Collecting tuition fees by UPI: what changed and what works in 2026
Published 2026-09-28
Many parents already pay tuition fees by UPI. The question for a tutor isn't whether to use UPI, but how to make paying you take ten seconds - without a payment gateway and without giving anyone a commission.
What changed: person-to-person "collect requests" ended
A collect request was when you sent a parent a request for money from your UPI app. NPCI directed banks and UPI apps to stop processing person-to-person collect requests from 1 October 2025, to reduce fraud (Economic Times report on the NPCI circular). Every UPI payment to a tutor now has to be started by the parent.
What works now
- Put your UPI ID in writing, every time. Include it in each reminder, as plain text, so the parent can copy it into any UPI app.
- State the exact amount and month. "Rs 2,000 for September" gets paid faster than "fees pending".
- Add a UPI link if you like - but don't rely on it. Links starting with
upi://open a UPI app on many Android phones, but whether they are tappable inside WhatsApp depends on the phone and app version. The plain UPI ID always works. - Keep a printed QR at your class for parents who pay in person.
- Mark it paid the same day and send a short receipt.
Do you need a payment gateway?
Only if you want payments to be marked paid automatically. Gateways charge a fee per transaction and need business verification. For a single tutor or a small class, paying directly to your own UPI ID and marking payments yourself is usually simpler and costs nothing.
How FeeSathi fits in
Add your UPI ID in FeeSathi once. Every WhatsApp reminder then includes your UPI ID, the exact amount due and a UPI link. Money goes straight to your bank; FeeSathi never handles it.
See who owes you, send a polite WhatsApp reminder with your UPI ID, and keep everything in an Excel file you can download. No signup, no app to install.
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