Fee payment- this is unfair!

I am joining University of Sheffield this year and would like to pay my fees in two installments. However, the only option to do that is via debit/credit cards, as an international student.

The uni previously had a direct bank transfer option which would have been convenient and the least expensive option, but now my only other option is to pay via Western Union, which charges a high transaction fee.

Does anyone else have experience with this? Would it be cheaper to pay using a Forex card?

Reply 1

mgi

Original post by meghana2710

How do home students pay their fees to the uni? Would it help if you had a bank account?

Reply 2

Emily_B

Original post by mgi

How do home students pay their fees to the uni? Would it help if you had a bank account?

Home students usually get theirs paid through via student finance, where student finance pays the university direct. The students who don't get it paid for that way presumably have the same issue, but don't count on finding many of them.

Reply 3

m0n4

Original post by meghana2710

Maybe using TransferWise would help you? As an EU student it really helps me to save on transfer fees. If you want then you can use my code that gives you a free transfer https://transferwise.com/u/0ca2296

Reply 4

999tigger

Original post by meghana2710

Have you spoken to them for an alternative?
What have the international student team said?

If so what have they said?

I cnat imagine they are going to be bothered as long as they get paid.

Reply 5

meghana2710

Original post by 999tigger

Have you spoken to them for an alternative?
What have the international student team said?

If so what have they said?

I cnat imagine they are going to be bothered as long as they get paid.

They are insisting that I pay via WU. I know a couple of people who defied their instructions and paid using the IBAN, but apparently the uni doesn't use this system anymore

Reply 6

999tigger

Original post by meghana2710

They are insisting that I pay via WU. I know a couple of people who defied their instructions and paid using the IBAN, but apparently the uni doesn't use this system anymore

Have you talked to international students team?
It sounds silly and I am surprised such a sensible uni as Sheffield are having this rule., but then again not many people dont have a visa or MasterCard debit card. Sheffield has a very high % of international students so am surprised.

You can consider opening an account with these people and then closing it down after a few months?
http://www.unizest.co.uk/en-gb/

The other way is to get someone who has a visa or access debit card to pay on your behalf.

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 7

meghana2710

Original post by 999tigger

Yeah I'm not sure why they've brought about this rule either. Almost everyone I've spoken to, that is studying in other UK/EU unis have been allowed to pay via SWIFT or IBAN. It's definitely strange, and I could have saved a month's rest.
Fortunately WU isn't charging TOO high a fee, so I can manage the first installment, and later installments can be through my own account.

Reply 8

999tigger

Original post by meghana2710

I have no idea and I would expect them to be sensible.
Make a complaint to the international team.
Neither of your parents have a visa debit card? I think you must be missing something.
I would have done it the way I suggested and moved money that way. It also gives you an account to use.

Reply 9

meghana2710

Original post by 999tigger

I think I'm going to use a forex card to make my first payment. After that I can open a local account for my fee payment, as suggested by you.

Thanks for the help! :smile: