# hi finance and Embark partner to help students claim the Canada Learning Bond

hi finance, the student finance app, has partnered with Embark, Canada's education savings and planning company, to help eligible students claim the Canada Learning Bond, a federal grant worth up to $2,000.

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**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

**TORONTO, Aug. 19, 2026** — hi finance, the student finance app, today announced a partnership with Embark, Canada's education savings and planning company, to help students claim the Canada Learning Bond (CLB), an income-based federal grant worth up to $2,000 for eligible students that many students never receive because it requires opening a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP).

Through the partnership, the hi finance app helps students find out if they might be eligible for the CLB, and if they are, connects them with Embark to open an RESP in their own name. The process is designed for students opening an account in their own name, removing the paperwork and confusion that has historically kept many eligible students from claiming the money.

The CLB is an income-based federal grant for students from modest-income families. It is deposited directly into an RESP and does not require any personal contribution, it is a grant, not a match. Eligible students can receive up to $2,000 total, including $500 for the first year they qualify and $100 for each additional year, up to age 15.

"Too many students are leaving free money on the table because claiming the CLB means opening an RESP, and the process was never built for them," said Mike Lyons, CTO and Co-Founder of hi finance. "By partnering with Embark, we've built a process that's actually designed for students, the app helps them find out if they might be eligible for the CLB, and if they are, connects them with Embark to open their RESP."

"Claiming a federal education grant shouldn't require decoding a government program," said Andrew Lo, president and CEO, Embark. "The Canada Learning Bond is one of the most powerful tools available to Canadian students, no contribution required, just an RESP. Together with hi finance, we're removing the friction that has kept it out of reach for many. We're making it something you can check your eligibility for in seconds and act on in minutes."

The Canada Learning Bond is one of the most underclaimed grants in Canada. Eligibility is based on adjusted family net income, with a threshold of approximately $57,375 for families with up to three children in the 2025-2026 benefit year. Students born in 2004 or later can apply until the day before their 21st birthday, and the grant is retroactive, so those who qualified in earlier years can claim that money now. Not all students will qualify, and eligibility is determined by the Government of Canada.

The partnership is part of hi finance's broader mission to help students unlock funding, reduce financial stress, and build financial confidence. Once a student's funding is set up, hi finance helps them budget, save, and manage their money through the rest of their time in school and beyond.

## About hi finance

hi finance is the student finance app that helps students find and claim grants, scholarships, and bursaries, and build financial confidence from day one. Through the app, students can discover funding they didn't know existed. hi finance is backed by UCeed Investment Funds and is built on the belief that students should be able to bank on themselves, not the banks.

## About Embark

Embark is Canada's education savings and planning company. Managing RESPs for more than 600,000 students, Embark helps approximately 60,000 Canadians attend post-secondary school each year and has paid out approximately $8.1 billion to students as part of their education savings since its inception. Registered as a Scholarship Plan Dealer across Canada, Embark is committed to empowering families along their post-secondary journeys.

## Media contact

Mike Lyons
CTO and Co-Founder, hi finance
mike@hifinance.ca