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Payment FAQs

How much are my fees?

You will be notified of your tuition fees amount when you enrol with the University each year and thereafter you will receive a termly bill (statement) detailing your outstanding charges. For returning students you can find your up to date fees within your RISIS account within the information tab.

The Accommodation Office will provide details of your accommodation charges when you complete your registration for halls.

You can also check your balance via the Student payment portal.

Please note that the fees are subject to annual increases.

When are my fees due?

All fees, accommodation and other charges are due in full on the first day of term, or the date of billing if added afterwards.

Please visit the University Student Payment Policy for further information on when your Tuition / Accommodation fees are due and the consequences of non-payment.

How can I pay my Tuition Fees?

You can find out how to pay your fees on our Payment of Fees guide.

How can I pay my Accommodation Fees?

You can find out how to pay your accommodation fees on our Payment of Fees guide.

Can a 3rd party, such as a friend or family member pay my student fees?

Yes, all of our supported payment options will allow for payment from a friend or a family member on your behalf.

Please note however that a friend or family member does not qualify as a "sponsor".

I am having technical difficulties paying on line what can I do?

Please try any of the following:

  • If you are using a mobile device make sure it has a strong WiFi or data connection.

  • Make sure your browser has cookies enabled

  • Make sure your browser allows pop-up windows

  • Try using a different browser

My credit/debit card keeps being declined what can I do?

Please try any of the following:

  • Contact your card issuer to make sure you have enough funds in your account.

  • Contact your card issuer to make sure there is no limit to what you can spend on line in a single transaction? If there is a limit you can make several smaller payments on line.
  • Contact your card issuer to make them aware of the specific transaction you are trying to make so they are aware a subsequent attempt is genuine.
  • Contact your card issuer to make sure your account has been set-up for 3D Secure (also known as 3D Authentication) properly.
  • Contact your card issuer to make sure your telephone number is up to date to receive confirmnation codes to complete an online payment.
  • Contact your card issuer to make sure the card scheme is allowed to be used for online payments. Many prepaid card schemes are not allowed to be used online.

  • Look at another of our supported payment options to use instead 

 

How do I know if the University have received my payment?

Students can check to see if a payment has been received by logging onto the Student Payment Portal and checking their balance. Enrolled students can also check this by logging into their RISIS account and finding their balance within the information tab.

Depending on the payment method, it takes different lengths of time to reflect, but all payment methods supported by the University will be shown within 2 working days of the University receiving payment.

If you are paying by Convera or TransferMate then you will be updated via email or SMS of the status of your payment directly from these service providers. You can also contact them directly by email to check on the status using the relevant email addresses as shown on the Supported Payment options guide.

If your payment does not reflect after this period of time, then we would advise that you send an email to epayments@reading.ac.uk to provide them with the payment details, quoting your student number,  your name, the method of payment you used and payment reference number, so the matter can be looked into quickly.

I have a query about my charges - who should I contact?

The calculation of your tuition fee is based upon:

  • the programme you are following
  • your mode of attendance (full- or part-time)
  • your fee status (Home / EU or Overseas)

If you have any queries about whether you have been charged the correct fee, please consult the Student Fees Administrator, Carrington Building (studentfees@reading.ac.uk).

For other queries about your charges please contact the following as appropriate;


Why have I been invoiced instead of my Sponsor / Student Loans Company (SFE) / NHS?

You must provide the University with a valid sponsor letter to enable us to bill another corporate body for your fees. Without this document, you will be recorded as a 'self-funding' student and will be sent an invoice and expected to pay yourself.

How do I pay my fees if I’m receipt of a masters loan from my Student Finance Authority?

You will receive your loan in three instalments directly from your Student Finance Authority (for autumn starters this will be September, January and April). As soon as you receive each instalment please arrange to make payment to the university using one of our Supported payment methods. You will need to pay your fees in the following instalments 33%, 33% and 34%. Your tuition fee for the academic year will be clearly stated on your offer letter or your Finance report which can be accessed via your RISIS portal.

I am experiencing financial difficulties, is there any help or advice which I can obtain from the University?

If you are experiencing problems in paying for your tuition or accommodation fees it is very important that you contact the Student Credit Control team (studentcreditcontrol@reading.ac.uk) to make us aware. We offer a drop in service in the Carrington building between 9.30-15.00 on Thursdays during term times only.

You can also seek extra financial guidance from the Student Financial Support team during their drop in times of 10.30am - 1.30pm each day in the Carrington building.

What action will be taken if I do not make payment against my balance?

If you have not paid your tuition fees and are in debt to the University we may take some or all of the following actions unless and until the debt is cleared:

  • charge you a late payment administration fee of up to £150 in each term in which all or any of your tuition fee remains unpaid
  • suspend you from the University (which will result in your IT account being blocked, being unable to attend classes and you will not be entered for examinations) and / or prevent you from enrolling or re-enrolling until such time as the debt is paid
  • withhold any examination results, certificates or confirmation of award, including participation in any graduation ceremony
  • refuse to offer you a contract for vacation residence
  • refuse to permit you to apply for accommodation in a Hall of Residence in any subsequent year
  • require you to leave University accommodation in accordance with the Residency Agreement
  • where the accommodation has an associated catering package cancel the operation of the catering package with no refunds for missed days or weeks once the debt is cleared
  • pursue recovery of your debt through the Universities nominated debt collection agency and any associated costs.
  • for Tier 4 sponsored students the University is required to inform the Home Office UK Border Agency that you are no longer a registered student at this University. This will have implications for your current immigration permission and you may therefore be required to leave the UK

If you have a problem in paying your tuition fees you are strongly advised to contact the Student Credit Control team(studentcreditcontrol@reading.ac.uk), before action is taken against you. Please do not simply ignore the problem.

How are my payments allocated to my balance?

When you pay us money we will use it to pay off what you owe the University in the following order unless you specify otherwise in writing:

I. to pay Tuition fees.

II. once your Tuition fees have been paid any money remaining will then be used to pay towards your University accommodation fees.

III. once your rent for any tuition fees and University accommodation fees have been paid, any money remaining will then be used to pay any other charges.

If I have a credit balance (figure with a '-' minus in front of it on the bill), can I have my money back?

If you are a continuing student, and have future charges such as tuition fees or accommodation, then you simply need to deduct the credit balance from your future payments in order to clear your balance to zero.

If you are a finalist and have cleared all remaining charges you can contact receipts@reading.ac.uk to request a refund. Money will be refunded to the source of the original payment.

Overpayments from sponsors need to go back to them and cannot be paid directly to you.

How do I get a refund if I've made a payment online by mistake?

Please contact the Receipts Office via epayments@reading.ac.uk or telephone +44 (0) 118 378 6130 quoting your payment reference number (which is shown on your email receipt). Please note any refunds can only be made to the original form of payment used.

How long will refunds take to process?

Once you have received confirmation from the University that your refund has been processed, you should see the funds restored to your original form of payment as follows:

The settlement of Domestic Refunds originally made via Credit/Debit cards issued in the UK should be received within 3-10 working days of the action date, depending on the individual bank.

International Refunds via Credit/Debit cards issued outside of the UK could take up to 30 working days.

In the exceptional circumstance of a domestic BACS payment being required these will take 2 working days from the date of action.

Foreign payments to a designated international bank account can take between 2-10 working days dependent on the country.

How do I make an enquiry about my tuition fee charge?

For any queries regarding tuition fee charges please contact the Student Services Helpdesk, by telephone +44 (0)118 378 5555 or email helpdesk@reading.ac.uk

How can I pay for other goods and services from the University?

A list of other online payment methods can be found on our Ways to Pay online page.

Things to do now

How and where to pay your fees

Tuition Fee Schedule