 TITLE: Do You Have to Be a Student to Get a Student Credit Card? CONTENT: Alternatives to Student Credit Cards\n------------------------------------\nIf you can't qualify for a student credit card on your own, don't give up. Try these alternative ways to get a credit card and start building a credit history.\n*   **Get a cosigner.** Some credit card companies allow a parent or other responsible relative with good credit to cosign on the account with you. The cosigner takes responsibility for making payments on the card if you can't.\n*   **Become an authorized user on a family member's credit card.** Ask a parent or other relative with a good credit score to add you to their credit card account as an authorized user. The primary cardholder remains responsible for the payments, but you can use the card (if they allow it). The primary cardholder's payment history gets reported to credit bureaus; since your name is also on the account, you build a credit history too, even if you don't use the card.\n*   **Get a secured credit card.** To get a secured credit card, you put down a deposit—usually between $200 and $2,000—which becomes your credit limit. (Essentially, you're pre-paying the card.) By making it impossible to spend beyond your credit limit, a secured credit card can be a good way to show you can use credit responsibly. Some secured credit card issuers will even offer you an unsecured card after you've made a certain amount of payments on time.\n*   **Get a store credit card.** Many retailers offer store credit cards, which often have less stringent approval requirements than regular credit cards. However, because these cards typically have high interest rates, this should be your last option. If you do get a store credit card, be sure to make only small purchases and pay off your balance in full and on time every month. END