Recommend Remittance(Wire Transfer) from USA to China

[rakinishu]

Hi I'm new here, I'm trying to pay for an application fee to SISU summer courses but I don't know of any reliable method or medium to do so.

I tried Western Union but it only does a "cash to person/pick up" not to a institution's bank account/swift. My own bank Bank of America charges 45 dollars to do a 70 dollar application fee which is nuts. Anyone know a reliable and cheap way to send money from my us bank account to an institution's bank account?

also anyone been to SISU?

[fanglu]

You could look around for another bank that does cheaper wire transfers, open an account, do the transfer then close it.

[heifeng]

I swear I actually sent cash with my applications to PKU &BNU 8 years ago (I believe it was in RMB, not USD), I wonder how most students send payment with their applications---does the application give specific instructions & options? However if there is no cheaper wire transfer fee, then I can at least vouch that I have sent 2 wire transfers via BOA in the last month and they both arrived in China but the transfer could only be completed in USD (I think the fee is 35USD if it is sent in the local currency & 45 for USD). Presumably this isn't a problem for a university to receive the fee in USD, but as a note if you ever send it to an individual his/her bank account in China needs to be able to receive an international wire transfer & USD otherwise it gets tied up a bit until resolved. (probably a dedicated thread on this somewhere up here)

Good luck!

[rakinishu]

Thank you for responding, I guess I will have to find another bank that does international transfers cheaper. I might even have to do an in person wire transfer at the bank of china or east west bank, but they are like an hour away from me in new york city.

The instructions say I have to do

3. Application fee: 450 RMB (or 70 USD)

(Application fee is non-refundable, payable in cash or remittance (T/T). Checks are not acceptable.)

A remittance with the applicant’s name must be made payable to:

Beneficiary Name:

Shanghai International Studies University

A/C No.:

022744-1001274409008903857

Bank:

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Shanghai Shangwai Sub-Branch

Swift Code:

ICBKCNBJSHI

Bank Address:

566 Dalian Road (W), Shanghai, P. R. China

All the above-mentioned application materials including the voucher of remittance, which will not be returned, must be sent by registered or express

So I guess Western Union is ok, but it doesn't ask for anything about the institution's account number, bank, or swift code... It only ask for first and last name which makes me a little worried someone unauthorized can just take it.

Anyone know of any service like Western Union that does international bank to bank transfers?

[abcdefg]

Western Union is unsafe. even though it's cheaper. Would not go that route.

[luozhen]

Use Bitcoins.

[imron]

I'm pretty sure that SISU won't accept bitcoins.