how long does it take for your credit score to improve?

i once was a cancer patient about a year ago and my credit went down with my health. i am working on bring it back up, i cnat even get a student loan without a co-signer. i want to finish paying my bills by this fall. last check my score was about 563...how long does it usually take for your scores to increase???

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1. Your credit score gets updated once a month. Here are some tips on how to improve your score: If you have credit card debt, pay more than the minimum that's required. The more you pay down, the more points you will collect. Close the credit card accounts that you don't use or haven't used in a long time. It's better that your credit card that carries a balance increases its spending limit rather than having many revolving accounts opened. If you have any collections, contact the creditors and arrange a payment plan. You can often negotiate a lower settlement that way. Most importantly don't apply for new debt. Paid collections stay on your report for 2 years. Unpaid collections stay up to 7 years. Bankruptcies 10 years. All of these situations effect your FICO score and how quickly you settle them, directs how long they will stay on your report.
2. If you do the right things your credit score can improve in a matter of months. I've got 10 steps you can use to build your credit score. I raised mine to well over 700 points fro 500 using these steps over a year: # Know and Track Your Credit Score # Never Miss a Payment, Starting Today # Never use more than 20% of your Available Credit # Keep Credit Cards that Have No Annual Fees Open For as Long as Possible # Extend Your Credit Limit on Cards You Already Have before You Get New Ones # Get Credit Cards that Have CashBack Rewards to Contribute to your Balance # Transfer Your Balance to a Credit Card with a Lower Interest Rate and a Higher Available Credit- # If You Think You Are Going to be FORCED to Pay a Bill Late Ask for an Extension or Payment Plan # Take out a Small Personal Loan and Repay it Over a Year # Ask Someone With Good Credit if They will Account Shadow you Read the full article here, it gives you an overview of credit scores, and the 10 steps in detail on page 2: http://millionster.com/articles/debt/increase-fico-credit-score/
3. it takes the credit reporting agencies 30-90 days to update their records. The best way to increase your credit score is pull a copy of your credit report it doesn't affect the score when you're the one pulling the report and close any accounts you no longer use, the credit reporting agencies look at this as available debt. Also on the credit cards you do keep make sure the balance you carry is never more then 50% of whatever the credit limit is.
4. Credit Reports update monthly. To raise your FICO credit score you need to be vigilant on your credit report score by keeping updated by removing any errors. In addition, try to add positive information and not to add any negative information, like late payments.