St. George Bank international transfer: Fees, rates and transfer time

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Sending money overseas can be a complicated process. Every bank has its own requirements and fees, so not knowing the process can end up costing you money you didn't plan on paying. Knowing the requirements will make bank transfers a lot less complicated - and can save you money.

Read on to learn everything you need to know about making an international money transfer — sometimes called a telegraphic transfer (TT) — to or from Australia's St. George Bank. We'll also introduce to you Wise that can help you save on international transfers with it's low, transparent fees and mid-market exchange rates.

St. George Bank international transfer fees vs Wise

To understand better the fees charged for an international transfer by this St. George, let's demo a transfer of 1000 AUD sent to a friend's UK account in GBP. We'll see how it stacks up against Wise.

As you can see from the table above, Wise turns out to be the cheaper option even when you don't consider the exchange rates used by St. George and any additional SWIFT fees intermediary banks may charge.

How do you make an international bank transfer with St. George Bank?

St. George Bank offers a few ways to transfer money internationally¹:

• Online via Internet banking
• In person at a bank branch

St. George Bank doesn't offer international money transfers by phone banking.

Online via Internet banking

• Gather the relevant information for the recipient bank (more on that below)
• Apply for access by completing the Internet Banking - Request to Authorise/Cancel Overseas Telegraphic Transfer Access form. You can submit the signed form via mail or fax, and within 2 working days, you should have access to the "Overseas Transfers" function on your internet banking.
• Go to the "Transfers, Payments & BPAY" menu and select "Overseas Transfers." Follow the on-screen directions.²

At a St. George Bank branch

At a St George Bank branch, a teller or cashier will help you complete your transaction. Know ahead of time that this is what they refer to as staff-assisted. And it's nearly always more expensive.

Regardless, though, it may give you more peace of mind to go in person first. Just make sure you have all the information required - see below for more details - and let the teller/cashier know what you need.

What do I need in order to make an international money transfer?

To make an international transfer with St. George Bank, you'll need:

• BIC/SWIFT code of the recipient.
• IBAN or account number of the recipient
• Recipient's full name and account name if it's different
• Recipient's home address
• Recipient bank's address

St. George Bank international transfer exchange rates

Remember that 1000 AUD we're sending to a friend's UK GBP account in the fees demo above? Let's see how the exchange rate influences how much our friend actually received in their account (additional intermediary/recipient bank fees excluded).³

*Rates as seen on respective calculators on 25 February 2022

You can see that just on the conversion rate, Wise nets the recipient a whopping 24.13 GBP more for the money you sent compared to an International transfer done via St. George bank.

This is how the real exchange rate Wise uses helps you make the most for your transfer, and eliminates this hidden fee used by most banks.

St. George Bank international transfer limits

St. George bank states that the limit for cumulative daily transfers to international accounts is A$50,000.² Keep this in mind as you may have to do multiple transfers spread out on multiple days if you need to send more than this.

Wise on the other hand has a per transfer limit of 1.5 million AUD. This should come in handy for those large amount transfers you may need to make.

Additional service transfer fees

With international transfers, often your bank isn't able to send it directly from one country to another. In those cases, 1 or more intermediary banks are involved. And each of these banks normally take a chunk out of the money you're sending. These fees can cost anywhere from A$20-$50 per intermediary bank.¹

What details to give the sender to receive an international bank transfer into your St. George bank account?

To receive money from overseas into your St. George Bank bank account, you'll need to give the sender²:

• St. George Bank's BIC/Swift code SGBLAU2S
• St. George Bank's BSB code
• Your routing number, if you're receiving money from a US bank, which is: 021 000 021
• Your account number
• Your account name
• Your branch address
• You may need to agree with the sender about who will pay the fees associated with the transfer

You can log into internet banking to find this information, or visit a branch or call 13 33 30.

Here are the fees to receive money from abroad into your account at this bank

Here is a breakdown of the fees you'll pay if you receive money sent from abroad into your account.¹

Frequently Asked Questions about St. George Bank international transfers

How long does an international bank transfer with St. George Bank take to arrive at the destination account??

St. George notes payments are typically processed within 1-3 business days but may take longer.³

What are the different payment methods?

The money you're sending will be withdrawn from your St. George Bank account, and the fees will also be debited from the amount sent.

Is there any way to make a faster transfer for an extra fee?

St. George Bank doesn't currently offer a faster transfer for an extra fee.

Does the amount of time it takes vary by destination?

St. George Bank doesn't guarantee transfer times for any destination. Processing times will vary.

Contact / Help - More questions around your transfer?

You can reach out to them via phone on⁴:

• 13 33 30 within Australia from 8am – 8pm AEST Monday - Saturday (excluding public holidays)
• +61 2 9155 7800 (from overseas)

St. George Bank's customer support offers multiple options for contact, but they'll vary based on the service you need help with, so check their site for details.

A fair and transparent alternative: Wise

Wise is an easy way to save up to 5x when sending money overseas. You can make extra secure transfers to 140+ countries, which are easy to set up with no physical paperwork and completed usually in seconds.

With low, transparent pricing and the mid-market exchange rate for all your currency conversions for your foreign transfers, you'll usually get the best value for your money. Wise lets you see exactly what you're paying for a transfer, and what the recipient will get, with no hidden fees.

For managing foreign currencies even easier, create a free Wise account, and you'll be able to manage and convert your money in AUD and 40+ other currencies. Plus, you'll get local account details in 8+ currencies, including GBP, USD, and more making it easy to receive money from abroad whenever you need. You'll be able to track your transfers all in one place.

When it comes to international transfers, Wise makes things easier and cheaper.

📤 Send money with Wise

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This general advice does not take into account your objectives, financial circumstances or needs and you should consider if it is appropriate for you. Savings claim based on our rates vs. selected Australian banks and other similar providers in Jan 2026. To learn more please visit https://wise.com/au/compare

Please see Terms of Use and product availability for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.

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Sources:

1. St. George Fees and terms Page 47 (fees), 49 (staff assisted)
2. St. George money transfer FAQs
3. St. George exchange rate calculator
4. St. George Bank Contact Us page

Sources checked on 25 February 2022