One of the most common concerns we hear from students at MidhaFin is:

“Sir, can I pay my GARP FRM exam fees using a debit card? My family does not have a credit card.”

This is completely understandable. In many countries, debit cards are much more common than credit cards, and not every student wants (or is eligible) to apply for a credit card just to pay for their FRM exam. Let’s clarify this for you once and for all.

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🔍 What does the GARP payment page show?

When you proceed to pay for the FRM exam on the GARP website, you’ll notice that it does not show a separate option for debit card payments.
The standard options are:

✅ Credit Card
✅ Wire Transfer (with an extra $50 processing fee)
✅ Check (also involves additional fees and processing time)

So at first glance, it might seem like only credit cards work.

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💡 How most students actually pay using debit cards

Here’s the practical reality:

👉 If you have an international debit card (Visa or MasterCard), you can still pay by selecting the credit card option.
This means on the payment screen, simply:

• Choose the Credit Card option.
• Enter your international Visa or MasterCard debit card details.
  

For most students, this works smoothly — provided:

✅ Your card is enabled for international transactions.
✅ Your account has sufficient balance to cover the full registration fee.
✅ The bank has not placed restrictions on online international purchases.

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⚠️ Important things to check before payment

✔️ Check if your debit card supports international transactions.
Many Visa and MasterCard debit cards are international by default, but it’s best to double-check via your bank app or by calling your bank.

✔️ Ensure international online payments are activated.
Some banks keep this disabled by default for security reasons. You might need to enable it temporarily.

✔️ Keep an eye on SMS or email OTPs.
Payment gateways often trigger two-factor authentication, so have your registered mobile/email handy.

✔️ Maintain enough funds.
GARP charges the fee immediately. Make sure your account has the required balance in the correct currency (or enough to cover currency conversion).

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❌ What if the transaction fails?

• Try another international Visa or MasterCard debit card if you have one.
  
• Contact your bank to ensure there are no restrictions on high-value or international transactions.
  
• As a fallback, you can also pay via wire transfer, but be aware that it comes with additional costs and longer processing times.

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✅ Conclusion

Yes, you can pay for your GARP FRM registration using a debit card — as long as it is an international Visa or MasterCard.
Just select the credit card option on the payment page, fill in your debit card details, and proceed.

No need to stress over not having a credit card. With these checks in place, your payment should go through smoothly.