How to Pay National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) Using Mobile Money

Students can now pay the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) using Airtel or MTN mobile money. This can be done via the web and through the mobile money USSD shortcode. The first requirement is to ensure that you have adequate funds in your mobile money account ( MTN mobile money, Airtel Money, and Uganda Telecom’s M-sente). If the first requirement is settled, you can then go ahead to finalize the transaction by following the steps below.

Note: University Students in Uganda are expected to pay the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) a fee of UGX 20,000 per year. All National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) are paid through URA in Uganda.

Pay National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) Using Mobile Money

The Payment of NCHE is divided into two steps; The first step will require the student/guardian to initiate a Payment Registration Number (PRN) via the URA portal and the second step will detail how to make payment via mobile money.

Step 1: Initiate PRN

1. Launch your favorite browser, it could be Google or Chrome or Safari or Mozilla.

2. Search for ura.go.ug.

3. After the web portal has loaded, click on eServices.

4. A new page will open. Under Payments, click on Payment Registration.

5. Select Payment Type as DT and under Tax Head select Other NTR

6. Enter your name under the Taxpayer’s Name and all the required details.

7. Under Details of Other NTR Payments select National Council for Higher Education then below also select Annual Contribution for a Student to National Council of Higher Education. Other details will be filled in automatically including the total amount to be cleared. Leave the Reference Number slot blank then proceed to the next step.

8. You will be prompted to enter identification details; Under ‘type of ID proof’ select Other ID types and enter your Student ID number. This is not compulsory.

9. Next, choose the mode of payment then enter the text from the given image. To pay via mobile money, select either Other Payment options (Cash, Cheque, Mobile Money, Demand draft, Point of Sale) or Online Payment options (VISA, Mastercard, American Express, Union Pay, Mobile Money).

10. After filling in all the required information especially slots with the red asterisk sign (*) against them, click on Accept and Register. A notification from URA will pop up on your screen prompting you to confirm payment registration under Domestic Taxes, if you conquer tap OK to proceed. According to the mode of payment selected, you will be referred to a new page. Since this article focuses on payment via Mobile Money, the next step will guide you on how to achieve that.

STEP 2: Make Payment

Payment Method 1: If you have selected Other Payment options (Cash, Cheque, Mobile Money, Demand draft, Point of Sale), you will get a payment receipt on the next page. Click on the download icon to download the receipt or click on the print icon to print out the receipt. The receipt will entail the total amount, Payment Registration Number(PRN), and when the receipt details will expire (please do not make the payment if the PRN has expired, follow the steps above to create a new PRN). If you decide to pay via bank, you will need to print out the receipt. However, since we are paying via mobile money, all we need is the PRN.

How to Pay NICHE via Mobile Money

Now that we have successfully generated the PRN for National Council for Higher Education, here is how we can pay via different mobile money platforms.

Pay via MTN Mobile Money

1. Dial *165#
2. Select Option 4, Payments
3. select option 5 ‘Fees and Taxes’ and then choose option 1, URA.
4. Choose option 1, With PRN Payments.
5. Enter PRN/PTN Number that you wish to pay for.
6. Key in the amount you want to pay.
7. Then confirm the transaction with MTN Mobile Money PIN.

Pay via Airtel Money

1. Dial *185#
2. Select option 4, Pay Bill.
3. Select option 7, URA.
4. Choose option 1, Pay Registered.
5. Enter PRN/PTN Number that you wish to pay for.
6. Key in the amount you want to pay.
7. Then confirm the transaction with an Airtel Money PIN.

NOTE: The payment of NCHE via mobile money is now strictly confined to URA rather than School Pay as it has been previously.

Payment Method 2: The details of your online payment summary will appear on the next page if you selected Online Payment options (VISA, Mastercard, American Express, Union Pay, Mobile Money). Hereafter, you will be prompted to select the bank in which you want to make payment. The available options are GTBank, Stanbic Bank, and UBA.

After selecting the bank, click Continue. URA will issue a warning of redirection to the selected bank’s web page to enable you to complete the payment process. If you are Okay with the notification, tap OK.

A new page will load prompting you to choose the mode of payment and supply the payment details. Currently, the available option is MTN Mobile Money, click on it then enter your MTN mobile number and click on the confirm payment button. The system will load and verify the information, enter the One Time Password that was sent to your mobile via SMS then confirm the transaction with MTN mobile Money Pin as prompted on your device.

Note: You can use the mobile money payment reference (message) as a receipt to be taken to your university/college or tertiary bursar to confirm payment and they’ll reconcile the payment on your file.