Prepare documents and questions before requesting RESP withdrawals for school.
Once the beneficiary is enrolled in a qualifying program, food costs tied to attending school — including a residence meal plan or basic groceries — can be reasonable EAP expenses.
If residence already includes food, do not claim the same food cost twice without provider guidance.
Answer the promoter's current expense question as written, ask what receipt it needs, and keep the residence invoice and EAP breakdown.
How to check this rule
Details that matter
School-linked food
Food costs tied to attending school fit EAP rules better than general household groceries.
No double-counting
Do not claim the same food cost twice without provider guidance.
Ask before withdrawing
Promoters may be more restrictive than the CRA examples, so confirm the process first.
Example
Example: A first-year student on a residence meal plan uses EAP money for the plan invoiced with residence fees, and keeps the residence invoice with the EAP breakdown instead of claiming groceries on top.
Questions to ask your provider
Would you treat this meal plan as a reasonable EAP expense?
How should residence-included food be separated from extra grocery costs?
Should food costs come from EAPs or contribution withdrawals in the first term?
What receipts do you require for food costs?
Read next
Withdraw RESP money explains the broader decision and links to related tools.