The first and most comprehensive way for African students to finance their education abroad
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Get Pre-Approved
Search, sort, and compare offers in minutes. Safe, secure, and 100% free.
Get Pre-Approved
We've scoured the internet for the best scholarships so you don't have to.
Find a ScholarshipCompare affordable lenders and customer reviews in our financing marketplace.
Get Pre-Approved
As a guideline, our lenders tend to offer:
Tell us about yourself. Where are you planning to study? What field of study will be your focus? How how much funding you are looking for? Just a few minutes could change your life.
You'll get clear, detailed, and easy to follow information about your offers and the lenders you're choosing between.
Complete your application through the lender site. 8B will be here to support you on the next step of your education journey, and beyond.
“Every society has the ability to play a full and effective role in addressing the challenges they face. My mission is investing in future leaders, because I have no doubt that a critical mass of highly educated leaders in every sector can transform the fortunes of a society. In a world where even the most generous scholarships have finite resources, 8B uses an innovative approach to facilitate the education of world-class leaders and problem-solvers who can compete in the 21st century and steer Africa towards shared prosperity. This is a vision worth supporting.”
Founder, Davis United World College Scholar Program
“The most surprising thing when I was seeking funding was the limited options for International Students. Most graduate schools do not offer financial aid. 8B funding was able to support part of my tuition, and I am very grateful for that.”
Boston University, School of Public Health
“If it is true that ability is evenly distributed across the world, then the next Nobel Prize-potential mathematician may well be in Accra or Yaoundé. 8B seeks to head-hunt the best and brightest Africans wherever they may be found on the African continent and facilitate their education in leading global universities, thereby enabling them to meet their potential.”
Former Minister of Education, Ghana
Pre-approval is a first-step evaluation of your credit-worthiness that helps potential lenders understand your general ability to repay a loan. The pre-approval process takes into consideration your income, where you are studying, how far along you are in your studies, your requested loan amount, nationality, and where you live
Not for the pre-approval process. You will need to gather proof of identity, income and enrollment verification, and other validating documents when you submit a loan application. But that’s not a requirement for this first step
Not for the pre-approval process. Having a co-signer can help you secure more funding and a lower rate, however, a co-signer is not required to assess your pre-approval status
You can apply for pre-approval without a co-signer and then add one on a follow-up application if you want to compare your rate options further. Remember, there is no negative impact on your credit score
Firstly, pre-approval will give you a clearer sense of your full set of available loan options. And it only costs you some time
Secondly, if you are pre-approved you can compare your loan offers. This lets you take into consideration the impact of different interest rates and loan durations on the estimated cost over the life of your loan. All very handy when making a big financial decision
The pre-approval application will take anywhere between 10-25 minutes to complete, depending on your circumstances. Once your information is submitted you will receive your pre-approval results, including loan rates and terms in a matter of minutes
No. Pre-approval rates are an approximation of what you can expect from particular lenders. Lenders will determine your loan rate once you have completed their full application process
No. We use a “soft pull” of your credit file to explore your loan options. This means there is no “hard inquiry” on your - or your co-signer’s -credit file
You must be enrolled in a US-based university to qualify for pre-approval at this time
Yes. A US Social Security number is not required to submit an application. However, applying for pre-approval with a creditworthy cosigner who is a US Citizen or a Permanent Resident can improve your loan eligibility and rates
314 East State Street, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA