June 12, 1997




Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.  20549

       Boston Financial Tax Credit Fund VIII, A Limited Partnership
       Form 10-K/A Annual Report for the Year Ended March 31, 1996
       Commission File Number 0-26522

Dear Sir/Madam:

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 15(d) of the Securities  Exchange Act of
1934, enclosed is one copy of subject report.

Very truly yours,




/s/Veronica J. Curioso
Veronica J. Curioso
Assistant Controller




TC810KA.



<PAGE>


The  total  number  of  pages  contained  in this  report  and any  exhibits  or
attachments hereto is . Index for Exhibits appears on Page .

                                 UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, DC 20549

                                 FORM 10-K/A

                     Annual Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
                         of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

For the fiscal year ended                            Commission file number
March 31, 1996                                                33-68088

           BOSTON  FINANCIAL  TAX CREDIT FUND VIII, A LIMITED PARTNERSHIP   
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

            Massachusetts                                    04-3205879
-------------------------------------            ---------------------------
       (State of organization)                      (I.R.S. Employer
                                                     Identification No.)

     101 Arch Street, 16th Floor
        Boston, Massachusetts                           02110-1106
--------------------------------------           ---------------------------
        (Address of Principal                            (Zip Code)
          executive office)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code 617/439-3911

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
                                                     Name on each exchange on
         Title of each class                         which registered
--------------------------------------          ------------------------------- 
        None                                        None

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

                  UNITS OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP INTEREST
                             (Title of Class)
                                 200,000
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required
to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during
the  preceding 12 months (or for such  shorter  period that the  registrant  was
required  to file  such  reports),  and  (2) has  been  subject  to such  filing
requirements for the past 90 days.
                                    Yes X No __

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent  filers  pursuant to Item 405
of Regulation S-K (Subsection  229.405 of this chapter) is not contained herein,
and will not be contained,  to the best of registrant's knowledge, in definitive
proxy or information  statements  incorporated  by reference in Part III of this
Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. [ X ]

State the aggregate  sales price of partnership  units held by non affiliates of
the registrant.

                     $36,497,000 as of March 31, 1996


<PAGE>






                                                    


Item 2.  Properties

The Fund owns limited  partnership  interests in ten Local Limited  Partnerships
which  own and  operate  Properties,  some of which  benefit  from  some form of
federal,  state, or local  assistance  programs and all of which qualify for the
Tax  Credits  added  to the  Code by the Tax  Reform  Act of  1986.  The  Fund's
ownership interest in the Local Limited  Partnerships is generally 99%, with the
exception of  Springwood  which is 79.20%,  Hemlock Ridge which is 77%, and West
End Place which is 90%.

All of the Local Limited Partnerships have received an allocation of Tax Credits
by the relevant state tax credit agency. In general, the Tax Credit runs for ten
years from the date the  Property is placed in  service.  The  required  holding
period (the  "Compliance  Period") of the  Properties is fifteen  years.  During
these fifteen  years,  the  Properties  must satisfy rent  restrictions,  tenant
income  limitations  and other  requirements,  as  promulgated  by the  Internal
Revenue  Service,  in order to  maintain  eligibility  for the Tax Credit at all
times during the Compliance Period.  Once a Local Limited Partnership has become
eligible for the Tax Credits,  it may lose such  eligibility and suffer an event
of  recapture  if  its  Property   fails  to  remain  in  compliance   with  the
requirements.  To date, none of the Local Limited  Partnerships have suffered an
event of recapture of Tax Credits.

In  addition,  some of the Local  Limited  Partnerships  have  obtained one or a
combination  of different  types of loans such as: i) below market rate interest
loans; ii) loans provided by a redevelopment agency of the town or city in which
the property is located at favorable  terms;  or iii) loans that have  repayment
terms that are based on a percentage of cash flow.

The following  schedule  provides  certain key  information on the Local Limited
Partnership interests acquired by the Partnership.

















                                              K-A1
<PAGE>





<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 
                                                        Capital Contributions             Mtge. loans                  Occupancy
Local Limited Partnership         Number        Total Committed       Paid Through        payable at                      at
Property Name                       of            at March 31,          March 31,         December 31,    Type of      March 31,
Property Location                Apt. Units           1996               1996                1995         Subsidy*        1996
---------------------------     --------------  ----------------   -----------------    ---------------  -----------  ----------
                             
<S>                                <C>             <C>                <C>                 <C>              <C>           <C>

Green Wood Apartments,
   a Limited Partnership
Green Wood Apartments
Gallatin, TN                       164             $3,825,916         $3,825,916          $5,306,813       None           98%

Webster Court Apartments
   a Limited Partnership
Webster Court Apartments
Kent, WA                            92              2,318,078          2,318,078           2,918,255       None           98%

Springwood Apartments
   a Limited Partnership (1)
Springwood Apartments
Tallahassee, FL                    113              2,564,829          2,564,829           3,270,000       None          100%

Meadow Wood Associates
   of Pella, a Limited Partnership
Meadow Wood of Pella
Pella, IA                           30                893,808            893,808           1,169,052       Section 8     100%

RMH Associates, a Limited
   Partnership (1)
Hemlock Ridge
Livingston Manor, NY               100              1,674,407          1,305,068           2,282,545       Section 8      90%

Pike Place, a Limited
   Partnership
Pike Place
Fort Smith, AR                     144              1,915,328          1,915,328           3,420,045       None          100%
</TABLE>

                                                                  
<PAGE>



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                     Capital Contributions               Mtge. loans                    Occupancy
Local Limited Partnership          Number        Total Committed       Paid Through      payable at                        at
Property Name                          of          at March 31,          March 31,       December 31,       Type of     March 31,
Property Location                 Apt. Units           1996                1996              1995          Subsidy*        1996
---------------------------     --------------   -------------------   --------------   --------------    -----------  ----------

<S>                                <C>             <C>                 <C>                <C>              <C>               <C>  

 
West End Place, a Limited
   Partnership (1)
West End Place
Springdale, AR                     120             1,843,010           1,843,010          2,875,030        None              98%

Oak Knoll Renaissance, a
   Limited Partnership
Oak Knoll Renaissance
Gary, IN                           256             4,922,412           3,668,982          5,676,337        Section 8        100%

Beaverdam Creek Associates,
   a Limited Partnership (2)
Beaverdam Creek
Mechanicsville, VA                 120             3,629,140           3,629,140          3,420,000        None             100%

Schickedanz Brothers Palm
   Beach Limited
Live Oaks Plantation
West Palm Beach, FL                218             5,615,000           4,000,000          6,887,839        None              98%
                                 ------           -----------        -----------       ------------
                                 1,357           $29,201,928        $ 25,964,159       $ 37,225,916
                                 ======           ===========       ============       ============
</TABLE>


(1)         Boston  Financial Tax Credits Fund VIII has a 79.20% interest
            in Springwood  Apartments,  L.P., a 77% interest in RMH Associates,
            L.P., and a 90%interest in West End Place, L.P.  The mortgage 
            payable balances represents 100% of the outstanding balances.

(2)         The amount paid includes funds advanced under a promissory note
            agreement with Boston Financial Tax Credit Fund VIII, a Limited
            Partnership.

*Section 8   This subsidy, which is authorized under Section 8 of Title II of 
             the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, allows qualified
             low-income tenants to pay 30% of their monthly income as rent with
             the balance paid by the federal government.

                                                                    K-A3

<PAGE>






                                     
Four Local Limited Partnerships invested in by the Fund each represent more than
10% of the total capital  contributions to be made to Local Limited Partnerships
by the Fund.  These Local Limited  Partnerships  are as follows:  (i) Green Wood
Apartments Limited Partnership;  (ii) Oak Knoll Renaissance Limited Partnership;
(iii) Beaverdam  Creek  Associates  Limited  Partnership;  and (iv)  Schickedanz
Brothers Palm Beach Limited Partnership which owns Live Oaks Plantation.

Green  Wood  Apartments  Limited  Partnership,  representing  13.1% of the total
original investment in the Local Limited Partnerships, has obtained a $5,322,000
mortgage loan payable at 8.860% per annum with monthly payments of principal and
interest in the amount of $42,287 due through August 1, 2010.

Oak  Knoll  Renaissance  Limited  Partnership,  representing  16.9% of the total
original investment in the Local Limited Partnerships,  has secured a commitment
from the city of Gary, Indiana, to provide a construction loan of $5,676,337 for
construction  financing and up to $1,699,767  may be used to provide a letter of
credit to guarantee  completion of the project.  The loan, plus unpaid interest,
is due November 4, 1996. The  Partnership has secured a commitment for financing
from the Federal  National  Mortgage  Association for permanent  financing.  The
maximum permanent loan shall not exceed $5,514,000, bear interest at 10.125% and
a two hundred sixty-four month loan term and amortization period.

Beaverdam  Creek  Associates   Limited   Partnership   ("Beaverdam  Creek  LP"),
representing  12.4%  of the  total  original  investment  in the  Local  Limited
Partnerships,  had obtained a construction loan in the original principal amount
of $3,970,000 from the Virginia Housing and Development Authority ("VHDA").  The
loan is evidenced by three mortgage  notes,  one in the amount of $2,420,000 one
in the amount of $550,000  from First Union  National  Bank of Virginia  ("First
Union")  as a  Supplemental  Mortgage  Loan  and  the  third  in the  amount  of
$1,000,000 from Virginia  Housing  Partnership  Revolving Fund  ("VHPRF"),  with
interest  at  10.62%,  First  Union's  current  prime  rate + 1%,  and 8% during
construction and 5% thereafter per annum, respectively.

Final  closing of the  construction  loan  occurred on December  15,  1995.  The
permanent loans from VHDA and VHPRF of $2,420,000 and $1,000,000,  respectively,
are to be repaid on a level annuity basis by 360 equal payments of principal and
interest  of $22,354 and $5,368 as  established  by VHDA at final  closing.  The
$550,000 mortgage loan from First Union was paid in full as of December, 1995.

Additionally, on November 16, 1994, Beaverdam Creek LP entered into a promissory
note  agreement   with  Boston   Financial  Tax  Credit  Fund  VIII,  a  Limited
Partnership,  an investor  Limited  Partner.  $2,563,040  was advanced under the
agreement. The promissory note is unsecured and bears interest at the rate of 7%
per annum.  All  outstanding  principal and accrued  interest in connection with
this note were deemed paid and classified as capital  contributions by the Local
Limited Partnership upon final closing of the mortgage during fiscal year 1996.

Schickedanz Brothers Palm Beach Limited  Partnership,  representing 19.2% of the
total  original  investment in the Local Limited  Partnerships  entered into two
loan agreements.  The first is a construction  loan agreement with First Housing
Development Corporation of Florida ("First Housing") with a principal amount not
to exceed $6,150,000.  The loan bears interest at a rate of 10% per annum on the
unpaid loan principal balance. Once the construction period terminates,  monthly
installments  of principal and interest of $52,138 are due until loan  maturity.
All outstanding amounts under the loan are due and payable on December 28, 2010.
As of December 31, 1995, total funds in the amount of $5,501,399 have been drawn
on the loan.

The second is a Home loan agreement  with the Florida  Housing  Finance  Agency,
with a  principal  amount  not to  exceed  $1,531,000.  Interest  on the  unpaid
principal  balance shall be due at the Applicable  Federal Rate ("AFR") for long
term  obligations  as of the  commencement  date of the loan.  Interest shall be
payable at 3% per annum  commencing on June 30, 1995 and continuing  thereafter.
The difference between AFR and the pay rate shall compound annually and shall be
due and payable in full together with the principal balance plus all accrued and
unpaid  interest on February 28, 2015.  As of December 31, 1995,  total funds in
the amount of $1,386,440 have been drawn on the loan.

                                                        K-A4
<PAGE>

The duration of the leases for occupancy in the Properties  described above will
be six to twelve months.  The General Partner believes the Properties  described
herein are adequately covered by insurance.

Additional  information required under this Item, as it pertains to the Fund, is
contained in Items 1, 7 and 8 of this Report.


                                   SIGNATURES



Pursuant to the  requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities  Exchange
Act of 1934,  the  registrant  has duly  caused  this Report to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

      BOSTON FINANCIAL TAX CREDIT FUND VIII, A LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

      By:   Arch Street VIII, Limited Partnership
            its General Partner



     By:   /s/William E. Haynsworth                  Date:
           William E. Haynsworth,
           Managing Director and
           Chief Operating Officer

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report
has been signed by the following persons on behalf of the General Partner of the
Fund and in the capacities and on the dates indicated:



     By:   /s/William E. Haynsworth                  Date:
           William E. Haynsworth,
           Managing Director and
           Chief Operating Officer




     By:   /s/Fred N. Pratt                          Date:
           Fred N. Pratt, Jr.,
           A Managing Director


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