Finance · Money admin
Credit scores: how they work and how to improve yours
Six short lessons on credit reports and scores. Learn what goes into a score, get your reports through the official route, fix errors yourself, build habits that help over time, and avoid paid “credit repair” traps. Country panels for Australia, the UK and the US.
About this course
how they work and how to improve yours.
Starter · About 1 hour of learning · 6 lessons · 13 quick checks · 2 downloads
Who it's for
Adults in Australia, the UK, the US and elsewhere who want to understand, check and improve their credit record.
How it works
6 guided lessons in your browser, with worked examples, exercises and a quick check after each lesson. Progress is saved in this browser only, and you can restart at any time. Lesson 1 is open to everyone, and you can take one whole course without an account. After that, a free account lets you continue past lesson 1.
Sources we rely on
21 published sources, mostly regulators and official bodies, listed below so you can check the original guidance yourself.
By the end you can
- Explain the difference between a credit report and a credit score, and why you have several
- Name the main factors behind a score and work out credit utilisation
- Get your credit reports through the official route in your country
- Spot errors on a report and dispute them through the right route
- Choose habits that improve a score over time and find official help
Downloads
- Credit report check and 12-month action plan .xlsxLog your report requests by country, check each line, work out utilisation and plan up to five habits with check dates.
- Credit report dispute letter template .docxA five-part dispute letter with AU, UK and US escalation notes and a worked example.
Rules by country
Learning time
About 1 hour of learning. May count towards your CPD or professional development; check your professional body's rules. Estimated from reading time, exercises, quick checks and downloads.
Sources
Check the originals.
Drafted with AI assistance and run through automated quality and source checks. How these courses are made. Spotted an error or out-of-date rule? Send a correction.
General information only, not financial advice. We don't recommend financial products.
- Credit scores and credit reports · Moneysmart (ASIC, Australia)
- Credit repair · Moneysmart (ASIC, Australia)
- Loan rejection · Moneysmart (ASIC, Australia)
- What is a credit score? · Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (US)
- What is a credit report? · Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (US)
- How do I get and keep a good credit score? · Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (US)
- Do I have to pay for my credit score? (credit freezes) · Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (US)
- How do I dispute an error on my credit report? · Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (US)
- Free credit reports · Federal Trade Commission (US)
- Fixing your credit FAQs · Federal Trade Commission (US)
- Credit (your rights with credit reference agencies) · Information Commissioner’s Office (UK)
- How to check your credit report for free · MoneyHelper (UK, Money and Pensions Service)
- Financial advisers register · Moneysmart (ASIC, Australia)
- TPB Register: check if your tax or BAS agent is registered · Tax Practitioners Board (Australia)
- National Debt Helpline · National Debt Helpline (Australia)
- Australian Financial Complaints Authority · AFCA (Australia)
- How to check a firm or individual is authorised · Financial Conduct Authority (UK)
- Get free debt advice · GOV.UK
- Working with an investment professional · Investor.gov (US Securities and Exchange Commission)
- Choosing a tax professional · Internal Revenue Service (US)
- What is credit counseling? · Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (US)
Publisher
Who publishes this course.
Published by trainyourself.org, a trading name of Combine TRS Pty Ltd (ABN 42 112 983 678), Brisbane, Australia.
How it's made: drafted with AI assistance from published regulator, government and official money guidance, then run through automated quality checks against our course depth standard and automated source checks that match each rule to its official source, listed above. Read how these courses are made.
Last updated:
General information only, not financial, credit, tax or legal advice. Spotted an error or an out-of-date rule? Send us a correction.
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