Proof of Enrolment for RESP Withdrawals: What Your School Needs to Give You
By Muntasir • Published Jul 20, 2025 • Updated Sep 20, 2026 • Money & Budgeting, Canadian Universities & Colleges
Your RESP promoter needs written proof you registered and started classes before it releases an Educational Assistance Payment. Get this from your school's registrar or student portal, not from an acceptance letter.
📩 Ask the registrar for an enrolment or registration confirmation letter
🎓 The letter needs your name, student number, program, and start date
⏱️ Full-time versus part-time status must be stated clearly
🏠 Submit it to your promoter right after registration closes
💵 Missing details are the top reason withdrawals get delayed
Proof of enrolment is not the same as an offer letter
An offer of admission or letter of acceptance does not count. Your promoter needs a document confirming you registered and started attending, issued after you complete registration for the term.
Get it from the registrar, not admissions
Request an enrolment confirmation letter, sometimes called a registration confirmation or confirmation of enrolment, from your school's office of the registrar. Most Canadian universities and colleges generate this document automatically through the student portal once you register for courses. Admissions offices handle offers, not enrolment confirmations, so go straight to the registrar if you are unsure where to ask.
What the letter must show
Your full legal name matching the RESP beneficiary's name on file
Your student number
The name of the program or credential
The start date of the term
Whether you are registered full-time or part-time
Some promoters also want the expected end date of the term, since this affects how the EAP is calculated.
When to submit it
Submit the confirmation as soon as you finish registering, ideally before classes start. Most promoters release the first EAP within a few business days once they have a valid document on file, so a late submission delays your first payment, not just the paperwork.
Full-time, part-time, and co-op terms
Your enrolment status changes which EAP rules apply, so the registrar's letter needs to state it plainly. A co-op work term with no classes usually does not count as enrolment for EAP purposes. Tell your promoter how your school classifies that term before you request a withdrawal for it.
Common reasons withdrawals get delayed
The letter names an admitted program that has not started yet, with no confirmed registration
Full-time or part-time status is missing or unclear
The name on the letter does not match the beneficiary's name on the RESP
The school does not appear on the government's list of designated educational institutions
The request goes in before the promoter's processing cutoff for that term
If your school does not send one automatically
Log into the student portal and check for a downloadable enrolment or registration confirmation under records or documents. If nothing is available there, email the registrar's office directly, name the RESP promoter's requirement, and ask for a letter on school letterhead. Processing typically takes a few business days, so request it as soon as registration closes for the term.
Renew it every term
Submit a fresh enrolment confirmation for each term or year, depending on your promoter's policy. A letter from first year does not cover a withdrawal request in a later year.
Studying at a foreign school
If your child studies outside Canada, the same idea applies. Request a written enrolment or registration confirmation from that school's registrar or international office, since a Canadian promoter cannot verify a foreign program on its own.
Keep your own copy
Save a copy of every enrolment confirmation you submit, along with the date you sent it and the promoter's response. A paper trail on your side matters if a withdrawal gets delayed or rejected.