As the new semester begins, Chinese students who study overseas are going abroad. UnionPay International announced on August 26 that over 2,000 educational institutions overseas accept UnionPay cards for tuition payment, and UnionPay payment service system has covered all aspects of students’ daily study and life in major destinations, which is able to satisfy students’ and their families’ demand for secure and convenient payment services.

In 2015, the number of Chinese students studying abroad exceeded 500,000 for the first time. Daily and educational expenses are the biggest parts of the students’ spending. UnionPay International is building an “overseas students service circle” by facilitating online and offline purchase, mobile payment and local card issuing.

Convenient payment in major study destinations

Now, 18 million merchants and 1.3 million ATMs in 160 overseas countries and regions accept UnionPay cards. UnionPay’s acceptance network has expanded from tourism-related merchants to supermarkets, drug stores, cinemas and public transport. In major study destinations, students are able to use UnionPay cards to withdraw cash at ATMs, make purchases around the campus or in local attractions and business districts. Over 300,000 POS terminals in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Australia, Canada, Singapore, and South Korea accept UnionPay mobile QuickPass, enabling students to pay with their QuickPass-enabled smartphones.

The US is students’ first choice for overseas study. Now, UnionPay credit cards are accepted at the campus bookstores in over 20 colleges and universities with many Chinese students, including University of Southern California, Columbia University, New York University and Boston University. Meanwhile, almost all ATMs in the US accept UnionPay cards for cash withdrawal, and 80% of the local merchants accept UnionPay credit cards, covering major department stores, supermarkets and restaurants. Students can also pay with UnionPay cards at shopping websites like Amazon and eBay. Some merchants also provide exclusive privileges for students. For example, B&H, a professional electronic equipment store, offers gift cards worth 5-200 USD to students who has shown valid student card and has paid with UnionPay cards for 100 USD.

In Australia, students can use UnionPay cards at 80% of ATMs and 65% of merchants, and over half of these merchants accept UnionPay mobile QuickPass, including Myer, Captain Cook and chain drug stores. The POS terminals at about 400 local universities, middle schools and training institutions accept UnionPay cards to pay tuitions. In Macquarie University, a “card-using obstacle-free zone” is taking shape, which enables students to use UnionPay cards to pay tuition, buy textbooks and dine at campus canteen.

The number of Chinese students to the UK is unremittingly growing. Now, most ATMs in UK accept UnionPay cards for cash withdrawal. Sixteen intuitions of higher learning including Imperial College London accept UnionPay cards to pay for tuition and accommodation. UnionPay cards are also accepted at the Student Service Center of the University of Manchester, student dormitories of the University of Bath, the student service center of Coventry University, the University of Wales, Aberystwyth and the library of the University of Plymouth.

UnionPay cards save the trouble of carrying cash abroad, purchasing foreign exchange and remittance. Families back home can know about their children’s card-using condition. Students can apply for UnionPay cards in 40 countries and regions to enjoy payment convenience and exclusive privileges offered by UnionPay.

Convenient cross-border online tuition payment

In addition to directly swiping UnionPay cards on POS terminals to pay tuitions, students can also pay tuition with UnionPay cards online. First, via tuition payment platforms, such as peerTransfer (covering over 900 institutions), Western Union (covering over 400 institutions), and the five tuition payment platforms of Bank of Taiwan, Taiwan Cooperative Bank, CTBC Bank, Yuanta Bank and Chang Hwa Bank (covering 95 institutions in all). Second, via the payment page at the institution’s official website, including the over 700 schools covered by TMS and TouchNet, University of Hong Kong, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Lingnan University, Hong Kong Shue Yan University, Language School of University of New South Wales Australia and University of Auckland New Zealand.

It is easy and quick to pay tuition with UnionPay cards online. Generally, the funds are credited into the account within three working days without any currency conversion fees. Taking multiple security measures, UnionPay online payment comprehensively ensures the payment security.

Multiple exclusive privileges are offered for overseas students: First, when paying with UnionPay cards (card number starting with 62) issued in mainland China via https://paytuitionnow.com for 4,000 USD (about 25,000 Yuan) or more, students can get a Groundlink pick-up service worth 100 USD for free. Second, UnionPay premium credit card (platinum and diamond cards) holders can enjoy multiple privileges offered by New Oriental Vision Overseas. Third, no service fees will be charged when paying tuition with UnionPay cards via payment platforms of Bank of Taiwan, CTBC Bank, Taiwan Cooperative Bank and Yuanta Bank, and students can also get a 200 NTD 7-11 convenience store coupon when paying over 10,000 NTD before Oct. 31.