# hi finance and Embark are helping students claim the Canada Learning Bond hi finance has partnered with Embark to make it easier for eligible students to claim the Canada Learning Bond, up to $2,000 in free government money for their education. --- We've partnered with Embark to help students claim the Canada Learning Bond (CLB). It's an income-based federal grant worth up to $2,000 that many eligible students never get, because it requires opening an RESP and most people don't know the money exists. Now the hi finance app can help you find out if you might be eligible, and if you are, connect you with Embark to open your RESP. ![hi finance and Embark](/learn-images/clb-embark-partnership/hi-x-embark.svg) ## What is the Canada Learning Bond? The CLB is an income-based grant from the Government of Canada for students from modest-income families. It's deposited directly into a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP), and you don't need to put any of your own money in to get it. It's a grant, not a match. - **$500** for the first year you qualify - **$100** for each additional year you qualify, up to age 15 - **Up to $2,000** total per student The money is meant to help cover the cost of education after high school, including tuition, books, and other school expenses. You need to be enrolled in a qualifying post-secondary program to take it out, and if you never enrol, the CLB goes back to the government. If you're between 18 and 20, you can claim the CLB yourself. We wrote a [step-by-step guide to claiming the adult CLB](/learn/how-to-get-adult-clb/). ## Why we partnered with Embark ![Embark logo](/learn-images/clb-embark-partnership/embark-logo.svg) The CLB only lands in an RESP, and opening one has always been the barrier. Most students don't have one, and the paperwork and rules around RESPs are confusing. Part of the problem is that most RESP processes aren't built for you. The big financial institutions design them for parents opening accounts for their kids, not for a young adult opening one in their own name. So if you're a student trying to claim the CLB, you can end up in a process that assumes you're a parent, with forms and questions that don't fit your situation. That's why we teamed up with Embark. Together we built a process that's actually designed for students: the app helps you find out if you might be eligible for the CLB, and if you are, connects you with Embark to open an RESP in your own name. Embark handles the account and applies for the CLB on your behalf once it's open. No confusing paperwork, no process that assumes you're a parent. Just a few steps, and someone handling the government side for you. ## How it works You can now claim the CLB through the hi finance app in a few steps: 1. **Find out if you qualify.** Take the [hi finance survey](https://fihi.ca/s/survey?v=clb-announcement) to see if you're eligible for the CLB, and whether there are other grants you qualify for too. 2. **Download the app and sign up.** Create your account to apply with hi. 3. **Open your RESP.** Schedule a short meeting with Embark to get your RESP opened. It's a 20-minute video call, and you'll need a photo ID and your SIN. 4. **Wait for the CLB to land.** Once your RESP is open and the CLB is approved, the government deposits the money into your RESP. It can take up to 3 months. 5. **Receive your funding.** The CLB shows up directly in your RESP. 6. **hi finance helps you withdraw it.** Once you're enrolled and ready, we help you get the money out to cover your school costs. It comes out as an Educational Assistance Payment, which is [taxed in the student's hands](https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/education/education-savings/managing-plan.html), though most students have little other income and end up owing nothing. This is general information, not financial advice; a tax preparer can confirm what a withdrawal means for your own return. ## Do I qualify? The CLB is an income-based grant for students from modest-income families. For the 2025-2026 benefit year, eligibility is based on adjusted family net income, with a threshold of about $57,375 for families with up to three children. The threshold is higher for larger families and changes each year. Not all students will qualify, and eligibility is determined by the Government of Canada. If you were born in 2004 or later, you can apply for the CLB until the day before your 21st birthday. The grant is retroactive, so if you qualified in any earlier year, you can claim that money now. Not sure if you qualify? It only takes a couple of minutes. Find out if you qualify ## What this means for you The CLB is one of the most underclaimed grants in Canada, and it's free money you never pay back. If you think you might qualify, it's worth checking. You can see if the Canada Learning Bond is available to you right in the hi finance app, and if it is, we'll help you get it. This is part of a bigger goal for us. Grants are how we get started with students, but the relationship doesn't end there. Once your money is set up, we want to help you budget, save, and make your money work better for the rest of your time in school and beyond. hi finance is a Startup TNT Investment Summit winner, helping students across Canada unlock funding and build financial confidence. For the full announcement, read the [press release](/press/embark-partnership).