Education Loan

How to Get Education Loan with Low CIBIL Score?

How to Get Education Loan with Low CIBIL Score?

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Read GyanDhan’s guide on importance of CIBIL score in education loan, credit report, factors affecting CIBIL score and how to get education loan with low CIBIL score.

GyanDhan
Ananya Ghai

Updated on:  27 Feb 2024  | Reviewed By:  amanjain  | 28.7K | 11  min read

Securing loans for education abroad has been labeled as the most difficult part of the process by students, primarily due to a lack of knowledge, awareness, and exposure in the financial aspect. While students are well-prepared in areas like scores, letters of recommendation, and statements of purpose, they often lack guidance when it comes to the financial aspects. This leads to uncertainty and mistakes in loan applications, resulting in rejections. To avoid this, thorough research is crucial before applying for a loan.


One significant factor to consider is the credit score or CIBIL score. Maintaining a good CIBIL score is vital for aspiring students, as it plays a pivotal role in loan approvals. Financial institutions often look for a credit score of 750 or above, as reported by CIBIL. By understanding and prioritizing your credit score, you can enhance your chances of obtaining an education loan successfully.
 

Check Your Education Loan Eligibility

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What is CIBIL score?

Every time you avail of a credit card or borrow a loan, your credit and repayment information is submitted by the respective member financial institution to CIBIL on a monthly basis. This collated data of financial data and records from leading banks and other financial institutions is then presented in the form of a credit report known as the Credit Information Report (CIR).

Through this report, banks and financial institutions can be made aware of your credit history, which may be spread across various institutions, before approving your loan.

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What is CIBIL Credit Score?

The CIBIL Credit score, a summary of your entire credit history in the form of a three-digit number, is derived from the information provided in your CIR.

It normally ranges from 300 to 900 and is a representation of your credit-worthiness. A higher score indicates that you are a less risky borrower, increasing your chances of availing a loan whereas a lower score decreases that probability.

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What is a Credit Report?

A credit report is a detailed record of an individual's credit history and financial activities. It is compiled by credit bureaus based on information provided by lenders, financial institutions, and other sources. It serves as a comprehensive summary of a person's creditworthiness and is used by lenders, landlords, and other entities to assess an individual's creditworthiness and financial responsibility before extending credit or entering into financial agreements.

A credit report typically includes information such as personal identification details, credit accounts (credit cards, loans, mortgages), payment history, credit utilization, credit inquiries, and public records (such as bankruptcies or tax liens). 

A credit report includes information regarding the following four key areas:

  1. list items Personal information: Name, address, PAN no, date of birth, and employment information.
  2. list items Credit history: Types of accounts, date of account opening, credit limit, account balance, payment history.
  3. list items Public records: Garnishments, foreclosures, legal suits, and judgments.
  4. list items Inquiries: List of lenders that have checked the individual's credit report in the past.
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How is the CIBIL Score Calculated?

Depending on the Credit Information Report (CIR) and six month’s financial data, the CIBIL algorithm calculates the CIBIL credit score based on 258 different variables each having an appropriate weight. There are mainly four factors to determine the CIBIL score:

Factor Description

Repayment track record

Your past performance and consistency in proceeding with timely EMI payments.

Number of loans

The variety of loans (secured or unsecured) you have taken in the past.

Credit limit

How effectively you have managed and utilized your available credit limit on credit cards or other lines of credit.

Credit activity frequency

The frequency of taking or applying for loans within a short span of time.

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CIBIL Score Ranges

CIBIL scores can vary from 300 to 900, with 900 indicating the highest level of creditworthiness. It is considered ideal to have a CIBIL score of 750 or above on your credit report, as it enhances your eligibility for loans and credit cards.

CIBIL score range Education loan approval chances

< 600

Low 

600 - 649

Difficult

650 - 699

Possible

700 - 749

Good

750 - 900

Very high

 

 

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Factors Affecting CIBIL Score

There is a range of factors that can affect your CIBIL credit score:

  1. list items Applicant’s repayment history - The credit score is mostly a reflection of how promptly you have repaid your debt. Any default in the credit card payment or loan repayment will negatively affect the CIBIL score.
  2. list items Credit utilization limit - Using credit more than the credit limit also negatively affects the CIBIL score. It reflects poor spending habits.
  3. list items Duration of using the credit - In simple terms, it means the total number of years the credit account has been open. Long and positive credit history will help the lender make a quicker decision on the credit application.
  4. list items Paying the minimum amount due - Chances of falling into a debt trap increase exponentially if you only pay the minimum amount due every month. Interest will keep compounding on the remaining balance. Further, it reflects poorly on repayment behavior.
  5. list items Credit mix - it is important to have a healthy mix of secured and unsecured credit. It is looked at by the lenders positively as it shows that you have experience in handling both types of credit. Furthermore, having only one type of credit can affect your credit score negatively.
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Does CIBIL Score Affect Education Loans?

Statistics show that on average, 90% of the loans are granted to applicants with a score above 750. The higher the score, the higher the probability of getting your loan approved, and a study loan is no exception to this rule. Having a good credit score has its perks that include:

  1. list items Lower rate of interest
  2. list items Quicker approval with less documentation
  3. list items Higher loan amount
  4. list items Higher card limit
  5. list items Longer tenure

Thus, needless to say, when it comes to education loans, CIBIL score is a crucial factor in the loan approval process.

The majority of the students might not have taken a loan or credit card in the past and thus don’t have any credit history. In such cases, when they apply for an education loan, the lender checks the credit history of the guarantors who usually are, their parents. Thus, if the parents have a poor CIBIL score, there is a high chance that the loan can be denied.

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How to Get an Abroad Education Loan for Low CIBIL Score?

It is a little difficult to get an education loan for a low CIBIL score but fortunately not impossible. Here are some tips on how you can avail abroad education loan when you have low CIBIL score:

  1. list items Timely repayment on current bills - Having a record of timely payments of your current bills, such as credit cards, EMIs, utility bills, etc., will help in building a good credit score, which will further help in loan approval. So, before applying for a student loan, ensure that you have paid your current bills.
  2. list items Showing proof of income - A good income will prove to the lender that the applicant has the ability to repay the loan. Even with a bad credit score, proof of income shows that the borrower is adequately financially stable to repay the loan.
  3. list items Apply for an education loan from NBFCs - Banks tend to scrutinize the loan application rigorously. Whereas, NBFCs might relax some policies if the student’s profile is outstanding.
  4. list items Apply for a secured education loan - in the case of a secured education loan, credit score becomes a secondary factor. The value of the property pledged is of utmost importance. An applicant with a bad credit score can be approved for a loan if they pledge appropriate collateral.
  5. list items Resolve credit report errors - The best method to ensure your bad credit score doesn’t ruin your chances of getting a loan is to resolve the errors. A mistake or an error in the report can also occur. Review your credit report every six months to ensure this doesn’t happen again.
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What Can You Do To Prepare?

All in all, the late realization of a poor CIBIL score will only stand to hamper the process of getting the loan approved in time. In order to avoid this, you need to check your CIBIL score right away. This can be done by visiting the official website of CIBIL, paying a nominal fee, and submitting the required documentation.

Note that if your score is 0 or -1, this just means that you do not have a credit history, and getting a loan or a credit card will help you establish your credit history over time.

If you have a score >700, you are on the right track and should continue to maintain this. If you see a score lower than 700, check your credit report to see the cause of the low rating. If you believe that all your past payments were timely, and the report is erroneous, you can dispute the report with CIBIL for free. The quoted resolution time is 1 month, but can typically take ~2-3 months – so we urge you to start soon!

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How to Improve your CIBIL Score?

By paying your bills on time, managing your credit responsibly, monitoring your credit report, and being mindful of your financial decisions, you can gradually boost your creditworthiness. If you have a low credit score, you can take the following measures to get on the right track.

Improvement tip Description

Check your CIBIL scores frequently

Regularly review your CIR to identify any errors or discrepancies that may be affecting your score. If you find any inaccuracies, report them on the CIBIL website. Monitoring your credit report also helps you stay informed about your financial standing and take proactive steps to improve your score.

Pay your bills on time

Late payments and defaults are a strict no-no, as they badly affect your score. Ensure timely payments for all your bills, including credit card bills, loans, and EMIs. Late payments and defaults can severely impact your credit score. Consider setting up automatic payments or reminders to avoid missing deadlines.

Maintain a low credit utilization ratio

Credit utilization ratio refers to the percentage of available credit you are currently using. To improve your score, aim to keep your credit utilization below 40% of your total credit limit. High utilization indicates a higher risk of default. 

Limit credit applications:

If you have a low credit score, neither avail nor enquire for any new credit cards unless you require one as it can impact your credit score negatively. Avoid any purchases like a home, car, or bike in the same year. Also, plan for any such purchases over a broader time span. Do not get a new loan to repay the loan earlier.

A loan from P2P websites

P2P (peer-to-peer) lending websites also offers a collateral-free loan for up to INR 5 Lakh. Such loans have a tenure of up to 36 months and charge 12-24% interest. In the case of having a low credit score, it can also be an option for you.

Demonstrate stability

Lenders value stability, so maintaining a consistent credit history is important. Avoid frequently closing credit accounts or transferring balances between cards, as it may indicate financial instability. Keep your oldest credit accounts active and demonstrate responsible credit management over time.

 

An excellent CIBIL score is imperative for getting an education loan and opening the door to your higher education in an esteemed institute. If you check your credit score and take corrective actions as mentioned above, you can improve your CIBIL score right in time and avail of your education loan easily and with low interest as well. Also, there are education financing websites like GyanDhan which are specifically meant to help students avail of education loans irrespective of their CIBIL score.

GyanDhan provides education loan assistance for students planning their education abroad. We have partnered with leading public, private banks and NBFCs. To start your abroad education loan journey check your education loan eligibility.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long is a CIBIL score report valid?

The Credit Information Report (CIR) containing an individual’s credits and defaults is kept for a minimum of 7 years from the date of the first late report.

What does ‘NH’ or ‘NA’ mean in the CIBIL score?

‘NH’ and ‘NA’ mean:

That you do not have any credit history, that is you are new to the system.

  • list items You do not have any credit activity in the last couple of years.
  • list items You have all add-on credit cards and have no credit exposure.

What is the credit utilization ratio?

It is a ratio that represents your spending to your income. For example, you utilize only Rs. 1000 of your credit limit of Rs. 2000. This means that your credit utilization is 50%. It is better to keep a low credit utilization ratio.

Does a loan rejection affect the CIBIL score?

Every lender checks the CIBIL score when a loan application is submitted. When a credit institution or a bank makes an inquiry, it is called a hard inquiry. A hard inquiry is bound to lower your CIBIL score and that is why you should avoid submitting multiple loan applications.

Does checking CIBIL score affect CIBIL score?

No, checking the CIBIL score after the CIBIL score does not affect your CIBIL score. 

Checking your own CIBIL score, known as a "soft inquiry," does not have a negative impact on your credit score. However, when a lender or credit card issuer requests CIBIL to review your credit report, typically during loan or credit card applications, it is considered a "hard inquiry" and may affect your credit score.

How much CIBIL score required for education loan?

A minimum of 650 CIBIL score is required for an education loan.

Can CIBIL change or delete my records?

The credit score reflected on your CIR cannot be changed or deleted by any institution.

How to check CIBIL score for education loan?

To check your CIBIL score for an education loan in India, you can visit the CIBIL website and enter your details like name, DOB, and PAN to access your report., or use online payment apps like Google Pay and PhonePe. A good score helps with loan approval.

Check Your Education Loan Eligibility


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