Why business schools should accept UnionPay, Alipay, and WeChat Pay for tuition
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It’s time for schools to modernize!
China is one of the main countries of origin for international students in higher education across EU countries, accounting for 6.0% of all foreign higher education students.
Accepting Chinese payment methods like UnionPay, Alipay, and WeChat Pay offers a guaranteed, secure, and student-friendly solution.
As more Chinese students choose to study in Europe, schools are seeing a rise in international tuition payments. And these payments often exceed €20,000 per term.
However, many institutions still rely on traditional bank transfers, which can be slow, complicated, and stressful for both families and finance departments. This becomes even more challenging when a deposit must be paid within a limited time.
This article explains why European schools should accept UnionPay, Alipay, or WeChat Pay for tuition payments. It highlights the payment challenges and shows how Silkpay’s solutions, API, PaybyLink, and POS, make the process faster, easier, and more secure for both schools and students.
What’s the problem with international tuition payments?
Paying tuition from overseas can be a complex and frustrating experience for many families.
Traditional wire transfers often take several days to process and require complicated paperwork, including SWIFT codes and bank details which are much different than what Chinese customers are used to.
On top of that, parents may face currency conversion fees and hidden charges that make the total cost unpredictable.
For such large sums, this lack of clarity and speed creates unnecessary stress.
That’s why many parents prefer a payment method that is fast, secure, and familiar, especially when it comes to something as important as their child’s education.
Why UnionPay, Alipay, and WeChat Pay are the answers?
When it comes to large international payments, Chinese families trust platforms they use every day. UnionPay, Alipay, and WeChat Pay are not only familiar, they're built to make high-value transactions fast, secure and with no handling fee.
These platforms are trusted by over a billion users and offer real-time payment confirmation, eliminating the uncertainty of traditional transfers.
With built-in currency conversion, families don’t need to worry about exchange rate calculations or additional fees.
They’re also widely recognized for their security and ease of use, offering peace of mind to parents sending large sums abroad.
These apps are all linked directly to Chinese bank accounts. This makes the payment process smoother, faster, and easier to use. And that’s why UnionPay, Alipay, and WeChat Pay are an ideal choice for tuition payments.
How to get started with UnionPay, Alipay, and WeChat Pay through Silkpay?
Silkpay offers multiple easy-to-use solutions for schools and institutions to integrate UnionPay, Alipay, WeChat Pay, and more, whether you have a website or not.
PaybyLink
No payment website? No problem.
Silkpay’s PaybyLink is the ideal solution for schools that want to collect payments remotely without technical integration or a website.
You can generate secure payment links directly in your Silkpay backoffice and share them via official email or any other channel of your choice. Students and parents can complete tuition payments instantly using trusted methods with Union Pay, Alipay+ and WeChat Pay.
The link remains valid until the payment is completed. You will receive an email confirmation and the transaction will automatically appear in your transaction history once the payment is done.
API Integration
For institutions seeking complete control over the payment experience, API integration is the best choice.
Silkpay provides a developer-friendly API integration that supports WeChat Pay, Alipay+ (covering 16+ Asian e-wallets), UnionPay, Visa, Mastercard, and Amex.
With clear documentation available in the Silkpay merchant backoffice and our technical team’s support, integration is straightforward. This makes it easy for your students to make the payment through your website.
Our technical support team is always available to guide you through the process. All transactions are fully secure, adhering to the latest data encryption and compliance standards.
POS machine
In some cases, students or their families prefer or need to pay tuition fees or the remaining part of their tuition in person, especially during on-site visits, orientation days, or when making urgent deposit payments.
To meet this need, Silkpay offers a powerful and flexible POS machine and its solution.
Silkpay’s PAX A920 Pro is a high-performance smart POS terminal that supports both QR code scanning and contactless payments.
With this device, schools can easily accept Alipay+, WeChat Pay, UnionPay, and international cards like Visa and Mastercard.
All in one terminal.
This is ideal for handling offline tuition payments, purchases from on-campus shops, or payment booths during open days and admissions events.
It’s especially useful when families are present on campus and wish to complete payments face-to-face, in a secure and familiar way.
How can schools benefit from accepting UnionPay, Alipay, and WeChat Pay?
Adopting payment methods like UnionPay, Alipay, and WeChat Pay through Silkpay doesn’t just improve the experience for students and families, it also brings clear operational advantages to your institution.
Faster access to funds
Unlike traditional bank transfers that can take several days to arrive, payments made through Silkpay’s supported platforms are confirmed in real time.
This allows schools to access funds faster, improving cash flow and reducing uncertainty around payment deadlines and enrollment confirmations.
Fewer administrative issues and simpler tracking
Because every payment is recorded and visible in your Silkpay backoffice, your finance team can easily track incoming tuition payments without having to reconcile complex wire receipts.
This reduces the risk of lost references, incomplete transfers, and back-and-forth emails with parents.
Easier refund process
Refunds can be processed more efficiently when accepting UnionPay, Alipay, and WeChat Pay with Silkpay, as the transaction trail is already established and the systems are built for secure two-way transfers.
This streamlines financial operations and improves service quality during sensitive situations like visa denials or course changes.
Enhanced appeal to Asian families
Offering familiar, trusted Chinese payment methods shows that your school is forward-thinking and culturally considerate. It shows Chinese students and their families that they are welcome. This builds trust and helps the institution stand out in a competitive international education market.
By accepting these payment methods through Silkpay, your school can reduce friction in the payment process, increase satisfaction, and improve financial efficiency. All while supporting global student growth.
Conclusion
As international education becomes more competitive, offering flexible, secure, and culturally familiar payment options is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity.
With a growing number of Chinese students choosing to study in Europe, it’s necessary to rethink how they manage tuition payments.
By accepting UnionPay, Alipay, and WeChat Pay through Silkpay, your institution can simplify the payment process, reduce administrative burdens, and enhance the overall experience for both students and staff.
Whether online, offline, or without a website, Silkpay provides reliable tools tailored to your operational needs.
It's time to modernize your payment system and make your institution more accessible, welcoming, and future-ready.
Start accepting payments the smart way, and get in touch with Silkpay today.
About the author: Silkpay
Based in Paris, Silkpay provides omnichannel and secure payment solutions to help physical stores and e-commerce in Europe and the Americas accept more than 30 of the world's most popular payment methods: Visa, Mastercard, CB, UnionPay, Alipay+, WeChat Pay as well as Asia-Pacific’s major e-wallets.
Silkpay is a winner of the LVMH Innovation Award. The company was also selected as a finalist for the "Money 20/20" Best Startup and in the "MPE Berlin” Startup Awards. Silkpay also won the "Best Fintech" awards from Capgemini and BPCE.
Silkpay helps merchants deliver the smoothest payment experience to their customers. We are a talented and international team driven by a single goal: to improve the customer experience and make payments simple and secure.
Source:
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Learning_mobility_statistics