Bank Draft and Teller Payment for School Fees: When Universities Still Require It
By Muntasir Minhaz • Published Aug 07, 2026 • Money & Budgeting
Some African universities still require a bank draft or a teller deposit slip for tuition instead of a digital transfer, mostly for first payments, international transactions, or sponsor requirements.
🏠 A bank draft is a certified payment your bank issues in the university's name, a teller payment is a deposit made directly at a bank counter into the university's account.
📩 Always collect a stamped or receipted copy immediately, this is your proof of payment if the university's system takes time to reflect it.
⏱️ Submit your proof of payment to the bursar or finance office as soon as you have it, even if the payment itself cleared earlier.
💵 Keep the original slip until your student portal or receipt confirms the amount, some offices need the physical copy to correct a mismatch.
Why Bank Drafts and Tellers Still Exist
Most African universities now accept mobile money, card payments or direct transfers for tuition, but many still require a bank draft or a teller (over the counter) payment in specific situations. International bank transfers, first-time payments before a student has a local account, or institutions in areas without reliable digital payment infrastructure are common reasons a bursar's office asks for a physical instrument instead of an app based transfer.
Universities also fall back on drafts and teller payments when their online payment gateway is down, when a student's payment fails to generate a reference number, or when a scholarship, sponsor or government agency insists on a paper trail for its own audit.
Bank Draft vs Teller Payment
| Method | Best for | Speed |
|---|---|---|
| Bank draft | International or first-time payments, sponsor requirements | A day or more to issue, then manual posting by the university |
| Teller deposit | Cash payments, no online banking access | Instant deposit, manual posting can take longer |
| Mobile money, card or transfer | Routine semester fees where available | Usually reflects within a day |
A bank draft is a payment instrument your bank issues after you deposit funds with them, guaranteeing payment to the named recipient, in this case your university's account. Because the bank guarantees the funds, universities treat drafts as reliable proof that money is available and will clear.
A teller payment means you walk into a bank branch, either your own bank or the university's, and deposit cash or a transfer directly into the university's account at the counter. The teller stamps and signs a deposit slip, which becomes your immediate receipt.
How to Get a Bank Draft
Visit your bank branch with the exact account name, account number and amount from your university's fee notice. Ask for a bank draft in the university's name for that amount.
Banks charge a processing fee for issuing a draft, confirm the fee and processing time before you go, since some banks need a day or more to prepare a draft for a large amount.
Keep the draft's reference number and a copy of the draft itself before you submit the original to the university. If you post or courier the draft rather than delivering it in person, use a tracked delivery method and keep the tracking number.
Making a Teller Payment
Take your university's account details and your student or applicant number to any branch of the receiving bank. Fill in a deposit slip with the exact account name and number, hand it to the teller with your cash or funds, and collect the stamped counterfoil before you leave the counter. Photograph the stamped slip immediately in case the paper copy fades or gets damaged.
When a Sponsor or Scholarship Requires a Draft
Government scholarship boards, employer sponsorships and some NGOs pay tuition through a bank draft as a condition of their disbursement process, since a draft creates an auditable paper trail from the sponsoring body to the university. If your sponsor insists on this method, confirm the university's exact account name and number with the bursar directly rather than relying on an old fee notice, and share the draft reference number with both the sponsor and the university once it is issued.
Getting Your Proof of Payment Accepted
Submit your bank draft receipt or stamped teller slip to the bursar or finance office as soon as you have it. Don't assume the university's system updates automatically just because the bank has processed your payment.
Many finance offices need the physical slip, or a clear photo or scan of it, to manually match your payment to your student file, especially for teller deposits that carry no system generated reference number.
If your fee balance does not reflect the payment after a reasonable wait, bring your original stamped slip in person rather than only emailing a copy. Physical proof carries more weight with finance staff when a payment has gone missing in the reconciliation process.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Losing the stamped teller slip or draft copy before the university confirms your balance.
Depositing into the wrong account number, always double check the university's current account details on official fee notices, since these occasionally change between academic years.
Assuming a draft or teller payment reflects instantly online. Manual payments usually take longer to post than mobile money or card payments.
Sending only a photo of the receipt when the finance office requires the original physical slip.