Paying University Fees via Mobile Money in Tanzania

Why Tanzanian Universities Use Control Numbers

Public and private universities in Tanzania generate a control number for each fee category, tuition, hostel, registration, examination, rather than accepting a lump cash payment at a counter. The control number links your payment directly to your student record, which cuts down on lost payments and manual reconciliation at the finance office.

You generate the control number yourself through your university's student information system, then use it to pay through mobile money or a bank instead of queueing to pay cash.

Generating Your Control Number

Log in to your university's online student portal with your registration number and password. Find the fees or payment section, select the fee item you want to pay, tuition, hostel or another charge, and generate a control number for that specific amount. Universities issue a fresh control number for each billing cycle, so confirm you are paying against the current semester's invoice rather than an old one.

Paying With Mobile Money

Once you have a control number, open your mobile money menu, Vodacom M-Pesa, Mixx by Yas (formerly Tigo Pesa), Airtel Money or HaloPesa, and select the option for paying bills or paying by control number. Enter the control number exactly as shown on your portal, confirm the amount and payee name matches your university, then complete the transaction with your PIN.

Save the confirmation SMS. Some finance offices ask you to present this message alongside your portal balance when you register for the semester or collect a hostel room key.

Bank and Other Options

Most universities also accept the same control number at partner banks, so you can pay over the counter or through a mobile banking app if you prefer not to use mobile money. Cash payments handed directly to university staff are discouraged and, at most institutions, no longer accepted, since every payment needs to route through the control number system to reflect on your account.

Loan-Funded vs Self-Sponsored Students

If the Higher Education Students' Loans Board (HESLB) funds your tuition, the board pays your university directly for that portion, so you do not generate a control number for it. You still generate and pay control numbers yourself for charges HESLB does not cover, such as accommodation, meals or other institutional fees. Self-sponsored students generate and pay a control number for every fee category, tuition included.

Confirming Your Payment Reflected

After paying, log back in to your student portal and check that your fee balance has updated. This can take anywhere from a few minutes to a day depending on the university's system. If a payment does not reflect, contact your finance office with your mobile money or bank transaction reference rather than repaying, since reclaiming a duplicate payment takes time.

Getting Help

Contact your university's bursar or finance office if your student portal will not generate a control number, or if a payment fails without a clear cause. Keep your registration number and the exact fee item on hand when you call or visit, so staff can trace the record quickly. Avoid anyone who offers to process a payment for you outside official university or mobile money channels.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Paying against the wrong control number. Confirm the amount and fee description before you approve the transaction.

• Using an expired control number from a previous semester.

• Paying cash directly to an individual instead of through approved channels.

• Discarding your payment confirmation message before your balance updates on the portal.