Question 1

Why should I use Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC)?

Accepted Answer

CIBC (CM: NYSE, TSX) is a leading and well-diversified North American financial institution trusted by over 14 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and around the world. Our 49,000 employees provide holistic and tailored financial solutions to meet the varying needs of our personal, business, and institutional clients across the globe.

Ranked among the top 10 safest banks in North America* higher education sector partners across the world leverage CIBC’s wealth of industry expertise to facilitate cross-border payments. Whether you’re studying locally or abroad, CIBC offers secure and dynamic global payment solutions, allowing you to pay your tuition and other fees easily to academic institutions across the world so you can focus on what matters most — your education.

For more information on how we can support your financial needs, please see our FAQs or contact our 24/7 student support at studenthelp@cibc.com.

* Global Finance magazine’s World’s Safest Banks Rankings, 2023

Question 2

Why should I use the CIBC payment platform to pay my tuition?

Accepted Answer

Your Educational Institution has partnered with Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) to provide its users with preferred foreign exchange rates for paying tuition fees for studying abroad. These preferred exchange rates are applied to your payments, allowing you to pay your tuition in your home currency. Other benefits include:

Bank wire quotes are valid for 72 hours (excluding weekends and Canadian holidays) to give you peace of mind against any adverse currency price fluctuations.
The platform allows you to track your tuition payment and notifies you when your payment is received.
The transaction flows through in a fully secure banking environment.
Faster processing times and automatic transfer to student accounts.
Preferred foreign exchange rates offered exclusively to the Educational Institution’s international students and alumni.

For more details, visit your school’s payment page. You can also visit the University Canada West, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Illinois, Georgia Institute of Technology, Purdue University, Syracuse University, Niagara College, or University of Southern California page.

Question 3

Do I need a CIBC account to use this payment platform?

Accepted Answer

No, you do NOT need a CIBC account or visit a CIBC banking center. You can pay your university fees from anywhere, at any time, conveniently online.

Question 4

How can I check the status of my tuition payment?

Accepted Answer

You can track your payment anywhere, anytime by visiting the payment platform. Please log into the portal, or you can input the unique Reference ID generated for each transaction in the ‘Track Your Payment’ functionality on the top menu of the platform. Alternatively, please send an email to studenthelp@cibc.com if you have any further questions or require more clarity.

Question 5

Can I pay in any other currency other than my home currency?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We recommend making payments in your home currency due to the preferred foreign exchange rates CIBC offers, but you will have the option to make payments in USD, CAD (where applicable) or other major currencies.

Question 6

Can I pay my tuition through an Agent?

Accepted Answer

Yes. When initiating a transaction on the platform, select the relationship of the payer as ‘Agent’ while on the ‘Payer Details’ page. Ensure the instruction sheet is delivered to the Agent to make the tuition payment.

Question 7

Do I need to inform my Educational Institution of the tuition payment?

Accepted Answer

This is not necessary as CIBC informs the Educational Institution of all payments received. Your student account will be automatically credited.

Question 8

How will I know when my funds are received?

Accepted Answer

You will receive an email notification from CIBC advising you that your funds have been received and processed to the Educational Institution. Please allow 2-3 business days for your student account to be updated accordingly.

Question 9

I made a mistake and need to correct information I entered in the portal?

Accepted Answer

Please contact CIBC immediately at studenthelp@cibc.com. Please ensure you have mentioned the following information in your communication:

Student Name
Student ID
Transaction Reference Number
Date of Transaction
Amount

Question 10

How can I contact CIBC’s team for further support?

Accepted Answer

For any questions regarding your university fee payment, please direct them to CIBC’s financial professionals available 24/7. Please click here for contact information.

Question 11

I received a confirmation email indicating funds have been sent to the school, yet my student account hasn’t been updated?

Accepted Answer

Once the funds have been sent to the Education Institution, please allow 2-3 business days for your student account to update accordingly. If the transaction time exceeds this, please contact us at studenthelp@cibc.com.

Question 12

I haven’t received my refund amount, and it’s been over a month outstanding?

Accepted Answer

Please allow 2-3 weeks for the refund to come to your account. Note, the refund will be sent the same way the initial payment was received. Please check the account used to make the initial payment (bank account, credit card account, Alipay/WeChat account etc.). If you have still not received the refund, please contact us at studenthelp@cibc.com.

Pay Your Tuition Fees Online with CIBC International Student Pay

Frequently Asked Questions

The Platform

Bank Wire

Direct Debit

Visa/MasterCard

China Union Pay

WeChat/Alipay