Australia remains a top choice for international students, boasting breathtaking landscapes, vibrant cities, and a renowned reputation for educational excellence. However, despite the exciting opportunities that come with studying abroad, international students face distinct challenges that can sometimes impact their academic journey.
Australia still a top destination for International students and, in particular, Chinese students
According to a report by HSBC, Australia ranks second only to the US as the most popular study destination for international students as chosen by their parents.
Even with recent visa restrictions impacting some higher education providers, Its’ expected that 290,000 visas will be granted this year to study in Australia and, according to the Sydney Morning Herald “most of the country’s leading universities are not seeing any big fall in overseas student numbers because they have not fallen foul of the stricter tests.
International students face unique challenges
Studying abroad is an amazing life changing adventure however, amidst this excitement, international students encounter a distinctive set of challenges. According to a report from James Cook university chief among these challenges are language barriers, cultural differences, and the financial strains of living abroad and homesickness.
In particular, the high cost of living in Australia poses a significant financial burden, with many international students lacking access to government funding and relying on support from home.
A survey in the US by open doors found that about 62% of international students have their primary source of income outside the country. Some have business in their home country or receive assistance from family, friends, and their home country’s universities. Accessing this funding and avoiding large transfer fees can be a further challenge faced by international students.
In a bid to address the unique challenges faced by international students, particularly those hailing from China, leading student accommodation provider UniLodge has teamed up with digital payment solutions innovator Novatti to provide their students with a way to pay their BPay bills from an Asian wallet they trust, including Alipay, Wechat pay and Union pay, avoiding any language and cultural barriers too.
Scott Nicolas, General Manager Commercial UniLodge, emphasises the importance of catering to international students’ needs, stating, “It’s an important part of our values to care for those in our trust and support diversity. We understand the importance of providing inclusive solutions beyond accommodation and solving the challenges of our international students when they arrive here. Novatti has been a longstanding partner of ours, bringing expertise in facilitating international students’ rent payments. Now, we’re collaborating to expand our offerings, providing seamless solutions for all their financial needs – from tuition fees to mobile bills – in a language they’re familiar with, and through trusted Asian wallets including Alipay and Wechat pay”
Key benefits to international students include…
- All-in-One Convenience: Pay all your bills – including your tuition fees in one place
- Direct Payments to Your University from Alipay, WeChat Pay or Union Pay: It’s fast, secure, safe and direct. Offering a reliable way for parents or students to pay
- Minimal Data Entry: Forget the hassle of filling out endless forms. With Alipay, you only need to input 3 data entry items – there are 12+ items required by other providers.
- Low Fees: We offer a fixed transaction fee of just 1.88%, significantly lower than other providers that range from 2.1% to 5%*. Save more with transparent FX fees!
- Fully Compliant: Does not affect the Chinese $50K USD FX limit. Official authorised Alipay, WeChat Pay, UnionPay partner, complete process conforms within the Australian standards and the Chinese S.A.F.E regulations. fully compliant in Australia
- Alipay Member Protection: Enjoy peace of mind with Alipay’s 90-day protection policy, offering full reimbursement for any unauthorised transactions. Your security is our priority.
- Hassle-Free Refunds: If you ever need a refund, it’s straightforward with our BPAY. Unlike other services that require you to go through your bank, refunds are directly lodged with your university back to BPAY, and can be refunded back to your original payment wallet, making the process much smoother.
Mark Healy CEO Novatti comments that “Overall, the remarkable growth and widespread adoption of Alipay and WeChat Pay underscore their importance in the payments landscape particularly for international students who rely on these platforms to manage their finances and make transactions easily and efficiently, both at home and abroad. We are delighted to provide a solution to Unilodge and their international student community to eliminate some of the complexities and high costs associated with paying all their bills.”
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