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NDSU Visa® Rewards Card

Cory Santos

| Last updated on October 23rd, 2023

NDSU Visa® Rewards Card

NDSU Visa® Rewards Card
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NDSU Visa® Rewards Card

  • 20.49% to 30.49% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate Regular Purchase APR
  • 20.49% to 30.49% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate Balance Transfer APR
  • 30.49% variable based on the Prime Rate Cash Advance APR
  • 1.99% for 6 months from account opening date Intro Purchase APR

At a Glance

The NDSU Visa® Rewards Card combines Bison school pride with rewards for dining and local travel. Need a ride to campus, or heading home for the holidays? Enjoy 3% cash back on rideshares and 2% on gas. If you’re looking for a study break, the 3% on fast food and cafes can help you save with every latte or cheeseburger bought. Not to mention, you’ll also get 2% at dine-in restaurants when you really need to treat yourself.

  • Best Benefits
  • Rates & Fees
  • Why Should You Apply?
  • Earn 3% cash back on rideshares and fast food, including at cafes
  • Earn 2% cash back at gas stations and dine-in restaurants
  • Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
  • Low introductory APR
  • Intro Purchase APR: 1.99% for 6 months from account opening date
  • Regular Purchase APR: 20.49% to 30.49% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate
  • Intro Balance Transfer APR: 1.99% for 6 months from account opening date
  • Balance Transfer APR: 20.49% to 30.49% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate
  • Balance Transfer Transaction Fee: Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
  • Cash Advance APR: 30.49% variable based on the Prime Rate
  • Cash Advance Transaction Fee: Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater
  • Penalty APR: 32.49% variable based on the Prime Rate
  • Foreign Transaction Fee: 1% of the transaction amount in U.S. dollars; 2% of the transaction amount in other currencies
  • Late Payment Penalty Fee: Up to $40
  • You're fans, graduates, students, faculty, or staff of North Dakota State University
  • You want to earn up to 3% cash back for their Bison pride
  • You frequently spend on fast food and ridesharing, along with gas and dining out

NDSU Visa® Rewards Card Review

The Visa rewards card for North Dakota State University packs rewards fit for college life. Cobranded with Commerce Bank, this offer focuses its top rewards on common spending categories for students: fast food, coffee, and ridesharing.  

This may not translate as well to graduates and fans, but the elevated rewards on traditional dining and gas give an additional boost. Not many other perks come with this particular card, though, so most of the value lies in its rewards and school spirit.  

NDSU Visa® Credit Card Rewards

It should come as no surprise that a college branded card offers the most rewards for common student expenses. The rewards structure is similar to other alumni and rewards cards from Commerce Bank in that cardholders earn the following rewards on purchases:

Categories Explained
3% cash back on Streaming, Cable and Ridesharing When card is used for purchases in the streaming, cable or the ridesharing and taxis categories, including: Cable, Satellite & Other Pay TV/Radio;Record Shops; Digital Goods; and Amazon Services. The cable category does not include Google Fiber. Merchants self-select category, so not all merchants will earn additional bonus – notable exclusions include Amazon Streaming, Pandora and YouTube Music/TV.
2% cash back on Gas, Restaurants, Fast Food When card is used for purchases in the service station or automated fuel dispensers, restaurant, fast food restaurant, and drinking places categories.
1% cash back on All Other Purchases When card is used to make purchases in any other category. Merchants self-select category, so not all merchants will earn additional bonus.

These rewards can benefit those who live in cities where ridesharing is popular or who make daily fast food runs before work. Meanwhile, the 2% at gas stations and restaurants can be helpful both in and out of college. Combined with the 1% on uncategorized purchases, these two categories are standard for many student credit cards that offer rewards.  

How to Use Your NDSU Visa® Rewards

Unfortunately, your spending and rewards won’t benefit North Dakota State University through donations. However, you can take advantage of your cash back through a huge number of redemption options, including:

Redeem Commerce Bank rewards for:
Airfare Hotel vouchers Car rentals Gift cards
Statement credits Fuel discounts Charity

Commerce Bank doesn’t provide exact values for anything but statement credits, which come out to 1 cent per reward “point.” However, it does stipulate a few rules for redeeming your rewards, like these: 

  • Points expire 3 years from the date issued 
  • You must have at least 2,500 points to redeem for a statement credit ($25 value) 
  • You must have at least 10,000 points to redeem for a nonrefundable plane ticket 

Additional Visa® Rewards Card Perks 

As a Commerce Bank credit card, you can expect this offer to come with a few extra benefits that may or may not sway you. For one, it provides access to toggle. This program allows you to choose when to pay for certain charges (either right away, or with your regular statement). This is touted as a budget management tool that helps you make sure your must-haves get taken care of.  

The card also offers a limited time introductory APR of 1.99% on purchases and balance transfers. This lasts for the first 6 months from account opening – not as groundbreaking as some of the 0% introductory cards, but it does ease you into the card’s average regular APR.  

Commerce Bank Ratings

What’s it like to live with Commerce Bank as a credit card issuer and bank? Here is a selection of reviews for the Midwestern bank:

 

Should You Apply for the NDSU Visa® Rewards Card?

If the lack of clarity and strict rules around redemption matter less to you than showing moral support for the school, then the NDSU card is worth consideration. It will add some pep to your wallet while helping you earn some cash back.  

However, you’ll also want to weigh the value of the cash back categories against your spending habits. If you don’t tend to spend very much on the items and services with 3% earnings, you may want to consider a more rewarding card. Unless of course, you already have other cards to turn to for major rewards. 

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