College Life, Made Easier

Dollars, dining halls, and degrees—we’ve got you covered for life on campus.

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Guidance that grows with you

Education and money management go hand in hand. We’re here to support you in the classroom and beyond.

How to balance your busy schedule

Between classes, careers, and clubs, your life is packed. Find balance in the busy with these helpful tips.

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10 healthy financial habits for college students

Saving, budgeting, and building credit in college will pay off HUGE once you graduate. Build good money habits with these easy tips.

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Graduate college in 4 years

Missing college credits could cost you another semester. Here’s what you need to know about credits and how to graduate on time.

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100 life skills for college and beyond

Do laundry, check. Cook a meal, check. Change a flat tire, check! Be the boss of your life by mastering real-world skills that matter.

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Benefits of making student loan payments now

Thinking about making student loan payments now? The real question may be “can you” not “should you.” See your options and benefits.

Products and resources for life at college

Citizens and College Raptor®, Citizens’ college planning platform, have the tools and products you need to help you plan and prep for what’s next.

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Win scholarships for college from Citizens and College Raptor®

Boost your college fund with scholarships from Citizens and College Raptor. Each month, one student will win $2,500 from Citizens, plus one annual grand prize of $15,000 for school expenses. Also, enter to win College Raptor's quarterly $2,500 scholarship for school expenses. No purchase necessary.

Apply now and start planning for what’s next.

Scholarship Search

Find billions of dollars available in institutional, private, and government scholarships, all in one place. See how much you could be eligible for.

Student Loan Calculator

Explore our free student loan calculator to understand what your budget might look like after graduation and how different loan choices affect your finances.

Majors Search

Your degree should align with your passions and future goals. College Raptor’s Majors Search helps you discover top schools for your major, program insights, career paths, and more.

Student Checking

Under 25, and ready to take banking off your to-do list—now with Citizens Paid Early®, which could let you get paid sooner—up to 2 days early.

One Deposit Savings from Citizens®

Start your financial journey with no monthly maintenance fee while you’re under 25.

Citizens Amp® Mastercard®

Get started building your credit1 with no annual fee2, everyday savings, and account3 and purchase protection4.

See our other helpful products and tools

Your college life questions, answered

Pretty much everything you have to pay for these days, you can pay for with a debit or credit card. So, having a credit card in college can allow you to pay for what you need around campus from meals to books and more. Having a credit card comes with the added benefits of learning financial responsibility and building credit.

Building credit means that you are demonstrating a history of making on-time payments on credit cards and other loans in order to start establishing a good credit score. A good credit score typically helps you have an easier time getting other loans and receiving better interest rates on those loans.

Ready to apply for your first credit card? Get ready in five easy steps.

It depends on the type of aid.

  • Federal Aid Received through FAFSA. You must renew FAFSA every year to continue receiving the benefits—including work study and federal student loans—of federal financial aid.
  • Grants and Scholarships. This is grant or scholarship specific. Some scholarships are for every year and renew automatically, and others are one-time awards. Check with the issuer of the scholarship to find out what you need to do in order to maintain or reapply. If a scholarship can’t be renewed, you can always search for additional scholarships.
  • Private Student Loans. In many cases, you’ll need to reapply for private student loans. However, Citizens offers Multi-Year Approval^ which means that, if approved, you’ll only submit one loan application for all four years of college. It’s best to always check with your lender to ensure you have the funds you need each semester.

You may be so busy with your class schedule, social life, and extracurricular activities that “earning money” may feel like an impossible task. But here are some ways to earn some extra cash:

  1. Work Study. If you filled out your FAFSA—which you should EVERY year of college—you could qualify for work study. Remember, if you qualify, snag the opportunity quickly as work study is generally first come first served.
  2. Become an RA. A resident assistant enforces dorm policies, organizes social gatherings on their floors, and helps mediate any issues between residents in the dorm. Payment comes in free housing, which could free up some money for you.
  3. Get a part-time job. There are typically opportunities on- and off-campus that are flexible within your course schedule.
  4. Consider an internship. Internships are a great way to apply classroom learning to real-world application—and most of the time, they’re paid opportunities.
  5. Apply for scholarships. Every little dollar helps, and you can apply for scholarships year-round, literally.

Deciding what you “want to be when you grow up” isn’t easy for everyone, including some adults who are already working. To help you decide your path consider:

  1. Your personality. Ask yourself: what are your likes and dislikes, and strengths and weaknesses? What kind of environment do you prefer? What things are important to you?
  2. Explore careers. Find out what skills you need for certain types of careers, what the job growth projections are for those, and the likely salary outcomes.
  3. Research majors. Once you have an idea of what career you might like, search for the majors that you’ll need to complement your intended career.

Still need some tips? Follow this step-by-step guide.

Step outside and get to know your campus community. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Social/Community Life: Most campuses offer a variety of clubs, student organizations, and events—from sporting events, activism, intramurals, theater, and more. Don’t be afraid to try something new, you may be surprised to find you enjoy it and the people you meet doing it!

Academics: College means choosing your own path, which includes building your class schedule and setting yourself up for success with good study habits. You’ll experience a lot more independence in college, so utilize the support of your professors and advisors to help you thrive in your intended major and each of your courses.

Campus amenities and resources: Size and location matter when it comes to what’s on your campus. But you’ll have everything you need from dining halls, dorms, libraries, student unions, campus greens, and, of course, lecture halls and labs. Get to know your buildings and resources in order to have a fun and safe college experience.

If you are getting ready to graduate with a 4-year degree, congrats! Not sure what to do next? Here are some options:

  1. Work with a career coach or resume writer to help you hone your resume and nail your interviews to get a full-time job in your field!
  2. Get an internship.
  3. Apply for graduate school. Even better, have your new employer pay for it.
  4. Take a gap year and travel.
  5. Join the Peace Corps.
  6. Start your own business or side-hustle.

Ready to get started on graduate school? Fund every year of grad school, right here.

We’re here to help, no matter where you are in your journey

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High School

High school is full of milestones—first jobs, prom, college exams, and more. Having the right tools in your kit is key, and we’ve got them right here.

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Nearing College

If getting into your dream school is on your daily planner, we’ve got all the tips and tools you need to find, get into, and pay for college.

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In College

Discover tips for managing money, finding careers, and preparing for life post-graduation. Your success starts here.

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Beyond College

Take your next step with tips on pursuing your dream career, saving for your next big goal, or paying off those student loans.

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Contact us

Connect with a Student Loan and Checking Advisor by clicking the chat icon at the bottom of the page, calling 866-999-0077, or visiting a local branch.

Contact Center Hours: 8:00AM-9:00PM ET Monday-Friday

© Citizens Financial Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Citizens is a brand name of Citizens Bank, N.A. Member FDIC

For additional information, please click the † symbols throughout this page to view our checking and deposits disclosures.

^ For additional information, please click the ^ symbols throughout this page to view our student lending disclosures.

For U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or eligible non-citizens with a creditworthy U.S. citizen or permanent resident co-signer, Citizens provides student lending services in the following United States and U.S. Territories: AL, AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY, AS, GU, MP, PR, VI

* Citizens Scholarship: No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. The Citizens Scholarship Sweepstakes is open to legal residents of the 50 United States, D.C., and U.S. Territories, who are 18 years of age or older, are students, or prospective students, or parents or legal guardians of students intending to enroll or enrolled at least half-time in an accredited undergraduate/graduate post-secondary institution. To be eligible for a chance to win the Citizens Building the Workforce of the Future Scholarship entrants must be from an underrepresented or a low-income community as described in the Official Rules. Sweepstakes begins at 12:00 AM ET on 4/1/25 and ends at 5:00 PM ET on 3/31/26. Sponsored by Citizens. See Official Rules for details.

** No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. The $2,500 College Raptor Scholarship Contest is open to legal residents of the 50 United States, D.C., and U.S. Territories, who are 16 years of age or older, and are students or prospective students who are enrolled or intending to enroll in an accredited undergraduate/graduate post-secondary institution no later than Fall 2027. The Contest begins at 12:00 AM ET on 10/1/25 and ends at 11:59 PM ET on 12/31/25. See https://www.collegeraptor.com/page/2500scholarship-terms-conditions/ for details.

1 Citizens reports information about your Account to credit bureaus. Payments made by your billing statement due date can help build or establish your credit. Negative credit information, including late payments, missed payments, or other defaults on your Account may be reflected in your credit report and may adversely impact your ability to build credit. Subject to individual credit approval.

2 Important information about rates and fees.

3 Certain terms, conditions and exclusions apply. Cardholders need to register for this service. This service is provided by Iris® Powered by Generali. Please see your guide to benefits for details, call 800-MASTERCARD or visit mastercardus.idprotectiononline.com/general/legal/terms-of-service

4 For more information visit citizensbank.com/account-safeguards/unauthorized-transaction-policy.aspx

Mastercard and the circles design are registered trademarks of Mastercard International Incorporated.

Credit cards are issued by Citizens Bank, N.A. pursuant to license by Mastercard International Incorporated.

College Raptor, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Citizens Bank, N.A. (Citizens)