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The short answer
Your family has three main routes: buy foreign currency at their bank through Form A for an eligible purpose such as your tuition or student maintenance; wire pounds or dollars from a domiciliary account in Nigeria, which the 2026 FX Manual allows up to $10,000 a day by telegraphic transfer according to TheCable; or use a provider licensed for outbound transfers from Nigeria. Each has different documents, limits and costs.
For students and new arrivals especially, support from home can be what makes the first year in the UK work. But sending money out of Nigeria is more regulated than sending it in. The Central Bank of Nigeria's Foreign Exchange Manual, in its fourth edition from 2026, sets what banks may sell foreign currency for and how domiciliary accounts can be used. This article explains the routes from your family's side, so you can tell them what to ask their bank.
Route 1: Form A through their bank
Form A is the application a Nigerian customer completes to buy foreign currency from an authorised dealer bank for 'invisible' purposes: school fees, medical bills, travel allowances and similar. The Nigeria-side detail is in Form A and Form M explained. For a student in the UK, the 2026 manual's limits, as reported, are:
| Purpose | Limit reported for the 2026 FX Manual | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | Up to $25,000 per semester, maximum two semesters a year | Directly to the institution |
| Maintenance | Up to $5,000 a quarter, billed separately | To the student |
| Personal travel allowance (PTA) | Up to $4,000 a quarter for eligible travellers aged 18+ | At least 75% via cards or digital channels |
Nairametrics' report of the manual lists the documents for tuition as proof of admission or enrolment, the fee schedule, passport biodata, student ID for returning students and a first degree certificate for postgraduates. It also notes that nursery, primary, secondary, foundation and A-level study are not eligible. Union Bank's school fees page adds a signed debit instruction, Form A, and a letter of indemnity where the payer's name differs from the student's, and says the account must be funded with the naira equivalent.
If your family's bank asks for a letter from the Nigeria High Commission, note that its student registration page says British passport holders and visitor visa holders are not eligible for foreign exchange letters.
Route 2: a domiciliary account wire
If your family already holds pounds or dollars in a domiciliary account in Nigeria, they can wire them to your UK account. TheCable's summary of the 2026 manual says account holders do not have to disclose the source of funds when opening or funding domiciliary accounts and can make telegraphic transfers of up to $10,000 per day. TheNigeriaLawyer's report adds that Form A is not mandatory for remittances funded from ordinary domiciliary accounts. Banks still apply their own checks and charge their own outward transfer fees, so ask for the tariff before sending.
This is the route most families use for ongoing support that is not tuition. If they need to fund the dom account from naira first, the rate they get when buying the currency is the main cost. For pounds specifically, see wiring from a domiciliary account to a UK account.
Route 3: a licensed provider
Some apps and money transfer firms offer transfers out of Nigeria. Before your family uses one, they should check that the provider says on its own site that it is licensed for this in Nigeria and confirm it on the regulator's register. The CBN publishes a list of licensed International Money Transfer Operators; being on it does not by itself tell you whether a firm offers transfers out of Nigeria, so ask the provider directly. Compare the transfer fee, the exchange rate against the mid-market rate, and the payout time on each provider's own page on the day. A provider that shows a low fee can still cost more overall if its exchange rate is further from the mid-market rate.
What to tell your family
- What it is for: tuition, maintenance, or general support. The purpose decides the route.
- Your exact UK bank details: name as on the account, sort code, account number, IBAN, SWIFT/BIC.
- For tuition, your university's own payment details and your student ID or admission letter.
- Who pays the charges, so you receive the amount intended.
- To keep the bank's receipt, which you may need if your UK bank asks about the payment; see why a UK bank asks about money from Nigeria.
Where Pryme fits
Sometimes support does not need to cross the border at all. If you have costs in naira, such as a phone bill at home or money for a sibling, your family can pay naira into an account in your name in Nigeria. A Pryme Personal Account can be opened from the UK and holds naira and pounds together; you decide when to convert with Swap, and the app shows the rate and the fee before you approve. More on holding several currencies.
Questions people ask
Can my parents in Nigeria pay my UK university fees?
Yes, through their bank using Form A. The 2026 FX Manual, as reported, allows up to $25,000 per semester paid directly to the institution, with documents such as your admission letter and fee schedule.
How much maintenance can be sent to a student in the UK?
Up to $5,000 a quarter, billed separately from tuition, according to reports of the 2026 FX Manual.
Can family send money from a domiciliary account in Nigeria to the UK?
Yes. TheCable reported that the 2026 manual allows telegraphic transfers of up to $10,000 a day from domiciliary accounts, without disclosing the source of funds when funding the account.
Which app is cheapest for sending money from Nigeria to the UK?
It changes by day and amount. Compare each licensed provider's fee, rate against the mid-market rate and payout time on its own page before sending.
Sources
- Nairametrics: CBN raises tuition fee remittance limit to $25,000, 4 Jun 2026 · accessed Oct 2026
- TheCable: 7 things to know about CBN's new FX manual, 3 Jun 2026 · accessed Oct 2026
- TheNigeriaLawyer: CBN grants domiciliary account holders unrestricted access to dollar balances, 2 Jun 2026 · accessed Oct 2026
- Union Bank: FX for school fees · accessed Oct 2026
- CBN: International Money Transfer Operators · accessed Oct 2026
- Nigeria High Commission London: Consular services (student registration) · 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.