Our illustration, not the card’s design

Harvard Federal Credit Union credit card

Harvard Alumni World MasterCard

No annual fee. 10,000 points welcome bonus. Purchase APR 13.24–18%, variable. No foreign transaction fees.

Checked Nov 1, 2026Updated

Welcome offer
Annual fee
Purchase APR · variable
Foreign transactions

Select an underlined figure to see where it comes from.

Harvard Federal Credit Union’s terms

Welcome offer

10,000 points

At least $500 in purchases within 90 days of account open date

Limit one bonus cash rewards offer per new account. Limited to new customers opening an account in response to this offer. Allow 8-12 weeks from qualifying to post to rewards balance.

  • Smaller than about 80% of the 44 other points bonuses we track.

In dollars

What it’s worth

Yearly value in dollars: rewards and credits minus the annual fee, for three ways of spending. First year includes any welcome bonus.

Yearly value in dollars for three ways of spending, the first year and after
SpendingValue against the feeFirst yearAfter
Light spender$280$180
Typical spender$530$430
Heavy spender$975$875
The spending each assumes, and what isn’t counted
  • Light spender: groceries $300, dining $100, gas $100, everything else $500 a month
  • Typical spender: groceries $600, dining $300, gas $200, travel $150, everything else $1,250 a month
  • Heavy spender: groceries $900, dining $600, gas $300, travel $600, airfare $300, hotels $300, everything else $2,500 a month

Assumed: not counted: 2x Gifts to Harvard University (double points); points valued at an assumed 1¢.

$180a year

$280 the first year, with the welcome bonus.

The spending this assumes

A month: groceries $300, dining $100, gas $100, everything else $500. Assumed: not counted: 2x Gifts to Harvard University (double points); points valued at an assumed 1¢.

$430a year

$530 the first year, with the welcome bonus.

The spending this assumes

A month: groceries $600, dining $300, gas $200, travel $150, everything else $1,250. Assumed: not counted: 2x Gifts to Harvard University (double points); points valued at an assumed 1¢.

$875a year

$975 the first year, with the welcome bonus.

The spending this assumes

A month: groceries $900, dining $600, gas $300, travel $600, airfare $300, hotels $300, everything else $2,500. Assumed: not counted: 2x Gifts to Harvard University (double points); points valued at an assumed 1¢.

Use your own spending

Estimates from the published terms above, as checked Nov 1, 2026; not advice. How we value cards

Against the market

How it compares

Worth more to a typical spender than about 80% of the 732 cards we track.

  • Lower top APR than about 90% of the 163 cards on our Sign-up bonuses list (see the list).
  • No annual fee, like about 85% of the 711 cards we track.

Other cash back cards with no annual fee

Against this card, for our typical spender’s value (rewards and credits minus fees, after the first year).

Shares rounded to 5 points. Fees and APRs as stated; value for our typical spender. Method

Harvard Alumni Card Rewards

How you earn

2%
Grocery purchases at eligible grocery merchants (MCC 5411, 5422, 5441, 5451, 5462, 5499; excludes discount stores and wholesale clubs)Gas purchases at eligible gas merchants (MCC 5541, 5542)Dining purchases at eligible dining merchants (MCC 5811, 5812, 5813, 5814)Gifts to Harvard University (double points)
1%
Everything else

Cash back, as a share of each purchase. “What it’s worth” values a point at an assumed 1¢.

Benefits

  • Complimentary Harvard Federal Credit Union membership (Automatic, no-cost membership.)
  • Redeem points for travel and receive 25% more value.
  • Travel rewards may be used toward flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises and more, with no blackout dates or restrictions.
  • No foreign transaction fees.
  • Zero liability for unauthorized charges.
All 10 benefits
  • I.D. theft protection with real-time account monitoring.
  • Fraud and transaction alerts by text or email.
  • 24-hour worldwide assistance through Mastercard Global Services.
  • Free access to a FICO credit score when opening a new cardholder account.
  • Other

Every figure with its receipt

Rates and fees

Rates and fees for the Harvard Alumni World MasterCard, each with its source
Annual fee
Purchase APRvariable
Intro APR12 months
Balance transfer APR
Balance transfer fee
Cash advance APR
Foreign transactions
Minimum interest charge

Before you apply

  1. What the application asks: your name, address, date of birth, Social Security number (or ITIN), income and housing payment. By law the issuer must consider your ability to pay (Regulation Z, 1026.51).
  2. Your credit report: applying usually means a hard inquiry, which can lower your score slightly for a while. Some issuers let you check whether you’re pre-approved first without one. How credit reports work (CFPB)

Questions

What is the annual fee?
None · Reported to the CFPB, Dec 31, 2025, since Sep 29, 2026
Does it charge a foreign transaction fee?
No. · Reported to the CFPB, Dec 31, 2025, since Oct 4, 2026
What is the purchase APR?
13.24–18.00% APR · Reported to the CFPB, Dec 31, 2025, since Sep 29, 2026
Is there an intro APR?
0% for 12 months. · Reported to the CFPB, Dec 31, 2025, since Sep 29, 2026
Is there a welcome bonus?
10,000 points after $500 in purchases. · harvardcard.com, since Nov 1, 2026
Read the card agreement

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