Points for School
Points for School is a Canadian platform that converts loyalty program points, primarily Aeroplan, into education credits deposited directly into student accounts at over 100 participating Canadian institutions, serving students, families, donors, and employers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersMarkham, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Points for School does
Points for School is a Canadian education funding platform, headquartered in Markham, Ontario, that converts loyalty program points into education credits transferable directly to student accounts at participating Canadian institutions. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of THIS Group Holdings Ltd and operates at a micro headcount of 1–10 employees. Its primary distribution channel is the Aeroplan eStore, where Aeroplan members redeem points at a disclosed rate of roughly 140 Aeroplan points per $1 credit; secondary reach comes from over 100 participating educational institutions including universities, colleges, high schools, and ancillary education service providers such as Canada Homestay Network. The product is positioned as a three-sided marketplace linking loyalty program members, donors/family, and institutions, with an additional B2B gift certificate offering for employers, donors, and scholarship providers who wish to fund education without holding loyalty points, and a CST Spark partnership that extends usability into Registered Education Savings Plans.
The underlying technology is a web-based loyalty redemption and fund transfer platform, operated at app.pointsforschool.com, where members register, redeem confirmation codes from loyalty programs, and initiate institution transfers; the platform infrastructure is developed and maintained by SplitMango Inc., with guard.me branding powering the technology stack. The company is PIPEDA- and GDPR-compliant and has a registered Points for School trademark. There is no disclosed AI/ML, API, or SDK surface; the platform is fundamentally a transactional workflow product.
Commercially, Points for School runs a transaction-fee / take-rate model on loyalty point redemptions and gift certificate sales, with free end-user membership. Pricing is anchored to the loyalty program conversion economics rather than a fixed subscription. GTM motion is hybrid: channel-partner-led through Aeroplan and institutional websites, supplemented by self-service product-led growth on the web/app. No revenue, funding, or headcount growth figures have been disclosed, leaving the financial profile opaque; the company should be assessed as a small, parent-subsidiary-scale operation whose strategic significance is primarily its distribution footprint rather than disclosed financial scale.
Points for School firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Points for School
- Legal name
- Points for School
- Website
- https://pointsforschool.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Points for School is a Canadian platform that converts loyalty program points, primarily Aeroplan, into education credits deposited directly into student accounts at over 100 participating Canadian institutions, serving students, families, donors, and employers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Points for School industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Education Funding Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (6117), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Miscellaneous Business Credit Institution (6159)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Scholarship, Financial Aid & FAFSA Support Platforms (EDAFAMAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Student Billing, Invoicing & Account Statements (EDALAJAC), Scholarships, Grants & Education Benefits Administration (Financing-adjacent) (FSAKAEAM)
Keywords
Where Points for School is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Markham
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Points for School business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Loyalty Point Redemption Processing: Points for School facilitates the redemption of loyalty points from partner programs (e.g., Aeroplan) in exchange for education credits. The company earns revenue by taking a percentage or flat fee from each loyalty point redemption transaction processed through the platform.
- Gift Certificate Sales: Sale of Points for School Gift Certificates to employers, recruiters, donors, and individuals who want to help fund education without using loyalty points. Funds are deposited directly into recipient institution accounts.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Free membership with loyalty point redemption fees built into exchange rates |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Gift Certificates available for purchase |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Points for School product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Points for School operates an education funding platform that enables users to redeem loyalty points (e.g., Aeroplan points) and convert them into education credits, which are then deposited directly into student accounts at over 100 participating Canadian educational institutions. The platform also offers Gift Certificates for employers, donors, and individuals who wish to fund education without using loyalty points.
Product overview
Points for School is a single-platform loyalty redemption service that enables users to convert accumulated loyalty points from participating loyalty programs into education credits. The core offering consists of the Points for School Platform (website and member account system at app.pointsforschool.com), where users join for free, redeem loyalty points for education credits through partner programs like Aeroplan, and transfer funds directly to accounts at over 100 participating Canadian educational institutions. An add-on Gift Certificate product extends the service to those without loyalty points by allowing employers, donors, or individuals to purchase education credits. The platform operates as a three-sided marketplace connecting loyalty program members, participating institutions, and loyalty program partners.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Points for School Platform
- Points for School Gift Certificate
- Points for School Member Account
Companies that use Points for School
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Points for School technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Points for School partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
23 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- AeroplancoreAeroplan is the primary loyalty program partner enabling Aeroplan members to redeem their Aeroplan points for Points for School education credits. Members can access Points for School rewards through the Aeroplan eStore. The partnership provides the main channel for customer acquisition and point redemption.
- SplitMango Inc.coreSplitMango Inc. serves as the technology infrastructure developer for Points for School, building and maintaining the platform's technical systems.
- CST SparkcoreCST Spark is a strategic partner enabling Points for School funds to be transferred into Registered Education Savings Plans (RESPs). This partnership expands the utility of Points for School beyond tuition payments to include education savings.
- University of WaterloocoreParticipating institution receiving Points for School fund transfers. Students can transfer accumulated education credits directly to their University of Waterloo accounts to cover tuition and education expenses.
- McMaster UniversitycoreParticipating institution with over 32,000 undergraduate students from 125+ countries. McMaster students can receive Points for School fund transfers directly to their institution accounts.
- Sheridan CollegecoreParticipating institution educating approximately 40,000 students annually on three campuses in Ontario. Students can transfer Points for School funds to Sheridan College accounts.
- Thompson Rivers UniversitycoreParticipating institution serving over 25,000 students on campuses in Kamloops and Williams Lake, and through online Open Learning.
- Wilfrid Laurier UniversitycoreParticipating institution with programs across arts, social sciences, business, music, science, social work and education.
- Centennial CollegecoreParticipating institution with global presence in countries including China, India, South Korea and Brazil, preparing graduates to enter the workforce.
- Bishop's UniversityminorParticipating institution founded in 1843, a primarily undergraduate university with about 2,800 full-time students in Quebec.
- Mount Allison UniversityminorParticipating institution ranked Canada's #1 undergraduate university by Maclean's magazine, offering liberal arts and sciences education.
- Acadia UniversityminorParticipating institution with 3,574 students from nearly every province and nearly 60 countries, known for strong academic programs.
- Concordia University of EdmontonminorParticipating institution founded in 1921, emphasizing student connection and blending diverse academic disciplines.
- Lakehead UniversitycoreParticipating institution with campuses in Thunder Bay and Orillia, hosting 11 Canada Research Chairs and world-renowned facilities.
- University of New BrunswickcoreParticipating institution, Canada's oldest English-language university founded in 1785, with over 10,000 students from 100+ countries.
- Branksome HallminorParticipating institution, Toronto's only International Baccalaureate (IB) World School for girls, cultivating innovative mindsets.
- Columbia CollegeminorParticipating institution established in 1936, one of Canada's longest established international not-for-profit colleges.
- Cambrian CollegeminorParticipating institution, the largest college in northeastern Ontario, serving more than 5,000 full-time and part-time students.
- St. Michael's College SchoolminorParticipating institution, Canada's only Catholic, Basilian, independent school educating boys Grades 7-12 since 1852.
- Canada Homestay NetworkminorParticipating organization providing homestay accommodations for international students in Canada.
- NCA TutorminorParticipating organization providing legal education services to internationally trained lawyers seeking Canadian qualification.
- Lowell High SchoolminorParticipating institution, an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School and university preparatory school in Vancouver.
- LexPDminorParticipating organization providing professional development courses and accredited CPD courses for Ontario bar exams.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves1 record
Expansion highlights5 records
Points for School competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- FutureFuel.io: FutureFuel.io is a student debt and education benefits platform for employers, enabling direct payments toward employee student loans and 529 contributions. Adjacent to Points for School on the employer channel and education finance rails.
- Candidly: Candidly provides employers with student loan repayment, 529, and education savings benefits administered through its platform. Overlapping with Points for School on employer-driven education funding and direct-to-institution transfers.
- GradFin: GradFin partners with employers to provide student loan repayment and education funding benefits as part of employee compensation packages. Comparable on the employer/benefits channel targeting education expenses.
Direct peers
- Upromise: Upromise (acquired by Sallie Mae) converts shopping cashback and partner rewards into 529 plan contributions for college savings. It is the closest analog to Points for School in the US market, monetizing consumer rewards activity into education funding.
- Gift of College: Gift of College allows individuals and employers to purchase gift cards whose proceeds are deposited into a beneficiary's 529 plan. It is structurally identical to Points for School's gift certificate pathway, applied to US 529s instead of Canadian institutions.
- SAGE Scholars / College Tuition Rewards: SAGE Scholars operates the College Tuition Rewards program, a network of participating colleges where families accumulate tuition reward points through participating banks, insurers, and employers. Comparable to Points for School as a loyalty-to-tuition network, though points are earned (not redeemed from existing programs).
- Tuition.io: Tuition.io is an employer education benefits platform that enables companies to disburse tuition assistance, student loan repayment, and other education funding directly to institutions and 529 plans. Comparable on the employer/B2B channel and direct institution disbursement.
Broad incumbents
- Flywire: Flywire is a global education payments platform enabling international students and families to pay tuition and education expenses to institutions worldwide. Comparable on direct-to-institution education fund transfers, though operating at much larger scale and primarily cross-border.
Market position
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Points for School social profiles
Digital presencePoints for School compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Points for School financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Points for School leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Points for School funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Points for School M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Points for School
What does Points for School do?
Points for School operates an education funding platform that enables users to redeem loyalty points (e.g., Aeroplan points) and convert them into education credits, which are then deposited directly into student accounts at over 100 participating Canadian educational institutions. The platform also offers Gift Certificates for employers, donors, and individuals who wish to fund education without using loyalty points.
Is Points for School a public or private company?
Points for School is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Points for School founded?
Points for School was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Points for School based?
Points for School is headquartered in Markham, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Points for School make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Loyalty Point Redemption Processing is the primary driver. The others are gift Certificate Sales.
Who are Points for School's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are FutureFuel.io, Candidly and GradFin. Direct peers are Upromise, Gift of College, SAGE Scholars / College Tuition Rewards and Tuition.io. Flywire is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Points for School have an API?
No public API is recorded for Points for School.
What industry is Points for School in?
Points for School's product category is Education Funding Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAFAMAF, Scholarship, Financial Aid & FAFSA Support Platforms, with a secondary code of EDALAJAC, Student Billing, Invoicing & Account Statements. Its NAICS code is 6117 and its SIC code is 8200.