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Financial Aid

TOPS

What is TOPS?

The Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) (Authored by State Representative Charles R. McDonald) is a program of state merit-based scholarships for Louisiana residents who attend either one of the Louisiana Public Colleges and Universities, schools that are a part of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, Louisiana approved Proprietary and Cosmetology Schools or institutions that are a part of the Louisiana Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. 

TOPS Eligibility

o    Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

o    Meet TOPS Louisiana residency requirements.

o    Complete all required units on the TOPS or TOPS Tech core curricula.

o    Meet minimum Core GPA requirements (by award level) upon high school graduation.

o    Meet minimum ACT composite score requirements (by award level).

 

Applying For TOPS 

The Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) (Authored by State Representative Charles R. McDonald) is a program of state merit-based scholarships for Louisiana residents who attend either one of the Louisiana Public Colleges and Universities, schools that are a part of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, Louisiana approved Proprietary and Cosmetology Schools or institutions that are a part of the Louisiana Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. 

 

 

  • You have two options to apply for TOPS: the TOPS Online Application or The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®). The FAFSA® allows you to apply for TOPS/TOPS Tech, other state aid, and all federal aid.  
  • Completing the TOPS Online Application fulfills the graduation requirement as an alternative to completing the FAFSA®; however, the TOPS Online Application allows you to apply ONLY for TOPS/TOPS Tech.  
  • If you complete the FAFSA®, you do not have to fill out the TOPS Online Application to apply for TOPS.  

 

 

 

About the TOPS Excellence Award

The TOPS Excellence Award was added by Act 347 of the 2025 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature. Eligibility for the TOPS Excellence Award begins with high school students graduating in the 2024 -2025 academic year.

 

Award Amount: Tuition and Fees or $12,000 (whichever is less)
If a student attends a public institution in Louisiana, the award pays an annual amount equal to tuition and fees as reported to the Board of Regents in the annual mandatory survey on tuition and fees, or $12,000, whichever is less.

o    Attend a Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) APPROVED HIGH SCHOOL. All Louisiana public schools are approved.

  • If the student attends a non-public school, it must be approved by BESE in order for the student to be considered for TOPS. Click hereto choose the Approval by Brumfield v Dodd document for the year the student graduated/will graduate from high school to determine if your child’s non-public school is approved.
  • If the student is enrolled in an approved home study program through the Louisiana Department of Education, click herefor TOPS home study requirements.

o    Earn a minimum TOPS Core Curriculum GPA of at least 3.50 (GPA computed on TOPS Core Curriculum courses only)

o    Complete the 19.0 core units of the TOPS OPHE Core Curriculum

o    Earn a minimum ACT score of 31. Click here for the LOSFA ACT and SAT codes needed. 1

  • TOPS does not accept an ACT Superscore

o     

o    Enroll full time as a first-time freshman, by the first semester following the first anniversary of high school graduation

o    Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

o    Meet the TOPS Louisiana residency requirements.

Louisiana Residents graduating from an eligible out-of-state high school – ACT/SAT/CLT Score 34 (3 points above standard in lieu of core units and GPA)