The following community update was shared with internal staff (registration, recruitment, finance, and IT teams) at the School of Continuing Studies on April 12, 2024:

Dear team,

I am pleased to share that another important upgrade has been made for the School of Continuing Studies. Starting April 12, 2024, a new streamlined process will be in place for refunding international students and approved refunds will be processed directly through Convera GlobalPay to accounts issuing payments or accounts selected by students, such as wire payments.

International wire money transfers are among the most complex and labour-intensive payment channels at York. The SCS Project team for this activity has worked side by side with York’s Service Excellence Program to minimize the time and effort involved in processing incoming and outgoing wire payments by enabling our School to receive and refund international student tuition payments through the Convera online portal.

Convera GlobalPay will provide our international students with a reliable, seamless and faster refund experience. The system offers strong security measures, real-time tracking, and dedicated support to help ensure that students are satisfied with their refund experience and agents experience smoother coordination with York.

Convera GlobalPay will also be offering ongoing post-implementation support to our staff to ensure the successful uptake of the new process. Also, international students can direct questions or concerns to Convera should they need assistance.

It’s important to note that the process for requesting a refund and eligibility criteria will not change – it is simply that this will be a more streamlined approach to completing eligible refunds.

Training materials and recorded demos on this new feature are available for those that are involved in the various aspects of the process. You are encouraged to familiarize yourself with Convera GlobalPay's features and capabilities so that you can confidently manage inquiries related to this refund method. International students will be informed and encouraged to use Convera GlobalPay, and information about the enhancements to the payment platform will be made available on the SCS Funding & Payments webpage.

This update to Convera aligns with our ongoing efforts to enhance both efficiency and the overall student experience. If you have any questions or require assistance, please contact Jessica Denenberg at jrdenen@yorku.ca.

Thank you for your dedication and commitment to providing excellent service to our international students.

Best regards,

Tom Nicolopoulos 

Executive Director, Operations & Administration  

School of Continuing Studies