Use the checks below to confirm whether the answer fits the family, provider, and school situation.
Prepare documents and questions before requesting RESP withdrawals for school.
Usually no. Turning 18 does not automatically give the beneficiary control of the RESP. The subscriber-promoter contract still governs who can instruct the account.
The adult student may receive payments from the RESP when the plan conditions and education rules are met. For example, EAPs can be paid to or for a beneficiary enrolled in a qualifying post-secondary program.
That means a student can be the taxable recipient of EAP money without being the person who controls the entire RESP.
How to check this rule
Details that matter
Age is not ownership
The beneficiary becoming an adult does not automatically transfer subscriber rights.
School eligibility matters
EAPs depend on qualifying education enrolment, not only age.
Payment is not control
Receiving an EAP is different from controlling the RESP contract.
Tax slips
EAPs are generally taxable to the student beneficiary.
Example
Example: A student turns 18 in June and starts college in September. The subscriber still requests the RESP withdrawal, while the student receives the EAP and later uses the T4A slip for tax filing.
Questions to ask your provider
Does the beneficiary need to sign anything after turning 18?
Who can request EAPs from this account?
Can the EAP be paid directly to the student?
Who receives the T4A slip?
Read next
Parent control over an RESP explains the broader decision and links to related tools.
Tool next step
RESP Withdrawal Checklist can help estimate the practical contribution choices before you confirm eligibility with the promoter.
Provider next step
RESP Provider Checklist helps you compare promoters on grant support, fees, and withdrawal process before opening or moving an RESP.