UVM Alumni Visa Signature®

At a Glance

The UVM Alumni Visa Signature® makes it possible to carry school spirit right in your wallet. Whether you’re a recent or soon-to-be graduate, this card brings rewards in multiple categories, from food to transportation. Fast food and cafe lovers as well as frequent ridesharing customers can pull in 3% cash back with no limits. Meanwhile, those who prefer to drive themselves or dine at sit-down restaurants can earn 2%, and 1% on all other purchases. To top it all off, each purchase benefits the UVM Alumni Association and there’s no annual fee.

Ideal for Those Who:

• Attend or graduated from University of Vermont
• Want their purchases to benefit UVM alumni
• Frequently spend on fast food, café purchases, and rideshares
• Are looking for a rewards card with no annual fee

UVM Alumni Visa Signature® Review

If you’re looking for ways to give back to the University of Vermont, the UVM Alumni Visa Signature®can help. Commerce Bank will not only donate to the alumni association on your behalf, it’ll also reward you every time you use the card. The top cash back categories are a bit niche, focusing on areas that many college students spend the most on. However, the other earning opportunities can still provide value to graduates and other UVM supporters as well.

Using Your UVM Alumni Card and Rewards

Though the University of Vermont credit card is marketed toward alumni, the rewards seem best suited for those currently enrolled. Fast food, café eats, and ridesharing are all pretty common expenses for students these days, and this card offers 3% cash back in these areas. While graduates and other non-students can still see these rewards, they’ll likely benefit more from the 2% on gas and dining.   Of course, the merchant codes play an important role here with these overlapping categories. To earn the extra rewards, purchases must come from merchants with the correct code. This means that some gas stations, like those associated with superstores, may not qualify as “service stations” and thus earn no rewards.  Restaurants include establishments with either the dining or drinking code, while fast food joints and coffee shops both tend to fall into the fast food category. However, cafes that use the restaurant code will only earn the 2%, not 3.

Redemption

Redeeming your UVM Alumni Visa Signature® rewards is a bit simpler. Cash back is the most obvious choice, as this is a cash back credit card. When you choose this method, rewards are worth 1 cent and you’ll get a statement credit added to your bill. Note that you’ll need a minimum of 5,000 points saved up. Here’s how much you would need to spend in each category alone to reach this threshold:

• Fast food, coffee shops, and rideshares: $1,666.67
• Gas and restaurants:$2,500
• Uncategorized:$5,000

Alternately, you can visit the Commerce Bank Signature Rewards Service Center to cash in for airline tickets, gifts cards, or merchandise. Airline tickets require at least 10,000 points and are non-refundable. Meanwhile, point values for gift cards and merch are not available to non-cardholders.

Donate to the UVM Alumni Association

Aside from earning cash back, using your UVM credit card can help you donate to the school’s alumni association. This starts with your very first purchase, cash advance, or balance transfer, which initiates a $50 donation from Commerce Bank. As further proof of your school spirit, you’ll also receive a free copy of The University of Vermont, Tradition Looks Forward.   After you add this coffee table book to your collection of alumni memorabilia, certain purchases will allow you to donate more. Specifically, Commerce Bank donates $.25 for every $100 you spend with the card. Note that this doesn’t include things like balance transfers or refunds.

Should You Apply for the UVM Alumni Visa Signature®?

Diehard Catamount fans may find that this card checks two important boxes: cash back rewards and donations to the UVM Alumni Association. No other credit cards are designed specifically to give back to this alma mater, and that alone can make it worthwhile for some consumers. For those who need a little more, decent rewards are available, though they may help some wallets more than others.   Not everyone will find fast food, ridesharing, and cafes particularly rewarding categories. The 2% at restaurants and gas stations does it’s best to round this out though, making it comparable to some mid-tier cash back cards.   Overall, the main draw of this card is its ability to support the school, both in spirit and financially. If you’re more focused on rewards, you might find other options more appealing. For instance, the Blue Cash Preferred® from Amex packs a wealth of rewards, including 3X points on rideshares and gas, though there is a $95 annual fee.