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There has been much speculation about the rules Schufa uses to determine credit ratings. According to an announcement by SCHUFA, this will come to an end on March 17, 2026, when the system will undergo fundamental changes.
SCHUFA is introducing a new credit score, which it claims will be significantly more transparent. For the first time, consumers will be able to understand how their rating is calculated—and even check the calculations themselves.
The old base score disappears
With the new model, the previous SCHUFA base score will disappear. Until now, this score served as a general guideline for consumers, but was not passed on directly to companies.
Instead, a simplified system will be introduced that only takes twelve criteria into account. At the same time, the new value replaces several previous industry-specific assessments that were calculated differently for banks or telecommunications providers, for example.
The idea behind this is that a uniform score should be easier to understand and more comprehensible for consumers.
These twelve factors influence the rating
The new score is made up of various points that together form an overall rating.
Schufa lists the new criteria on its website:
- Installment loans taken out in the past 12 months
- Longest remaining term of all installment loans
- Age of the most recent credit facility
- payment problems
- Age of the oldest bank contract
- Age of the oldest credit card
- credit status
- real estate loan
- Existence of an identity check
- Age of current address
- Number of inquiries and transactions for checking accounts and credit cards in the past 12 months
- Number of inquiries outside the banking sector in the past 12 months
Each of these criteria is assigned a certain number of points. This results in a final score between 100 and 999 points. The higher the number, the better the solvency is assessed to be.
New online account for consumers
Parallel to the new score, a digital SCHUFA account is also being launched. Users can view their personal score there free of charge.
To use the service, consumers must first register. After that, an identity check is required, for example via electronic ID card or a special confirmation procedure by letter.
However, access will not be activated immediately for everyone. SCHUFA will initially introduce the system via a waiting list and inform registered users by email as soon as their account is activated.
Greater transparency – also due to political pressure
The reform is no coincidence. SCHUFA has been criticized for years because its rating system was a black box for many people. Decisions about loans or rental agreements could depend heavily on a number whose calculation was difficult to understand.
The new system is set to change that. Errors in stored data can now be identified and corrected more quickly.
Critical commentary
The promised transparency sounds like a big step forward at first. If consumers understand how their score is calculated, they can spot mistakes more easily and assess their financial situation better.
But a fundamental problem remains: a private company continues to assess the creditworthiness of millions of people—and banks, landlords, and retailers rely heavily on this assessment.
Even a transparent score does little to change the power of this number. Those who receive a poor rating quickly realize how much influence a single data value can have on their own lives.
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