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Study Abroad, Student Loan Consulting Company

Student Loan

Exciting New – MPOWER Partners with 63 New Universities for Student Loan (In US and Canada)

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We’re excited to share that, starting this January 31, MPOWER Financing, our student financing partner, is expanding eligibility to include 63 additional schools across the U.S. and Canada, bringing the total number of eligible schools to over 500!

What’s more:

MPOWER has carefully selected specific programs at these additional schools to ensure students receive the best possible experience.

See the list of the 63 schools and their eligible programs below. You can also access our complete and most up-to-date school list on our website.

Only select programs at these schools are eligible – to meet the needs of international students pursuing competitive programs. These include high-demand fields such as:

  • Computer science
  • Engineering
  • Data science/Artificial Intelligence (AI)
  • Business (including MBA), and
  • Medical programs (including nursing, MD, and DDS)

We encourage you to share this exciting update with other students considering these schools and programs. They can now apply for funding to make their educational dreams a reality.

We remain committed to making higher education more accessible for international students.

If you have any questions or need guidance with your study abroad and financing journey, feel free to reach out on WhatsApp: +2348184450903

List of 63 New School

  1. Andrews University
  2. Arkansas State University
  3. Azusa Pacific University
  4. Boise State University
  5. California Baptist University
  6. California Lutheran University
  7. California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
  8. California State University-Chico
  9. California State University-Fresno
  10. California State University-Sacramento
  11. California State University-San Marcos
  12. D’Youville College
  13. Dominican University of California
  14. Drew University
  15. East Carolina University
  16. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach
  17. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott
  18. Fitchburg State University
  19. Florida Institute of Technology
  20. Georgia Southern University
  21. Lawrence Technological University
  22. Lewis University
  23. Lynn University
  24. Marywood University
  25. Minnesota State University-Mankato
  26. Monroe College
  27. Montana State University
  28. Northern Arizona University
  29. Niagara University
  30. Oakland University
  31. Ohio University
  32. Portland State University
  33. Rutgers University-Camden
  34. Sacred Heart University
  35. Saint Joseph’s University
  36. San Francisco State University
  37. San Jose State University
  38. Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville
  39. State University of New York at New Paltz
  40. Tennessee Technological University
  41. Texas State University
  42. The University of Tampa
  43. The University of Texas at Arlington
  44. The University of West Florida
  45. University of Alabama in Huntsville
  46. University of Illinois Springfield
  47. University of Incarnate Word
  48. University of Michigan-Dearborn
  49. University of Missouri-St Louis
  50. University of Nevada-Reno
  51. University of North Carolina at Charlotte
  52. University of North Carolina at Greensboro
  53. University of North Florida
  54. University of North Texas
  55. University of St Thomas (Houston)
  56. University of Utah
  57. University of Washington-Bothell Campus
  58. University of Washington-Tacoma Campus
  59. Utah State University
  60. Wayne State University
  61. Webster University
  62. Wichita State University
  63. Wilkes University

Top International Student Loans for African Students 2023

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What are the best international student loans for African students? We get asked this question a lot from students. I’ll answer this question in this article.

There are two types of student loans. Federal student loans – offered by the government (mostly in the US). And Private student loans – offered by private companies and financial institutions.

Ideally, federal student loans offer more advantages. It would be considered the best financial aid option for students compared to private loans. But in reality, federal loans are limited to US citizens and eligible non-citizens. So, for most international students, after considering options like scholarships and grants, a private student loan is the only option.

That narrows our student loan comparison down to private loans. And few international student loans accept African students to study abroad.

In this article, we will discuss two of the most recommended student loans for students from Africa. From Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya to Rwanda, Liberia, Ethiopia, and so on.

We help African students get student loans to study abroad for postgraduate programs. For health care and health sciences, STEM fields, education and training, law, and finance) in US and Canada. Click here to learn more.

The Challenge of Getting Student Loans for African Students

The major challenge with finding reputable lenders that support students from Africa or emerging marketing is collateral and cosigner requirement.

Popular student loan providers require students to provide a cosigner before they can qualify for a loan. Some financial institutions require collateral.

A collateral is a valuable asset a borrower pledges as security for a loan to protect the lender’s interest. If the borrower defaults on repayment, the lender can seize the collateral and sell it to recoup the loss. Student loan from a lender in your country, in most cases, will require collateral.

A cosigner is a person (often a parent, close family member or friend) that takes full responsibility for paying back a loan, together with the primary borrower. The co-signer is obligated to pay any missed payments and even the full amount of the loan if the borrower doesn’t pay. A cosigner should have a good credit score. The cosigner will also need to be a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident.

Adding a cosigner provides your lender with additional assurance that the loan will be repaid.

Unfortunately, most students do not have a valuable asset to present as collateral. They don’t have family members to stand in as cosigners. This is a major barrier preventing most students from accessing student loans.

The solution to the challenge

The good news is that a few innovative financing companies are redefining the requirement for student loans. Rather than evaluating students based on how much assets they or their parents have or by who they know. These companies evaluate students based on their future career and earning potential.

Get admission at a reputable university or college for a course with high market demand and earning potential. You can get a student loan to cover part or your entire study cost – from tuition to living expenses.

Hence, the best international student loans for African students do not require collateral or a cosigner.

Best International Student Loans Without A Cosigner Or Collateral

1. MPower Financing

Founded in 2014, MPower Financing offers no-cosigner student loans for international students, including African students, to study in US and Canada. MPower Financing considers factors like academic performance and future earning potential when evaluating loan applications.

  • Current stats: 190+ eligible countries of citizenship. 6,000+ students have graduated with MPower loans, and 45% of graduates work in STEM. Over $363 million in student loans disbursed.
  • Supported schools: Over 400 universities and colleges in US and Canada supported
  • Maximum amount: get a minimum of $2,001 and a maximum of $100,000
  • Ease of application process:  application is 100% online and can be completed within 20 minutes.
  • Eligibility and conditions: loan only supports a 2-year program (PG diploma and master) and does not require a collateral or cosigner.
  • Eligible countries: students from over 190 countries are eligible.
  • What does the loan cover:  loan can be used for the entire study cost, including tuition, accommodation, books, meal plans, and health insurance.
  • Interest rates – fixed interest rates that will never increase once approved. The current rate is 12.99%. (APR 13.98%)
  • Repayment term: Interest-only payment 45 days after disbursement to build your credit history. Then start repaying the loan 6 months after graduation over 10 year period. There is no prepayment penalty.
  • Support: get a visa support letter and career development guidance after the loan is approved.

However, if you are in the process of applying for a loan, to get responsive support, you are better off applying through an MPower partner like us, for personalized support and faster response.

As an official MPower partner, we offer fast response time through our WhatsApp contact and email at no cost. So far in 2023, we have helped students from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, India, and many other emerging countries get approval for over $2 million in student loans to study abroad for postgraduate programs in US and Canada.

Click here to learn how we can help you get MPower student loan.

2. Prodigy Finance

Prodigy Finance is another popular student loan provider, launched in 2007, that specializes in providing international student loans to students from various countries, including African students. They offer loans without cosigner or collateral for students studying at top schools in countries like the US, Canada, the UK and others. Students are accessed based on their future potential.

  • Current stats: 28,000+ students from 150 countries served. $1.5 billion student loan disbursed with 86% of students from emerging market countries.
  • Supported schools: 350+ top universities in the US, UK, Canada, Spain, Belgium, France, Italy, Germany, Singapore, China, UAE, and India are supported.
  • Maximum amount: The maximum loan amount that an international student is able to borrow from Prodigy Finance depends, in part, on the university and programme they pursue. In some cases, this may be up to 100% of the total Cost of Attendance, which includes tuition plus living expenses, as provided by the university.
  • Ease of application process: application is 100% online.
  • Eligibility conditions: loan only supports masters in Business, STEM, Public Policy, Law and Health Sciences and does not require a collateral or cosigner. Loan decision is based on your future career potential.
  • Eligible countries: you must come from one of the supported countries. Over 100 countries are currently not supported. See list of ineligible countries here.
  • What does loan cover: loans can cover up to 100% of tuition fees and living expenses
  • Interest rates: variable interest rate. The current rate is 13.37% (APR 14.96%)
  • Repayment term: Payments don’t start until 6 months after classes end if you study full-time. Flexible repayment terms – 7 to 20 years. Pay early to save on interest.
  • Support: get a visa support letter.

A Note about interest rates

There are two types of interest rates used by different loans and lenders to determine the interest value:

  • Fixed interest – this is a flat rate. The interest rate you pay won’t change over time; if it’s 10%, it’s always 10% until you’ve repaid your loan in full.
  • Variable interest – this interest changes over time, taking into account various market factors.

Private student loans come with fixed or variable interest rates.

The downside of no-collateral, no-cosigner student loans is that they often come with higher interest rates compared to student loans that require them. This is because loan companies take higher risk when they don’t require collateral or cosigner.

If you can provide a cosigner for your loan application, you are likely to get lower interest rates. Let’s take a look at some of the popular international student loans that require a cosigner. 

International Student Loans That Require A Cosigner

If you don’t have a problem providing a co-signer for your student loan, here are international student loans that require a cosigner.

1. Ascent Student Loans For International Students

International students attending U.S. colleges and universities may be eligible for private student loans with Ascent. Ascent offers several student loan options for international students, particularly for graduate studies. The lender offers a wide range of repayment terms, which can vary based on your loan type, and borrowers can postpone payments after graduation for up to 9 or 36 months, depending on the loan program.

You’re eligible for an international student loan if you are not a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident, and if you have a creditworthy cosigner who lives in the U.S. and meets additional requirements. Your cosigner must:

  • Be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident.
  • Have a minimum credit score. The minimum score required is subject to change and may depend on your credit score.
  • Meet a minimum gross annual income.
  • Be able to submit satisfactory proof of income.

More about Ascent student loan.

2. Discover Student Loans For International Students

Discover Student Loans offers private student loans for international students who are attending an eligible US college or university. International students require a creditworthy cosigner who is a US citizen or permanent resident. They also cover up to 100% of all of your school-certified college costs. International students do not need a Social Security number to apply. More about Discover Student Loan.

3. Citizens Bank Student Loan For International Students

Citizens Bank is another option for both undergraduate and graduate international students to consider. Rates are reasonable and borrowers have the option of choosing among multiple repayment terms.

To be eligible for a Citizens Bank student loan, international students must have a creditworthy cosigner who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. You cannot have any prior student loan defaults. Your cosigner must have a reasonably strong credit history. More about Citizens student loan.

If you choose student loans that require a cosigner. The interest rate you get will depend on the credit of the borrower and/or the cosigner. Good credit can mean getting a better interest rate on a private student loan, which will save you money on interest. 

If you don’t have good credit, you can look at specific private loan options for international students with bad credit or no credit or who can’t get a cosigner.

Generally, remember to carefully review the terms and conditions, interest rates, repayment options, and eligibility criteria for each lender before making a decision. Additionally, consult with your educational institution’s financial aid office for more information and guidance on loan options available to African students.

We can help you through your MPower Financing student loan application or any question you may have about student loans for African students. Click here to learn more.