RESP grant (CESG) in 2026: how to get the full $7,200, with a calculator
The CESG is one of the few places the federal government adds money on top of yours. The rules are simple once you see them laid out, and the most common mistake is a timing one: leaving it too late to catch up. Here is how the grant works for 2026, with a calculator for your child's age.
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RESP grant calculator
How much CESG will your child get?
| Age | You contribute | CESG added | CESG total |
|---|
Uses ESDC's 2026 rules: basic CESG of 20% on contributions, $500 of room added each year from birth, at most $1,000 of basic grant a year, Additional CESG of 10% or 20% on the first $500 each year (not carried forward), and a $7,200 lifetime limit for basic and additional combined. Assumes the same contribution every year and that the child stays eligible. Extra rules apply at ages 16 and 17 (see below). Excludes the Canada Learning Bond and provincial grants. Illustrative only.
How the CESG works
A Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) is an account you open at a financial institution to save for a child's education after high school. The Canada Education Savings Grant (CESG) is money the Government of Canada adds to that RESP based on what you contribute. The core rules, from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC):
- 20% of the first $2,500 contributed each year, so up to $500 a year of basic grant, regardless of family income.
- $7,200 lifetime maximum per child, across all RESPs for that child.
- A contribution is required. No contribution, no CESG.
- Available until the end of the calendar year the child turns 17.
- The child must be a Canadian resident with a Social Insurance Number and be named as a beneficiary of an RESP.
- Everything runs on the calendar year: contributions, grant room earned, and grant used.
The quick math to remember: $7,200 ÷ 20% = $36,000. That is the total you need to contribute, at the right pace, to collect the full grant.
The extra $50 or $100: Additional CESG
Families with lower or middle incomes get an extra boost on the first $500 contributed each year. For 2026, ESDC's table based on adjusted family net income is:
| Adjusted family net income (2026) | Extra on first $500 | Max yearly CESG |
|---|---|---|
| Less than $58,523 | 20% = $100 | $600 |
| $58,523 to $117,045 | 10% = $50 | $550 |
| More than $117,045 | Not eligible | $500 |
Two details matter. First, the Additional CESG cannot be carried forward, so it only pays in a year you actually contribute at least $500. Second, it counts toward the same $7,200 lifetime limit, so it helps you reach the maximum sooner rather than adding on top. Adjusted family income is the primary caregiver's and their spouse's or common-law partner's income from line 23600 of the tax return, with small adjustments for UCCB and RDSP income.
Families with low income may also qualify for the Canada Learning Bond: up to $2,000 per child, with no contribution needed. ESDC lists $500 in the first eligible year, then $100 a year up to age 15. For July 2026 to June 2027, families with 1 to 3 children qualify at an adjusted income of $58,523 or less.
Catching up on missed years
Every child earns $500 of basic CESG room each year from birth, even before an RESP exists. Unused room carries forward until the end of the year the child turns 17. To use it, you contribute more than $2,500 in a year. ESDC caps the catch-up: the basic grant is 20% of up to $5,000 of contributions, so at most $1,000 of basic CESG per year.
That cap is the speed limit people miss. Each catch-up year uses $1,000 of room but adds back $500 of new room, so you only close the gap by $500 a year. Start late enough and there are not enough years left to collect it all.
Worked examples
1. Steady from birth: $2,500 a year
Contribute $2,500 every year from the year the child is born. The grant is 20% × $2,500 = $500 each year for 14 years (ages 0 to 13), which is $7,000. At age 14 the child needs only $200 more to hit the limit. Total grant: $7,200 by age 14. The contributions that earned it: 14 × $2,500 + $1,000 = $36,000. Anything you add after that still grows in the RESP, but earns no more grant.
2. Starting at age 5 with $5,000 a year
By age 5, the child has built up 6 × $500 = $3,000 of room. Contribute $5,000 a year and you get the $1,000 maximum for five years (ages 5 to 9), using up the backlog: room goes $3,000, $2,500, $2,000, $1,500, $1,000 before each grant, then hits zero. From age 10 you are back to $500 a year, reaching $7,000 at age 13 and $7,200 at age 14. Total: $7,200. Only $36,000 of what you put in actually earned grant.
3. Starting at age 12
By age 12 the room is 13 × $500 = $6,500. Even at the $1,000 yearly max, the most you can collect from age 12 through 17 is 6 × $1,000 = $6,000, and the extra rules at ages 16 and 17 can cut that further. Starting late is not hopeless, but some grant is gone for good.
4. Family under $58,523, $2,500 a year from birth
Each year earns $500 basic plus $100 additional = $600. Twelve years (ages 0 to 11) reach $7,200. Same lifetime total, three years sooner.
Rules that trip people up
- Ages 16 and 17. A child that age only qualifies for CESG if, before the end of the year they turn 15, at least $2,000 was contributed (and not withdrawn), or at least $100 a year was contributed (and not withdrawn) in any four earlier years.
- The $50,000 contribution limit. The CRA sets a lifetime contribution limit of $50,000 per beneficiary across all RESPs. Grants do not count toward it. Excess contributions are taxed at 1% a month until withdrawn.
- December 31, not tax season. Grant room runs on the calendar year. A contribution in January counts for the new year.
- Grandparents and others can open one too. Anyone can be a subscriber, but the $7,200 grant and $50,000 contribution limits are per child, across all plans.
- B.C. and Quebec. B.C. offers a one-time $1,200 grant for eligible children aged 6 to 8, and Quebec has a refundable tax credit with a lifetime maximum of $3,600, on top of the CESG.
Options families compare
| Approach | Grant pace | What it asks of you |
|---|---|---|
| $2,500 a year from birth | $500 a year, max by age 14 | About $208 a month |
| Smaller monthly amount | 20% of whatever you add | Lower cash flow now; may not reach $7,200 |
| Catch up later at $5,000 a year | Up to $1,000 a year | Larger lump sums; start by age 10 to collect it all |
| At least $500 a year if eligible for the extra | Locks in the $50 or $100 that does not carry forward | A small yearly habit |
Whatever you choose, the RESP is one of several accounts families juggle. See how it fits with the RRSP vs TFSA decision and your emergency fund. Our compound interest guide shows why money added early has longer to grow, and the calculators page has more tools.
How to make sure you get the grant
- Get the child a Social Insurance Number.
- Open an RESP at a financial institution and ask it to apply for the CESG (and the Canada Learning Bond if you may qualify).
- Contribute before December 31 each year. $2,500 earns the full $500.
- If you missed years, contribute up to $5,000 to collect up to $1,000.
- Check the grant on your RESP statement every year, and stop chasing grant once the total reaches $7,200.
Questions people ask
How much is the RESP grant in 2026?
The basic CESG is 20% of the first $2,500 contributed each year, up to $500. Families with adjusted income under $58,523 can get an extra $100, and those between $58,523 and $117,045 an extra $50, on the first $500 contributed.
What is the lifetime maximum CESG?
$7,200 per child, for the basic and additional grant combined, across all RESPs for that child.
Can I catch up on missed RESP grant years?
Yes. Unused basic grant room carries forward until the end of the year the child turns 17. You can get up to $1,000 of basic grant a year by contributing up to $5,000. The Additional CESG does not carry forward.
How much do I need to contribute to get the full $7,200?
$36,000 in total, because the basic grant is 20%. Spread at $2,500 a year from birth, you reach the maximum at age 14.
Is there a deadline to contribute for the grant?
Grant room runs on the calendar year, so contribute by December 31. The CESG stops at the end of the calendar year the child turns 17, with extra conditions at ages 16 and 17.
Do I need to contribute to get the Canada Learning Bond?
No. The Canada Learning Bond requires no contributions. It provides up to $2,000 for eligible children from low income families, but the child must be named in an RESP.
What is the RESP contribution limit?
The CRA sets a lifetime contribution limit of $50,000 per beneficiary, with no annual limit. Government grants do not count toward it.
Looni's calculators run the RESP grant math for your child's age, and the read-only coach shows where your monthly money goes so you can find the $208. Read-only, no advice, just the arithmetic.
Sources
Employment and Social Development Canada, How much money benefits could add to the RESP (20% of the first $2,500, $500 a year, $7,200 lifetime, 2026 income table, carry forward up to $1,000 a year, ages 16 and 17 rules, Canada Learning Bond amounts and 2026 to 2027 thresholds, B.C. and Quebec grants; page modified August 10, 2026) and InfoCapsule 11: The Canada Education Savings Grant ($500 of room a year, $1,000 limit with carry forward, Additional CESG not carried forward, $7,200 combined limit). Canada Revenue Agency, RESP contributions ($50,000 lifetime limit, 1% a month tax on excess). Grant schedules computed by Looni.
Saving for a child with a disability? The RDSP grant and bond guide shows a match of up to $3,500 a year plus a bond of up to $1,000.
Heading to school in Ontario? Using RESP money does not reduce OSAP; see how OSAP treats savings.