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The short answer
To pay school fees abroad through Access Bank, you apply for foreign exchange with a Form A for the school fees purpose, backed by the school's documents, and the bank processes the payment once the application is approved. The CBN's Guide to Charges sets Form A at ₦3,000 per form and outward transfers at the SWIFT cost plus a 0.5% commission and any foreign bank charges; ask Access Bank for its current checklist and timing.
Paying a university or school abroad from a Nigerian bank account is not like a domestic transfer. Because foreign exchange is involved, the payment goes through a documented application known as Form A, and the bank has to be satisfied that the money is going where you say. This guide explains the process as it applies to Access Bank customers, the charges the CBN sets, and how to avoid missing a fees deadline.
What Form A is
Form A is the application used for foreign exchange for invisible transactions, that is, payments for services rather than imported goods, such as school fees, medical bills and travel. Form M is the import equivalent. Our explainer on Form A and Form M covers both. For school fees, the purpose of the payment and the documents behind it are what the bank checks. The application is made by the account holder who is paying, who need not be the student; a parent paying for a child, or a sponsor paying for a relative, applies in their own name with the student's documents attached.
Documents to prepare
Access Bank sets its own checklist, so ask the branch or its trade desk for the current list before you start. For a school fees Form A, expect to be asked for documents that prove who is studying, where, and how much is due. Gather these early:
- The school's admission or offer letter for the student.
- The current fee invoice or statement from the school, showing the amount, currency and the school's bank details.
- The student's international passport data page, and any visa or study permit already issued.
- Your valid ID and BVN as the account holder, and proof of your relationship to the student if you are paying for someone else.
- Any form the bank provides for the transfer instruction.
Make sure the beneficiary name and bank details on the invoice match exactly what you enter on the application. A mismatch is one of the commonest reasons a payment is delayed or returned.
What it costs
| Charge | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Form A | ₦3,000 per form | CBN Guide to Charges, effective 1 Jan 2020 |
| Outward foreign currency transfer | SWIFT cost + 0.5% commission + offshore charges | CBN Guide to Charges, effective 1 Jan 2020 |
| Exchange rate | The bank's rate on the day | Shown by Access Bank when the transaction is processed |
The exchange rate changes daily, so we do not quote one. Ask Access Bank for the rate that will apply and whether it is fixed when the application is approved or when the funds are sent.
Worked example (example only)
A parent pays £10,000 in tuition. The Form A charge is ₦3,000. The 0.5% commission on £10,000 is £50. SWIFT costs and any charges deducted by the UK bank are on top and are not fixed in the guide, so ask the bank for them. If the school must receive the full £10,000, ask whether you can choose to pay the foreign charges yourself, so they are not taken out of the amount the school receives.
Timing: plan backwards from the deadline
Neither Access Bank's pages nor the CBN guide we checked give a standard processing time for a school fees Form A. Approval depends on your documents being complete and on the bank's own processes, and the international transfer then takes its own time to arrive. Plan backwards:
- Find the school's payment deadline and any late-payment penalty.
- Ask Access Bank for its current processing time and checklist.
- Submit complete documents as early as you can.
- Once sent, ask for the SWIFT confirmation (often called an MT103) and send it to the school.
- Ask the school to confirm receipt in writing.
If the school accepts other routes, compare them on total cost and timing. For receiving money into Access Bank rather than sending it, see receiving money from abroad; for Access Bank's SWIFT code, see Access Bank SWIFT and sort code.
Common reasons a payment is held up
- The beneficiary name on the application does not match the name on the school's bank account exactly.
- The invoice is out of date, or shows a different amount from the application.
- The student's passport or admission letter is missing or expired.
- The account does not hold enough naira, or the funds arrive after the rate or approval window.
- The school's bank details are incomplete, such as a missing SWIFT or IBAN where required.
Each of these is avoidable with a final check before you submit. Ask the bank officer to go through the application with you line by line.
Where Pryme fits
Families who receive income in foreign currency sometimes prefer to keep it in that currency for fees. A Pryme account holds NGN, USD, GBP and EUR, money stays in the currency it arrived in, and Swap converts only when you choose, with the rate shown first and the fee on its own line. See multicurrency accounts.
Questions people ask
How do I pay school fees abroad from Access Bank?
Apply for foreign exchange through a Form A for school fees at Access Bank, with the school's admission letter, fee invoice and the student's passport, and the bank sends the payment once approved.
How much is Form A in Nigeria?
The CBN Guide to Charges, effective 1 January 2020, sets Form A at ₦3,000 per form. Outward transfers are charged at the SWIFT cost plus 0.5% commission and any foreign bank charges.
How long does Form A for school fees take at Access Bank?
No standard time is published on the pages we checked. Ask the bank for its current processing time and submit complete documents well before the fees deadline.
Can I pay my child's school fees abroad from my domiciliary account?
Ask Access Bank. A transfer from a domiciliary account is still an outward foreign transfer, so the bank will need documents for the purpose and its own charges apply.
Sources
- CBN: Guide to Charges by Banks, Other Financial and Non-Bank Financial Institutions (effective 1 Jan 2020) · accessed Oct 2026
- Access Bank: Domiciliary Account FAQs · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.