To build a credit score, start with a secured credit card or become an authorized user on a trusted account. Pay bills on time, keep credit utilization below 30%, and consider a credit-builder loan.

Initial scores typically fall between 500 and 650. This depends on how responsibly you manage your first account(s). It’s very rare to start at the lowest (300) or highest (850).

A CIBIL score is a three-digit number ranging from 300 to 900 that shows how well you’ve handled borrowed money in the past. Lenders use this number to assess how likely you are to repay a loan.