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September is approaching, and with it, the tuition bill!
If you are a parent or relative of a CEGEP or university student, here’s how to turn this expense into an opportunity to optimize your credit card rewards.
The challenge: $10,000 in tuition fees to pay
Do you soon need to pay tuition fees for your child at university or college?
Before paying the bill with a bank transfer via Omnivox or with a financial institution, have you considered Chexy? This secure platform allows you to pay tuition fees by credit card, even when your educational institution does not directly accept this payment method.
On the Chexy website, you can pay your rent, various bills, taxes, and all other services where credit cards are not accepted. You can use it to make Interac transfers, pre-authorized debits, and pay bills.
I have been using it for a few months now, and Chexy also allows you to pay for college, CEGEP, and university. Here are some examples:
- CEGEPs: Ahuntsic, André-Grasset, Bois-de-Boulogne, Lionel-Groulx, Rosemont, Dawson
- Universities: Concordia University, Dalhousie University, McGill, Queen’s University, University of Calgary, University of Ottawa, University of Toronto, York University, UQAM, University of Manitoba, McMaster University, etc.
The winning strategy with Chexy
Step 1: Free registration with Chexy
First, register with Chexy to confirm that the educational institution is on the list, which you will find under Set up a one-time payment / Add a new recipient and then, under Childcare and Education.
Step 2: Choose the right credit card
Right now, to maximize my earnings, I would opt for the American Express Platinum Card®, which offers the following benefits and a total of 80,000 points:
- Welcome bonus of 70,000 Membership Rewards points with $10,000 in spending within the first 3 months after card activation (which transfers to 70,000 Aeroplan points)
- 1 Membership Rewards point per dollar spent on this transaction (10,000 additional points = 1 point X $10,000)
- Excellent travel insurance
- Annual fee of $799
- $200 Annual Travel Credit
- $200 Annual Dining Credit
- Statement credit of $100 for NEXUS program membership
- Free and unlimited access for you and one additional traveler to over 1,400 airport lounges in more than 130 countries
- Hilton Honors Gold status
- Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
- Annual fee
- $799
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$1,190Total$1,190Plus $510 of bonus paid after the first year, not counted in this total.Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $1,190
- Welcome offerAfter $10,000 in 3 months
- Up to 100,000 points
Apply Now
on American Express's website
Apply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
Another option is the TDMD AeroplanMD Visa Infinite* Card to quickly accumulate 35,000 Aeroplan points, with no annual fee for the first year thanks to its welcome offer:
- 10,000 Aeroplan points after the first purchase
- 15,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $7,500 within 180 days of account opening
- 1 Aeroplan point per dollar spent on tuition fee payments ($10,000 x 1 point): 10,000 Aeroplan points
- Advantageous travel insurance
- Statement credit of $100 for NEXUS program membership
- First checked bag free for you and up to 8 travel companions on Air Canada flights
Featured
- Annual feeNo annual fee the first year
- $0 $139
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$1,000Annual fee rebated$139Total$1,139Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $1,139
- Welcome offerAfter $12,000 in 12 months
- Up to 50,000 points
Apply Now
on TD's website
Step 3: Use Chexy to pay tuition fees
Back in the Childcare and Education section, it’s now time to set up the payment!
Enter the requested information, for example:
- Invoice: $10,000 in tuition fees
- Institution information: Name and reference or account number to pay
- Card used: American Express Platinum Card®
- Chexy service fee: $175 (1.75%)
After confirmation, Chexy will immediately charge the credit card and three days later, send this payment to the school.
Step 4: Participate in the Aeroplan launch offer
Aeroplan recently partnered with Chexy, and until September 15, 2025, you can take advantage of a launch offer giving you up to 10,000 bonus points. Read our article for all the details and to take advantage of it.
What to do with 100,000 Aeroplan points
Now, it’s time to use those easily earned points!
- Welcome bonus: 70,000 points (condition met)
- Points on spending: 10,000 points ($10,000 × 1 point/dollar)
- Points on Chexy fees: 175 points ($175 × 1 point/dollar)
Total: 80,175 Membership Rewards points or 80,175 Aeroplan points
Membership Rewards points can be transferred to Aeroplan points. Read our article that tells you step-by-step How to transfer American Express Membership Rewards points
We estimate an Aeroplan point to be worth 2 cents. So, these 80,000 Aeroplan points represent a value of $1,600. This largely offsets Chexy’s service fee and the annual fee of the American Express Platinum Card®.
Have fun discovering the world with these destination ideas, thanks to paying your tuition fees. Depending on your dates and destination, these 80,000 Aeroplan points can get you:
- Two round-trip tickets to Vancouver
- Two round-trip tickets to Punta Cana
- One round-trip ticket to Japan
- One business class flight to Europe
With the American Express Platinum Card®, you can relax in VIP airport lounges during your trip, use your annual credits for cheaper travel, and receive preferential treatment at hotels thanks to your higher status during your stays.
An expense to turn into an opportunity
You’re going to pay tuition fees anyway. Whether you choose bank transfer, check, or credit card, that $10,000 will leave your account.
The difference is your payment method!
With a traditional bank transfer, you pay $10,000… and that’s it. With Chexy and a credit card that gives you rewards, you pay $10,175 (including the 1.75% fee), but you get a shower of Aeroplan points worth more.
Interested in paying your rent with Chexy? Discover a similar strategy with Chexy to earn many Aeroplan points.
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 | |||
| $799 |
Which credit cards are accepted by Chexy?
Visa and American Express credit cards in Canada are accepted by Chexy.
Additionally, Visa, Mastercard, and American Express credit cards issued outside Canada incur a 2.5% fee when used through Chexy.
What are Chexy's service fees?
The fees are 1.75% of the transaction amount. To get the maximum rewards and benefits, the trick is to use a credit card that:
- Offers a welcome bonus with a minimum spend (like $5,000 to be spent on the card within the first 6 months of card ownership)
- Provides higher cash back (like the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite +* Card which gives 4% cash back on recurring payments with Chexy)
Go further with American Express Membership Rewards
To maximize your Membership Rewards earning, check our complete American Express Membership Rewards program guide and our best American Express Membership Rewards credit cards ranking, updated monthly by the Milesopedia team.
For your next Hilton stay, see the Hilton Honors American Express® Card available in Canada and the terms of its current offer.