When it comes to paying international tuition fees, blocked accounts, or travel expenses, Flywire has become a widely used platform among students and parents. It promises convenience and university partnerships, but the hidden truth is that you may be losing money without realizing it.

Between inflated exchange rates, transfer fees, and correspondent bank deductions, the actual cost of your transaction often turns out to be much higher than expected.

The good news is that you can cut down on Flywire charges through a few simple strategies—and even better, you can avoid them entirely by switching to IBRLIVE, an RBI-authorized forex platform that offers real-time interbank rates, zero hidden fees, and faster international transfers.

This guide explains five proven ways to save money when paying through Flywire and why more students are now choosing IBRLIVE.

1. Compare Exchange Rates Before Confirming

Flywire provides a single “all-inclusive” exchange rate at the time of payment, but this rate often contains a hidden markup. That means you’re unknowingly paying extra for currency conversion.

In contrast, forex companies like IBRLIVE.com provide live market-linked rates—the same rates banks use when trading currencies in real time.

Even a minor difference of ₹0.50 per USD can lead to a loss of ₹5,000 on a $10,000 transfer.

Tip: Before confirming your payment, always compare Flywire’s exchange rate with IBRLIVE’s live quote. The difference can easily add up to thousands of rupees over time.

2. Avoid Paying in INR—Choose the University’s Home Currency

One of the most common mistakes students make is selecting INR (Indian Rupees) as the payment currency on Flywire. When you do that, Flywire converts your INR to USD, CAD, or GBP at inflated rates, and you lose control of the exchange process.

Instead, always pay in the university’s home currency—for example, USD for U.S. universities or CAD for Canadian institutions. This allows your bank or forex company to perform the conversion at better and more transparent rates.

Example: Paying $20,000 in INR through Flywire can cost nearly ₹50,000 more than sending the same amount through a forex company like IBRLIVE.

Tip: Always select the destination currency when making tuition fee payments abroad.

3. Send Larger Amounts at Once

Dividing your total payment into multiple smaller transfers may feel safer, but it is actually more expensive. Each transaction attracts fixed handling and SWIFT charges, regardless of the transfer size.

If you send $10,000 four times, you’ll be paying four sets of transaction fees. By sending $40,000 once, you eliminate repeated deductions and save significantly.

With IBRLIVE, you don’t need to worry about transaction fees at all—they process direct university payments with no additional transfer cost.

4. Watch Out for Extra Bank Fees

Flywire’s marketing often highlights “no hidden fees,” but in practice, there are often extra deductions along the way. These can include:

• SWIFT charges by Indian banks (typically ₹1,000–₹1,500 per transaction)

• Correspondent bank fees by intermediary institutions abroad

• Administrative charges added by universities for handling Flywire payments

As a result, the net credited amount your university receives can be lower than what you sent.

Tip: Always verify the amount actually received by the university after all deductions.

By contrast, IBRLIVE ensures the full amount is credited under RBI’s Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS), without unnecessary fees or exchange losses.

Practical Example: Flywire vs IBRLIVE

Savings: ₹12,000 on a single $20,000 transfer. Over multiple semesters, this can add up to lakhs.

Conclusion

By:

• Comparing rates
• Avoiding INR
• Splitting amounts
• Tracking hidden fees
  

—you can reduce your Flywire costs significantly.

But the most effective solution is to skip Flywire altogether and use ,IBRLIVE India’s trusted RBI-authorized forex partner for overseas education payments.