Frequently asked questions
When does the Alberta Centennial Education Savings Plan begin?
The program began January 1, 2005. Children born and children who turn 8, 11, and 14 on or after this date are eligible.
What is the Alberta Centennial Education Savings Plan?
The Alberta Centennial Education Savings Plan is an incentive for parents to begin planning and saving for their children's education as early as possible.
Under the Alberta Centennial Education Savings Plan, the Alberta government will contribute $500 to the registered education savings plan (RESP) of every baby born to an Alberta resident in 2005 and beyond.
Grants of $100 are available to children enrolled in school at ages 8, 11 and 14 beginning with children who turn these ages on or after January 1, 2005 and whose parents are residents of Alberta.
Who is eligible for the Alberta Centennial Education Savings Grant?
All children born in 2005 and beyond to Alberta residents or adopted by Alberta residents are eligible for the $500 grant.
If you have questions on eligibility, please contact the ACES program at ACES@gov.ab.ca or 1 866 515-2237
The child will need to be named as the beneficiary of a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) account, and have an application submitted on their behalf for the grant funds. Applications must be received by the time the child turns six years old.
Grants of $100 are available to children enrolled in school at ages 8, 11 and 14 beginning with children who turn these ages on or after January 1, 2005 and whose parents are residents of Alberta. A child will not have to receive previous grants in order to qualify for $100 grants. These grants require a minimum $100 invested in an RESP within one year prior to application.
How do I apply for the $500 or $100 Alberta Centennial Education Savings Grant?
To apply for the $500 Alberta Centennial Education Savings Grant, parents and guardians, who are Alberta residents, will need to set up an RESP. The following steps are required:
- register the birth or adoption of the child. For more information, visit http://www.servicealberta.gov.ab.ca/540.cfm
- apply for a birth certificate at any Alberta registries outlet. For more information, visit http://www.servicealberta.gov.ab.ca/779.cfm
- apply for a social insurance number for the child at any Canada/Alberta Service Centre. For more information, visit http://www1.servicecanada.gc.ca/eforms/forms/2006/nas2120e.pdf
- open a Registered Education Savings Plan with a financial institution or RESP provider. For more information on RESPs, visit http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tax/registered/resp/menu-e.html. For more information on financial institutions that provide RESPs, visit http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/gateways/topics/cgs-fqf.shtml
- apply for the Alberta Centennial Education Savings Grant through your financial institution or RESP provider.
To apply for the $100 Alberta Centennial Education Savings Grant, parents and guardians, who are Alberta residents, will need to:
- Set up an RESP. Please follow the steps above.
- These grants require a minimum $100 invested in an RESP within one year prior to application. Contact your financial institution or RESP provider.
Who can open an RESP for a child?
The rules and regulations set out by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) allow for parents, relatives and friends to open an RESP for a child. These rules may be found by visiting http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tax/registered/resp/menu-e.html.
For frequently asked questions about RESPs and the Canada Education Savings Grant, visit http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/gateways/topics/cgs-fqf.shtml.
Will I need to match government contributions?
No for the $500 grant. Yes for the $100 grant. There will not be a specific requirement to match the initial grant of $500 but there may be a minimum contribution required to open an RESP. Different RESP plans have different requirements, so check with your RESP provider. The $100 grants that are available when the child turns 8, 11 and 14 will require a minimum $100 matching deposit to the RESP within one year prior to application.
What types of RESPs are eligible to recieve the ACES Grants?
To be eligible to receive the ACES grants, an RESP must either:
- have only one child as the beneficiary, or
- if it is a family plan, all beneficiaries must be siblings.
Where can I get the application form for the ACES grant?
Please visit your RESP provider, or click on Where to Apply for a list of RESP providers who are currently offering the ACES grant. Your RESP provider should have copies of the ACES application form. They will also help you fill out the application and will submit it electronically on your behalf to the government for processing.
If you are an eligible RESP provider and do not have an ACES application form to use with your clients, please contact your head office. Alternatively, you may email us at ACES@gov.ab.ca. Please note, an updated ACES application form was released in August 2007 and is now mandatory.
Where do I send the ACES application form?
Applications for the ACES grant must be submitted directly through your eligible RESP provider. Application forms mailed to government can not be processed and will be returned.
If your RESP provider sent you the ACES grant application by mail, please look for a return address on the cover letter or call your RESP provider for their mailing address. Before returning the form to your RESP provider, remember to double-check all the information given, sign all of the appropriate sections, and include copies of any necessary documentation (for example, proof that a parent or legal guardian meets the Alberta Residency Requirement).
How are these grants being promoted?
Information about the Alberta Centennial Education Savings Plan certificate and RESPs is sent to the birth or adoptive parent of each child born in Alberta. Vital Statistics mails the information to families after a birth or adoption has been registered.
Information will also be available through RESP providers and advertising.
How will the funds be deposited into the RESP account?
The governments of Alberta and Canada are working together to administer the grant payments. Once the federal government receives notification that an individual has opened an RESP account and applied for the Alberta Centennial Education Savings Grant, the grant funds will be deposited into the child's RESP account.
Further inquiries should be directed to the RESP provider or the federal government by calling the Canada Education Savings Grant Program of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada at 1-888-276-3624.
How will funds be withdrawn from the Alberta Centennial Education Savings Grant?
The Alberta Centennial Education Savings Grant is paid out as part of an Educational Assistance Payment (EAP) to the eligible beneficiary named on the RESP or to a sibling of that beneficiary.
An EAP may only be paid to a beneficiary who is enrolled in a qualifying educational program at a designated post-secondary institution. The subscriber or the beneficiary may request an EAP.
Should the grant not be withdrawn through an EAP, the funds must be repaid to the Government of Alberta.
What type of post-secondary education can the funds be used for?
The funds can be used for:
- A university, college or other educational institution in, or outside of Canada.
- An educational institution in Canada certified to provide courses that give a person occupational skills or improve a person's occupational skills, including apprenticeship courses.
How will this grant benefit my child when they enter post-secondary studies?
The Alberta Centennial Education Savings Plan will provide funding for a portion of the costs associated with post-secondary studies. More importantly the plan will encourage families to plan and save for their children's post-secondary studies.
What happens if my child does not go on to post-secondary studies?
If the beneficiary has not begun post-secondary studies within 26 years of the RESP being opened, the Alberta Centennial Education Savings Grant portion will be returned to the provincial government; or depending on the type of RESP you've chosen, the funds may be transferable to a sibling.
Why hasn't the $500 grant been deposited into my child's RESP yet?
Parents and guardians are encouraged to contact their bank or RESP provider to follow-up on their application.
Why is the $500 program only available to children born in 2005 and beyond?
Like any program of this type, the Alberta Centennial Education Savings Plan must have a defined start date. As a province, we are committed to both the students of tomorrow and today.
While this investment will have an important impact on future students, it in no way detracts from our commitment to ensure that young Albertans already in or about to enter the Kindergarten to Grade 12 and post-secondary systems enjoy every possible advantage.
Alberta's education system and the results achieved by our students are among the best in the world. Government is committed to further investment in today's learners and to improving upon our world class learning opportunities.
As a province we must ensure that we respond to the needs of today, but we must also anticipate and take action to meet the needs of tomorrow. Government's comprehensive learning strategy, which includes the Alberta Centennial Educational Savings Plan, achieves this balance.
How much money is the province investing into the Alberta Centennial Education Savings Plan?
The Alberta government is committed to funding every eligible application received. In the first two years of this program, a total of 16,505 grants, worth $ 8.3 million were paid into RESPs for Albertans.
What proof is required that the parent/guardian is a resident of Alberta?
During the application process for both the $500 and the $100 grants, the RESP provider must see proof that the parent or guardian is a resident of Alberta. Some examples of documentation that would demonstrate the parent or guardian makes their residence and is ordinarily present in Alberta would be:
- an Alberta driver's licence;
- an Alberta photo identification card;
- an Alberta Health Insurance Card; or
- bank statements, utility bills, or rental agreements that state the individual's address.
What proof may be requested that the child is attending school? (a requirement for the $100 grants)
During the application process for the $100 grants, the RESP provider may ask to see proof that the child is attending school. Some examples of documentation that would demonstrate that the child is attending school would be:
- a current school report card;
- a current, personalized letter from the school;
- if child is home-schooled, a copy of the home education notification form signed by the relevant associate board.
My family is receiving income support; is there any help for us in setting up an RESP or making the contribution required to get the grant when my children turn 8, 11, 14?
The Income Support program provides benefits to help parents receiving Income Support access ACES grants. For more information talk to your Income Support worker, or if you require your worker’s telephone number, please contact the Income Support Contact Centre at 1-866-644-5135 (toll free) or 644-5135 in the Edmonton Area.
