SCHUFA is Germany's dominant private credit bureau, drawing data from 10,000+ partner companies (banks, telecoms, insurers, utilities). Since 17 March 2026, SCHUFA uses a unified points-based score from 100-999, replacing the old percentage-based system, built from 12 named criteria with published maximum point values (e.g. payment defaults up to 264 points, age of oldest bank account up to 69 points, time at current address up to 94 points, age of oldest credit card up to 81 points). SCHUFA is nationality-blind — it doesn't track income, employment, nationality, or personal purchases — and a new arrival starts with no score (not a bad one), which is normal; 3-6 months of consistent activity (registered address, bank account, basic contracts, clean payments) is usually enough to build a workable score.
Since 17 March 2026, SCHUFA uses a unified 100-999 point score based on 12 named, published criteria — replacing the old percentage-based system.
Key scoring criteria include payment defaults (up to 264 points), age of oldest bank account (up to 69 points), time at current address (up to 94 points), and age of oldest credit card (up to 81 points).
SCHUFA does not track income, employment status, nationality, religion, or individual purchases — the score is based purely on contractual/payment history.
New arrivals start with no SCHUFA score (not a bad one); 3-6 months of consistent financial activity is usually enough to build a workable score for most purposes, including apartment applications.
Timelines
Time to build a workable SCHUFA score: 3-6 months of consistent activity
Required Documents
Registered German address (Anmeldung)
Active German bank account
Common Mistakes
Mistaking 'no SCHUFA score' for a bad score — new arrivals simply have no history yet, which is normal and resolves with time.
Applying for too many contracts/credit products quickly, which can slow score development rather than accelerate it.