Various Options to Pay University Tuition Fees in the USA

So once you are approved by your college and also your F1 visa gets approved the next step is to pay your tuition fees. Not only tuition fees you also have to pay other fees like accommodation, food, etc.

In earlier times, it was quite an expensive method to pay overseas tuition fees. But with the digitalization of the world, the services of online payment or money transfer have become rather easy and affordable.

Below are some of the ways to pay US university tuition fees without the hassle of carrying cash:

1. Demand draft– To make transfer payment from one bank account to another an individual uses this method called demand draft. It is one of the oldest paying for paying money. You have to pay a sum of $35 for the international processing charge.  Also, an additional fee may be charged by some universities to process the demand draft. The validity of the demand draft is up to six months.

2.  1.1 International wire transfer– The most commonly used method for paying for university fees is international wire transfer as you already know the recipient’s bank details. It is one of the fastest and most secure ways of transferring money overseas if you have got very limited time and need to pay fees direly. The plus point of using wire transfer is you can send a huge amount of money and transactions can be completed in very less time.

You will need the following information to make international wire transfer:

• Bank name and address of the receiver
• Name, address, and  type of bank account of the receiver
• Bank account number or IBAN (International Bank Account Number) of the receiver
• Bank’s SWIFT/BIC code of the receiver

There are two methods of paying international wire transfer:

1. Make an online international wire transfer
2. Make an international wire transfer in person.

Steps to make online international wire transfer:

1. Log in to your online bank’s website look for the wire transfer option
2. Activate your limit of wire transfer
3. Enter the recipient’s bank details
4. Enter the amount and in which currency you want to transfer to the recipient’s bank
5. Pay the transaction fee to the bank to process your wire transfer
6. Check the time frame to wire transfer your amount

Steps to make an international wire transfer in person:

1. Go to the bank with all the banking details of the recipient
2. Decide on the amount and in what currency you want to transfer the amount
3. Pay the wire transfer processing fee
4. Ensure from the bank how long will it take to process the wire transfer

Fast service comes at a high price too. The procession fee for wire transfer is pretty costly too. It is generally $45-50 per wire transfer.

1.2. Flywire wire transfer- Flywire is an international payment facilitator with headquarters located in Massachusetts, the United States that allows you to pay your tuition fees securely from overseas, often in your home currency. With no hidden charges and excellent foreign exchange rates, Flywire allows you to pay from almost any country with payment options like bank transfer, credit card, e-payments, e-wallets, etc. Flywire also makes it easier for institutions to receive payment from students across the globe.

3. Xoom– It is a service provided by PayPal to remit or transfer money all over the world. It is one of the easiest and fastest ways to transfer money to the United States.

Steps to transfer money through Xoom:

1. Enter the amount you that you want to transfer
2. Choose the specified bank  in the US
3. Enter the recipient’s name and bank details
4. Pay either with your bank account, debit card, credit card or PayPal account

If you paying from your home country, your money will arrive in any bank in the United States within one business day. So that’s how fast it is.

4. Traveler’s cheque– From the bank, these checks can be purchase and can be used as cash. Having no expiry date is better than the demand draft.  Carrying a lot of cash can be very risky. There may be a chance of getting stolen or lost to but not in case of a traveler’s cheque. Even if it gets lost or stolen, no one can withdraw money except you. So in that way, it is safe too. \

Once a popular alternative to carrying cash in the 1990s, traveler’s cheque has been outdated in today’s time and has very limited opportunities worldwide. They are no longer widely accepted in the United States be it in restaurants or hotels as they cannot be cashed easily. Even if it is used they have high-interest rates, high exchange rates, and an additional fee is charged by the bank to issue a traveler’s cheque. Instead, they have been replaced by Forex cards or debit/credit cards that you just need to swipe.

And if you want to pay your fees urgently they are not an ideal option but during certain circumstances still, it can be an effective method to pay fees.

5. Prepaid Forex card- For international travels Forex cards is considered one of the safest modes of payment and to pay university fees. It is one of the popular, easy, and convenient methods as you can load it with the currency of the United States i.e. dollars and swipe it like a debit card or credit card to pay your fees thereby avoiding carrying a huge amount of cash. The issuer charges a very negligible transaction fee than compared to the other method of payment. The exchange rate is also higher. No additional charges are incurred when you swipe it and if you need some more extra cash you can easily recharge it from your bank account.

Another advantage of using a Forex card is in case you lose it, you can be issued another one without having to pay a fee. So that is why it is safe and convenient.

Conclusion

So these were some of the ways to pay tuition fees in the US. Choose the option that you are most comfortable with. All of these options are very reliable and safe too. While choosing which mode of money transfer option you want to go with you also have to consider the best foreign exchange rate that it has. You can also pay by cash directly to university once you arrive in the United States. But paying in cash is quite risky. There can be a tendency to get lost or stolen if you carry huge cash. Since the above options do not involve direct cash, that is why it is safe and most widely used.