Offering unsecured credit to someone is risky; offering unsecured credit to someone without charging interest is really risky. If a cardholder with a 0% APR offer racks up significant debt then defaults on that debt, the card issuer doesn’t earn a penny on that balance, making the loss even more significant than if the issuer had been earning interest fees on the debt for months. As a result of the risk involved, most issuers require at least good credit to qualify for a card with a decent introductory APR offer. That said, consumers with fair credit and students can also find so-so introductory deals, particularly from local credit unions. If you have a low credit score, it will be a big challenge to find an unsecured credit card that offers 0% APR. If your scores fall short of what’s required to obtain the 0% intro APR card of your dreams, don’t despair. Six months to a year of positive credit behavior can do wonders for a low credit score. And some card issuers, including Capital One and Chase, will monitor your credit history and periodically check to see whether you qualify for a credit limit increase or card upgrade. If you do, you could eventually move up to the card you have your eye on with an improved credit limit.