About the Canada Apprenticeship Bond

The Canada Learning Bond (CLB) is an amount that the Government of Canada adds to a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) to help children from low-income families pay for their education later in life, upon graduating from high school.

The CLB can be used to help pay for full-time or part-time study at a variety of programs and schools, including:

• Study program
• College of Professional Education
• Commerce School
• schools
• Universities

How much can you get?

With CLB, you can get up to $2,000 in RESP.

The amount you will get will depend on the number of years you are entitled to have in the CLB, before turning 15 years old.

If you qualify for the CLB but have not yet received it, the Canadian government deposits funds into RESP:

• $500 for the first year of eligibility
• $100 for each additional qualifying year up to age 15

You do not need to add funds to RESP to receive the CLB.

Bond Eligibility

You may be eligible for a Canadian Education Award (CLB) if:

• You were born after January 1, 2004
• You still reside in Canada
• Your parent or former caregiver has applied for Canada Child Benefit and the reduced income has been adjusted for at least one year before your 15th birthday.
• If you are an adopted child who qualifies for a Special Child Benefit, you can join the CLB.

The number of CLBs you will receive depends on:

• The number of children in your household before the age of 15
• The adjusted income of your primary caregiver, including that of your spouse or partner

How to apply for the learning bonus

Before you turn 21, you can open a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) and apply for a Canadian Learning Bond (CLB). If you are eligible, you can apply for a BEC from the age of 18.

You do not need a bank account to open RESP and you do not need to deposit money in RESP to receive CLB.

To register with the CLB, you will need:

• Active Social Security Number
• Registered Educational Savings Plan (RESP):

After the Government of Canada deposits the CLB into your RESP, you can use the money to help pay for education right away or keep the RESP open to save money on your future studies. You don’t have to decide right away. RESP can remain open for 35 years.

Withdrawal of the Canada Apprenticeship Voucher

You can use a Canada Learning Bond (CLB) in a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) to pay for your education right away, or leave the RESP open to help pay for your education in the future.

Once you have decided to withdraw the club from your RESP, contact your RESP promoter to request an educational support payment.

To receive the Educational Support Payment, you must:

• Enroll
• full-time or part-time at an eligible school (in Canada or abroad) for at least 3 consecutive weeks
• Provide the RESP promoter with proof of registration

Use educational support payments to help pay for expenses like:

• Enrollment
• Books
• Instruments
• Transport
• Rental

Your RESP representative can provide more information about the types of eligible expenses and the process for claiming tuition support payments.