TOPS Performance Award
Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA)
TOPS tuition amount plus a $400/yr stipend for Louisiana students with a 3.25 TOPS core GPA and a 23 ACT.
- How much
- TOPS Award Amount for your school + $400 annual stipend; 2026-27 totals about $2,780-$9,278 per year by school (e.g. $7,862.98 at LSU Baton Rouge)
- Who qualifies
- 3.25 TOPS core-curriculum GPA (Class of 2022 onward); 19 units of the TOPS core; ACT 23 (or SAT equivalent). BESE-approved home study: ACT/SAT 24 in lieu of core and GPA; out-of-state graduates: 26. Louisiana resident (TOPS residency rules), U.S. citizen or permanent resident; graduate from a BESE-approved Louisiana high school (or approved home study; out-of-state graduates qualify through higher test scores). Enroll full-time as a first-time freshman by the first semester after the first anniversary of high school graduation. ACT superscores are not accepted.
- For high school seniors, students starting college, undergrads
- U.S. citizen or permanent resident
- When to apply
- Open now Full award: application (FAFSA or TOPS Online Application) must be received by July 1 (next business day if a weekend) after the one-year anniversary of your high school graduation - e.g. Class of 2027 by July 1, 2028. LOSFA's recommended FAFSA priority date is February 1 of your senior year. Later applications (through roughly the following fall) can still qualify for fewer semesters of funding.
- How to apply
- Apply by filing the FAFSA (recommended
- It also applies you for Pell, GO Grant and other aid) or, if you can show you don't qualify for federal grant aid, the TOPS Online Application on LOSFA's site (not both)
- Make sure your name, date of birth and address match your high school records and ACT/SAT/CLT exactly
- LOSFA begins eligibility processing in June and emails you
- Track status in your LOSFA Student Hub account
- Continuing students don't reapply - they just have to meet the renewal requirements
- What you'll need
- FAFSA + transcript + test scores
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (mylosfa.la.gov), page 2, page 3 and page 4
The details
Second TOPS level. Pays the TOPS Award Amount for your school plus a $400 annual stipend ($200/semester). 2026-27 annual totals from LOSFA's table: about $2,780 (proprietary/cosmetology) to $3,614 at most community/technical colleges, about $4,636-$7,863 at most four-year publics (LSU Baton Rouge $7,862.98), and $6,118 at LAICU private colleges. Louisiana National Guard recipients get the Guard tuition exemption plus a $600/yr book stipend and an $800/yr educational stipend. Renewal: earn at least 24 credit hours each academic year, stay enrolled full-time (as of the 15th class day) and continuously, and keep a 3.00 cumulative GPA at the end of each academic year (2.00 steady progress at other terms). If your GPA falls below 3.00 but stays at 2.30+ (24-47 hours) or 2.50+ (48+ hours), the award continues as an Opportunity Award without the stipend; below that it is suspended and can be reinstated if you regain the GPA within 24 months.
More money from Louisiana
- TOPS Excellence AwardTuition and fees or $12,000 per year, whichever is less (public); tuition and fees or $8,500, whichever is less (LAICU private)
- Louisiana Geaux Teach Scholarship ProgramUp to $5,000 per year
- Louisiana GO Grant$300 minimum to $3,000 maximum per year (set by your school)
- Rockefeller State Wildlife Scholarship$2,000 per year (undergraduate); $3,000 per year (graduate); $12,000 cumulative maximum
- M.J. Foster Promise Program$3,200 per award year ($1,600 per semester) full-time; up to $6,400 total (full $6,400 in one year for certain high-cost programs)
Keep looking
- Answer a few questions to see every program you qualify for
- Nearby states: Arkansas, Mississippi, Texas
- Federal aid and national scholarships (open to students in any state)
- The FAFSA in plain English (2027-28)
- Should I file the FAFSA if I don't think I'll qualify?
- FAFSA deadlines by state (2027-28)
- The FAFSA for parents: what you need to do
- How to save on textbooks: free, rented and cheaper options
We list programs; we don't decide who gets them. Always check the official page before you apply. Spot something wrong? Tell us.