Case Study: University of Leeds achieves automated payments and streamlined refunds with Flywire

How Flywire automates payment & refund processes to drive efficiency

The University of Leeds, a major UK institution serving more than 39,000 students (including 11,000 international students), struggled with manual, time‑consuming reconciliation and refund processes for large volumes of international bank transfers — payments were often unidentifiable, students could not track status, and Know Your Customer requirements made refunds complex. To address this, the University engaged Flywire, using Flywire’s Comprehensive Receivables Solution and payment portal to provide a secure, trackable alternative to direct bank transfers.

Flywire automated payment collection, reconciliation and refunds, easing pressure on finance staff (notably during the COVID‑19 refund surge) and improving transparency and security. The solution processed 29,000+ payments in 93 currencies from 145 countries, reduced student enquiries, sped up reconciliation and registration (by providing payment visibility and guarantees), and delivered operational time and cost savings while lowering fraud and banking‑detail exposure — all achieved through Flywire’s platform.

University of Leeds

Abi Shearsmith

Head of Student Finance