How Curtin University modernised student payments with PayID®

Like many organisations managing high volumes of payments, Curtin recognised an opportunity to simplify its payment experience while improving operational efficiency. 

As payment volumes continued to grow, existing payment processes created additional complexity through longer settlement timeframes, increasing payment acceptance costs, manual reconciliation effort, and payment enquiries. 

At the same time, students increasingly expected payment experiences that reflected how they already bank and pay in their everyday lives. Curtin saw an opportunity to deliver a more convenient payment experience while encouraging greater adoption of real-time account-to-account payments. 

Students simply select PayID as their payment method, then either scan a QR code or copy the PayID details presented to them. They then authorise the payment through their online banking. 

Before confirming the payment, students are shown the name associated with the PayID, giving them greater confidence that their payment is being sent to the intended recipient. 

The implementation also delivered several operational benefits, including: 

• Improved visibility of incoming payments 

• Real-time payment confirmation and funds settlement 

• Exact payment matching to simplify reconciliation 

• Simplified refund and exception management 

• Integration through an existing and familiar payment flow (Xetta) 

The implementation followed a phased rollout approach, with Curtin leading delivery and Azupay providing implementation support throughout the process. 

Curtin recognised that successful implementation required more than introducing a new payment option. Helping students understand when and why to use PayID would be equally important to driving adoption.  

Clear messaging was integrated through the payment journey, supported by student communications, on-page promotion and awareness activities across key student touchpoints (e.g. portals, orientation activities).  

By positioning PayID as a fast and easy way to pay from a bank account, Curtin encouraged students to adopt the new payment option without disrupting the overall payment experience.  

The results demonstrated strong demand for fast, account-to-account payments when presented as part of a familiar payment journey. 

Within 60 days from launching PayID in June 2025, around 70% of eligible student payments had transitioned to PayID, with adoption continuing to grow as awareness increased. 

The impact was also visible across Curtin’s overall payment mix. Compared to the previous year: 

• PayID quickly became one of Curtin’s top three payment methods 

• More than 25% of Semester 1 payments were made via PayID  

• Student satisfaction among PayID users reached 9 out of 10. 

While improving the student experience was the primary objective, the benefits extended far beyond the payment journey. Real-time payment visibility and exact payment matching helped simplify reconciliation, reduce manual effort required to manage payment enquiries, investigate exceptions and process refunds. These improvements have enabled Curtin’s finance team to manage larger transaction volumes more effectively while reducing administrative effort. 

The implementation has also supported Curtin’s broader payments strategy by encouraging greater adoption of account-to-account payments, creating a more efficient and future-ready payment experience for both students and the university.  

“When we introduced PayID, our students told us they were relieved we were finally catching up with how they prefer to pay. Students increasingly expect the same real-time, digital payment experiences they use in everyday life, and PayID gave us the opportunity to meet those expectations. Beyond improving the student experience, we’ve also seen benefits operationally through simpler payment processing, improved visibility and reduced reconciliation effort across our teams.” – Jeffrey Chen, Student Finance, Curtin University

Curtin’s implementation demonstrates how introducing PayID as a payment option can create value across both customer and operational experiences. 

By delivering a payment option aligned with how students already bank and pay, Curtin has improved the payment experience while simplifying payment operations and encouraging greater adoption of real-time account-to-account payments. 

As more organisations explore opportunities to modernise their payment journeys, Curtin’s experience provides a practical example of how PayID can support both immediate operational efficiencies and long-term commercial benefits. 

For Azupay’s Chief Customer Officer Trent Daniel, Curtin’s results highlight the value of focusing not only on implementation, but also on driving customer adoption. 

“What makes Curtin’s results particularly impressive is that they looked beyond the implementation itself and focused on driving adoption from day one. By successfully shifting payment behaviour towards PayID, Curtin has improved the experience for students while reducing the operational effort associated with managing and reconciling payments. At the same time, they’ve proactively reduced their reliance on higher-cost payment methods ahead of the upcoming surcharge reforms. As many organisations begin assessing the commercial impact of those changes, Curtin is already well advanced on its payment mix optimisation journey and seeing the benefits of taking action early.” – Trent Daniel, Chief Customer Officer, Azupay