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The short answer
To pay school fees abroad through UBA, you apply for foreign exchange under Form A at a UBA branch with the student's admission letter, fee invoice and passport data page, and UBA pays the school directly. UBA's charges schedule dated 11 September 2026 lists a ₦5,000 CBN Form A fee, a ₦3,000 SWIFT charge, a 0.5% plus VAT processing commission and an offshore charge such as $25 or £15. Under the CBN FX Manual from June 2026, as reported by Nairametrics, tuition of up to $25,000 per semester qualifies.
What Form A is
Form A is the CBN's application form for buying foreign exchange for "invisible" payments, services rather than goods, such as tuition, medical bills and travel allowances. When you pay school fees abroad through a Nigerian bank, the bank completes Form A with you, sources the foreign currency through the official market, and remits it to the school. Our explainer on Form A and Form M sets out how the two forms differ.
The 2026 rules in brief
The CBN's foreign exchange manual sets the limits and documents. Nairametrics reported on 4 June 2026 that the fourth edition, effective 1 June 2026, made these changes for tuition:
- Tuition of up to US$25,000 per semester can be remitted, up from US$15,000, paid directly to the institution through an authorised dealer bank.
- Maintenance is billed separately, up to US$5,000 per quarter, paid to the student.
- Nursery, primary, secondary, foundation and A-level schooling is not eligible.
- Documents include proof of admission or enrolment, the fee schedule, the student's passport data page, a student ID for returning students, and a first-degree certificate for postgraduate study.
Our article on the CBN FX Manual 2026 covers the wider changes. Rules change, so ask UBA to confirm the current limits on the day you apply.
UBA's listed charges
| Item | UBA charge (11 Sept 2026 schedule) |
|---|---|
| CBN Form A fee | ₦5,000 |
| SWIFT charge | ₦3,000 |
| Processing commission | 0.5% of the transaction value + 7.5% VAT |
| Offshore charge, school fees | $25, £15, €20 or CAD 40, by currency |
Worked example
Example: paying $10,000 in tuition to a US university.
- Processing commission: 0.5% of $10,000 = $50; VAT 7.5% of $50 = $3.75; total $53.75.
- Offshore charge: $25.
- Foreign-currency charges: $53.75 + $25 = $78.75.
- Naira charges: ₦5,000 + ₦3,000 = ₦8,000.
- You also pay for the $10,000 itself at the exchange rate UBA quotes on the day.
The schedule does not say whether the commission is collected in dollars or as its naira equivalent; ask UBA, and ask for the rate and total in writing before you sign. Never rely on a rate from social media; the bank's quote on the day is what applies.
Steps
- Get the school's official fee invoice showing the student's name, the amount, the payment reference and the school's bank details.
- Gather the admission or enrolment letter, the student's passport data page and, for returning students, the student ID.
- Visit a UBA branch and ask to make a Form A school fees payment. Hold a UBA account in your or the sponsor's name, funded with the naira needed.
- Complete Form A and any UBA application form, and sign.
- UBA processes the request and sources the foreign currency.
- UBA remits to the school. Ask for the SWIFT confirmation (MT103 or equivalent) and send it to the school's finance office.
- Check with the school that the payment arrived and was applied to the right student.
Common causes of delay
- Invoice problems. An invoice without the student's full name, a payment reference or the school's bank details is the most frequent reason a bank asks for more documents.
- Name mismatches. The name on the passport, admission letter and invoice should match. Explain any difference, such as a middle name, in writing.
- Wrong category. Fees for courses that are not eligible, or maintenance mixed into a tuition invoice, may be rejected. Ask the school to separate tuition from accommodation and living costs.
- Paying for someone else. A parent or sponsor can pay, but expect the bank to ask how you are related to the student and for your own ID and account.
If the school's account details change between invoice and payment, stop and confirm directly with the school by phone using a number from its official website. Fraudsters target international fee payments with fake invoices and changed bank details.
Timing
UBA does not publish a processing time for Form A payments, and the speed of foreign-exchange sourcing varies with market conditions. Start well before the school's deadline, and tell the school you are paying from Nigeria so it does not cancel a place for late payment. If you are saving towards fees over several terms, our guide to saving for university fees may help with planning.
Keep the paperwork
Keep copies of the Form A, the invoice, the bank's debit advice and the SWIFT confirmation together. Schools, visa officers and, for later years, the bank itself may ask to see evidence of earlier payments, and a complete file speeds up the next application.
If you already hold foreign currency
If the money is already in a UBA domiciliary account, you may be able to transfer it to the school as an ordinary international transfer, which has its own charges. Our guide to UBA domiciliary accounts lists those.
Questions people ask
How do I pay school fees abroad through UBA?
Apply under Form A at a UBA branch with the admission letter, the school's fee invoice and the student's passport data page. UBA remits to the school.
How much does UBA charge for Form A?
UBA's September 2026 schedule lists a ₦5,000 CBN Form A fee, ₦3,000 SWIFT charge, 0.5% plus VAT commission and an offshore charge such as $25.
What is the maximum school fees I can pay abroad from Nigeria?
Nairametrics reported in June 2026 that the CBN's FX manual allows up to US$25,000 per semester for tuition, paid to the institution.
Can I pay secondary school fees abroad with Form A?
According to the June 2026 reporting on the FX manual, nursery, primary, secondary, foundation and A-level schooling are not eligible.
Sources
- UBA Service Charges & Rates (dated 11 Sept 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Nairametrics: CBN raises tuition remittance limit to $25,000 (4 Jun 2026) · 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.