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The short answer
Form A is the CBN form for buying foreign exchange for invisible payments such as tuition; you submit it through an authorised dealer bank such as GTBank, which pays the school directly. Under the CBN's FX Manual (4th edition, effective 1 June 2026), tuition can be up to US$25,000 per semester for undergraduate and postgraduate study, with proof of admission, a fee schedule and your passport data page.
What Form A does
When you pay a foreign school from Nigeria through the official market, the bank needs a record of what the foreign exchange is for. That record is Form A, the CBN's form for "invisible" transactions: services such as tuition, medical bills and travel allowances, rather than imported goods (which use Form M). Banks such as GTBank, as authorised dealers, take the application, check the documents against the CBN's rules and send the money to the institution. Our explainer Form A and Form M in Nigeria covers the background.
The 2026 rules for tuition
The CBN's Foreign Exchange Manual, 4th edition, effective 1 June 2026, changed the tuition limits. Nairametrics' report of 4 June 2026 gives the key points:
| Rule | Position from 1 June 2026 |
|---|---|
| Tuition limit | Up to US$25,000 per semester, undergraduate and postgraduate |
| Previous limit | US$15,000 per semester, two semesters per session |
| Paid to | The overseas institution, through an authorised dealer bank |
| Maintenance billed separately or off-campus living | Up to US$5,000 per quarter, paid to the student |
| Not eligible | Nursery, primary, secondary, foundation and A-Level programmes |
Where tuition and maintenance are billed together, the whole amount goes to the institution. If your child's programme is a foundation year or A-Levels, Form A tuition remittance is not available under the Manual as reported, and you will need another route.
Documents to prepare
The Manual, as reported, lists:
- Proof of admission or course enrolment.
- The tuition fee schedule for the period being paid.
- The student's international passport data page.
- For returning students, the student ID card.
- For postgraduate students, the first degree certificate or a certified copy.
Expect GTBank to also ask for the payer's BVN and account details, the school's bank details from its official invoice, and a completed Form A application. Ask your branch for its own checklist: GTBank's process may add items such as a cover letter.
Steps
- Get the official invoice or fee schedule showing the school's bank account details.
- Confirm the programme is eligible (not secondary, foundation or A-Level).
- Fund the GTBank account with the naira equivalent, or check whether you can pay from dollars you already hold in a domiciliary account.
- Submit Form A and the documents at a GTBank branch or through the channel your relationship officer gives you.
- Keep the bank's acknowledgement and, after payment, the bank's payment confirmation to send to the school.
Timing and exchange rate
Processing time depends on the bank's queue and the availability of foreign exchange. Start well before the school's deadline, and ask GTBank for an expected date when you submit. The rate is the bank's rate on the day the FX is sold, not the rate on the invoice date; the naira cost can move between submission and payment. We do not quote a rate here because it changes daily; ask the bank on the day.
Worked example
Example only. A postgraduate student's school bills tuition of US$18,000 for one semester, with accommodation billed separately and the student living off campus. Under the 2026 Manual the tuition of US$18,000 is within the US$25,000 semester limit and is paid to the school. Maintenance can go to the student up to US$5,000 a quarter; if the student needs US$1,200 a month, a quarter is 3 × US$1,200 = US$3,600, within the cap.
For how much a UK study visa requires you to show, a separate question from what you can remit, see UK student visa funds.
Common problems
- Invoice in the wrong name or currency: the school's invoice should name the student and state the amount in the currency to be paid.
- Programme not eligible: foundation and A-Level courses are excluded under the 2026 Manual as reported, even at universities.
- Payment to an agent: tuition is remitted to the institution, not to recruitment agents or relatives.
- Deadline pressure: if the school's deadline is close, ask it in writing for confirmation that a bank payment in progress will hold the place.
Paying from dollars you already hold
If the family already has dollars in a GTBank domiciliary account, ask the branch whether tuition can be sent from it, which avoids buying FX on the day. GTBank's domiciliary page says these accounts allow foreign-currency transfers to accounts in Nigeria and abroad; documentation for a tuition payment will still be required. The same June 2026 Manual, as reported, also allows 25% of personal and business travel allowances to be paid in cash, with 75% electronic.
Where Pryme fits
Families who already receive dollars, pounds or euros can hold them in a Pryme multicurrency account, where money stays in the currency it arrived in. Tuition paid through Form A still goes through an authorised dealer bank under the CBN's rules.
This is general information about CBN rules as reported in June 2026, not financial or legal advice. Check the current position with your bank before you pay.
Questions people ask
How much school fees can I pay abroad with Form A?
Under the CBN FX Manual effective 1 June 2026, as reported by Nairametrics, up to US$25,000 per semester for undergraduate and postgraduate tuition, paid to the institution.
What documents do I need for Form A school fees in GTBank?
The Manual lists proof of admission, the fee schedule, the passport data page, a student ID for returning students and a first degree certificate for postgraduates. Ask GTBank for its own checklist too.
Can I pay secondary school fees abroad with Form A?
Not under the 2026 Manual as reported: nursery, primary, secondary, foundation and A-Level programmes are not eligible for FX remittance.
How long does Form A take in GTBank?
GTBank does not publish a fixed time. It depends on documents and FX availability; submit early and ask for an expected date.
Sources
- Nairametrics: CBN raises tuition fee remittance limit to $25,000 (4 Jun 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- GTBank: Domiciliary Accounts · 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.