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Can I Use an RESP for a School or University Outside Canada?

Updated

Educational Assistance Payments (the grants and growth in an RESP) aren’t limited to Canadian schools. Many universities and colleges abroad qualify, but the minimum course length depends on the type of institution. This page covers those rules, exchange terms, and the documents providers ask for. The account basics are in the complete RESP guide, and every related guide is listed in the RESP hub.

The rules for institutions outside Canada

EAPs can be paid to a student in a qualifying (full-time) program, at the post-secondary level, lasting at least 3 consecutive weeks with at least 10 hours a week of courses or work, or, from age 16, in a specified (part-time) program of at least 3 consecutive weeks with at least 12 hours a month of courses; outside Canada, a university course must be full-time and at least 3 consecutive weeks, and another post-secondary institution's at least 13 consecutive weeks.

The RESP rules include two kinds of foreign institution:

Institution outside CanadaMinimum courseFull-time required?
A university with courses at the post-secondary level3 consecutive weeksYes
A college or other post-secondary institution13 consecutive weeksNot specified

So a full-time student at a foreign university meets the same minimum length as a full-time student in Canada, while a course at a foreign college or other institution has to run at least 13 consecutive weeks. The rules for programs in Canada, including the hours tests, are explained in using an RESP for trade school or college.

The institution itself has to be post-secondary. Accredited universities in the US, UK, Europe, Australia and elsewhere generally are; language schools, gap-year programs and short courses usually aren’t.

Exchange terms and study abroad

A student enrolled at a Canadian college or university who spends a term abroad as part of their program is still enrolled at the Canadian school. The Canadian rules apply, and EAPs continue as usual. This is the simplest international case and the most common one.

What doesn’t qualify

  • A gap year of travel or work abroad, since the student isn’t enrolled anywhere.
  • Language schools, bootcamps and short courses that aren’t post-secondary, or that are too short.

Contributions can still be refunded to the subscriber tax-free; only EAPs need enrolment in a program that qualifies. Withdrawing contributions while no beneficiary is eligible for an EAP can mean repaying part of the CESG, since the grant was paid on those contributions.

Documents providers ask for

DocumentWhat it should show
Enrolment or acceptance letterStudent’s name, institution, program
Proof of full-time status (for a university)Course load or credit hours
Program datesStart and end dates, confirming the minimum length
Fee statementSupports the amount requested

Documents in another language may need a translation. Asking the provider before the student leaves avoids delays.

Withdrawal limits and tax

The usual EAP limits apply: for full-time study, at most $8,000 for the first 13 consecutive weeks of enrolment, then no cap. Families paying higher foreign tuition often take the first EAP at the limit and the rest after the first period. How to time EAPs across the years of study is covered in our RESP withdrawal guide.

EAPs are taxed as the student’s income, as they would be for a Canadian school. A student who is still a resident of Canada for tax purposes while studying abroad reports them on their Canadian return. Foreign universities certify tuition for the Canadian tuition tax credit on a different form than Canadian schools; our tuition tax credit guide explains the credit.

Sources

The figures and rules on this page come from these sources, last checked against them between August 29, 2026 and October 1, 2026. How we check facts.