canada

No Canadian credit history. No security deposit. These are the cards the Big Five actually approve for newly landed students — compared honestly, including the limits, the welcome offers, and the traps. Your credit file starts with the first card; choose it well.

✓ Last audited: July 2026 How we research & how we make money

Our Top Picks

The three no-history cards worth your application

All three: $0 annual fee, unsecured (no deposit), and designed for newcomers with zero Canadian credit file.

Highest limit · best overall

Scotiabank

Scene+ Card via StartRight

Annual fee: $0
Limit (no history): Up to $5,000
Rewards: 2x Scene+ on groceries & Cineplex
Deposit needed: None — unsecured

Best for: students who want the highest limit and the strongest credit-building start — especially GIC customers already inside StartRight. Nova Credit can use your home-country credit history too.

Read our full review

Subject to credit approval. Conditions apply.

Biggest welcome offer

RBC Royal Bank

RBC Cash Back Mastercard

Annual fee: $0
Limit (no history): Up to $2,000
Welcome offer: Up to 12% back, first 3 months
Deposit needed: None — unsecured

Best for: students with big setup expenses in the first 3 months — the intro cash back (up to $200 value) rewards exactly that spending burst. Must have arrived within the last 12 months.

Read our full review

For students arrived within the last 12 months.

Easiest qualification

CIBC

Dividend Visa Card for Students

Annual fee: $0
Limit (no history): Up to $2,000
Welcome offer: 10% back, up to $100
Income requirement: None

Best for: students with zero income who want the lowest-friction approval — no minimum income requirement at all, and it pairs naturally with CIBC’s GIC program for eligible nationalities.

Read our full review

Newly approved accounts only. Conditions apply.

What about TD and BMO? We’re honest when the picture is murky: TD’s student Cash Back Visa requires meeting its credit criteria, and no-history applicants may be routed to a secured card at the branch’s discretion — TD publishes the least clarity of the five. BMO invites students to apply in-branch alongside account opening, with terms confirmed there rather than published. Both can work out fine — but if you want a predictable, published no-history offer, the three cards above are where certainty lives.

Start Here

Your Canadian credit file — in 60 seconds

The day your first card is approved, Canada’s credit bureaus (Equifax and TransUnion) open a file on you. Everything after that is you writing your own financial reference letter.

01 · Why it matters

Your credit score decides your future phone plan deposits, apartment applications, car loans — and one day, your mortgage. Employers in finance even check it. Starting in year one puts you years ahead.

02 · What builds it

On-time payments (the biggest factor), low utilization (stay under ~30% of your limit), and account age. A $500 grocery habit paid in full monthly builds the same file as big spending — without the risk.

03 · What destroys it

Missed payments (reported after 30 days, scarring for years), maxed-out cards, and applying for many cards at once. One card, used lightly, paid fully — that’s the whole game in year one.

The minimum-payment trap: paying only the “minimum due” keeps your account in good standing but charges you 20%+ interest on the rest. The student rule is simpler: never spend what you can’t pay in full at the statement. A credit card is a score-building tool, not extra money.

The Playbook

How to get approved — the right way

Apply where you bank.
Approval odds are meaningfully better at the bank holding your GIC and chequing account — they can see your funds. Came through Scotiabank’s GIC? Start with StartRight. RBC GIC? Their Mastercard. Match the pair.
Apply at the branch appointment, not online.
Your GIC activation visit is the golden moment — you’re verified, your funds are visible, and the banker can process the card on the spot. One visit, full setup.
One card. Not two, not three.
Every application is a hard inquiry on your brand-new file. Multiple applications in your first months look desperate to lenders and can trigger declines. Pick one, use it six months, then reassess.
Bring the same documents as your GIC visit.
Passport, study permit (IMM 1442), proof of enrolment. Same folder, second use.
Set up autopay for the full balance before you leave the branch.
The single habit that guarantees a clean file. Ask the banker to configure it on the spot — two minutes that protect years.

Common Questions

Student credit cards, answered straight

Can I really get a credit card with zero Canadian credit history?

Yes — that’s the entire design of these newcomer programs. Scotiabank advertises limits up to $5,000 with no history via StartRight; RBC and CIBC offer student cards up to $2,000. All three are unsecured. Approval is never guaranteed, but these programs exist precisely for your situation.

What’s the difference between secured and unsecured?

Unsecured = no deposit, the bank trusts the program. Secured = you hand over a refundable deposit that becomes your limit (deposit $500, limit $500). Our three picks are unsecured. Secured cards are the fallback if an unsecured application is declined — TD in particular routes some no-history applicants there.

Will applying hurt my credit score?

Each application is a “hard inquiry” costing a few points temporarily — trivial if you apply once, damaging if you apply for three cards in a month. One application, then six months of on-time payments, beats any shortcut.

Should I get the card at the same bank as my GIC?

Usually yes. The bank holding your GIC can see your funds and verified identity, which improves approval odds and sometimes the limit. It also means one branch visit sets up everything — account, GIC payout, and card.

How long until I have a “good” credit score?

With one card, full on-time payments, and low utilization, most students build a respectable file within 12 months — enough for better cards and deposit-free phone plans. Rental and mortgage-grade history takes longer; that’s why starting in month one matters.

About this page: researched and written by Virendra Singh, checked against each bank’s live card pages and program documents. Last full audit: July 2026. Card offers, limits, and welcome bonuses change frequently — always confirm current terms on the issuer’s official website before applying. Approval and final limits are always at the bank’s discretion. Red Leaf Wallet is independent and reader-supported; see our Affiliate Disclosure. This page is general information, not personal financial advice.