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RESP grant calculator (CESG) for 2026

See the free government grant your RESP contribution earns. Enter what you plan to contribute this year and we'll work out the 20% Canada Education Savings Grant, up to $500 a year (or $1,000 with catch-up), and show your progress toward the $7,200 lifetime maximum per child. No login, no sign-up, nothing stored.

20% match · Up to $500/year · $7,200 lifetime · Estimate only, not tax advice
Per child. The CESG matches 20% of this, so $2,500 earns the full $500.
Total grant paid into this child's RESP so far, to track the $7,200 lifetime cap.
This year's CESG grant
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This is a general-information estimate of the basic CESG, not tax advice. It doesn't model the income-tested Additional CESG or the Canada Learning Bond, and 16- and 17-year-olds must meet extra prior-contribution rules. Grant is paid by Employment and Social Development Canada through your RESP provider.

How it works

The government adds 20% on top of what you put in, up to $500 a year

The Canada Education Savings Grant pays 20% of your RESP contributions, up to $500 per child each year on the first $2,500 you contribute. Unused grant room carries forward, so a single year can pull in one extra year's grant, up to $1,000 on a $5,000 contribution. Across the child's whole childhood the grant tops out at $7,200, which takes about $36,000 of contributions to reach. Your contributions themselves are capped at $50,000 per child for life, and there's no annual contribution limit, only the annual grant cap.

CESG rule (2026)Amount

The $7,200 grant is tracked per child across every RESP, but no single provider sees the total. Mozaic adds up your family's RESP contributions and growth automatically from your real accounts.

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RESP grant questions

How much is the RESP grant (CESG)?
The basic Canada Education Savings Grant (CESG) matches 20% of what you contribute to an RESP, up to $500 per child per year on the first $2,500 you contribute. So a $2,500 contribution earns the full $500 grant. Lower-income families can get an extra 10% or 20% on the first $500 through the Additional CESG.
How much do I need to contribute to get the maximum RESP grant?
Contribute $2,500 per year to collect the full $500 basic CESG each year. To reach the $7,200 lifetime grant per child you contribute about $36,000 in total, roughly $2,500 a year for around 15 years. Anything you contribute beyond $2,500 in a year (up to a $5,000 catch-up) can pull in unused grant room from earlier years.
What is the lifetime CESG limit?
$7,200 in Canada Education Savings Grant per child, across every RESP the child is named in. Once a beneficiary has received $7,200 of CESG, further contributions still grow tax-sheltered but earn no more basic grant. This is separate from the $50,000 lifetime limit on your own RESP contributions.
Can I catch up on missed RESP grant years?
Yes, but only one year at a time. In any single year you can receive at most $1,000 of basic CESG, which means contributing up to $5,000 to claim the current year's $500 plus one prior year's unused $500. You can't collect several missed years of grant in one lump, so starting early and contributing steadily is what maxes the grant.
Until what age does a child qualify for the CESG?
Contributions earn the basic CESG up to the end of the calendar year the child turns 17. There are extra conditions for 16- and 17-year-olds: the RESP must have received either $2,000 in contributions, or $100 a year in at least four prior years, before the year the child turned 16. Starting the RESP early avoids that trap.
Is the RESP grant the same as the money I contribute?
No. The grant is free government money the CESG adds on top of your own contributions. Your contributions count against the $50,000 lifetime RESP contribution limit; the grant does not. There is no annual limit on RESP contributions, only the $50,000 lifetime cap, but only the first $2,500 a year (or $5,000 with catch-up) earns the 20% grant.