TOPS Tech Award
Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA)
Up to two years of TOPS tuition for a technical certificate, diploma or applied associate degree in Louisiana, for students with a 2.50 core GPA and a 17 ACT (or WorkKeys Silver).
- How much
- TOPS Award Amount for your school (2026-27: about $2,618-$3,214 per year at two-year public colleges) for up to two years
- Who qualifies
- 2.50 TOPS core GPA; the 21-unit TOPS Tech JumpStart core (or the 19-unit TOPS core); ACT 17 (or SAT equivalent) or a Silver score on ACT WorkKeys. 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, trade school students
- 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
TOPS level for skill or occupational training: up to two years toward a vocational/technical certificate, diploma or non-academic degree at LCTCS campuses, public two- or four-year schools, approved proprietary schools and accredited cosmetology schools (LOSFA says there are currently no TOPS Tech-eligible programs at LAICU colleges). Pays the TOPS Award Amount for that school; 2026-27 annual amounts from LOSFA's table are about $2,618-$3,214 at two-year publics (e.g. $3,086.08 at Baton Rouge CC, $3,214.15 at most LCTCS colleges), with a weighted-average amount at proprietary/cosmetology schools. Some approved academic transfer pathways also qualify. Guard members get the Guard tuition exemption plus a $600/yr book stipend. Renewal: 2.50 cumulative GPA at the end of every spring (2.00 at other terms; reinstated if 2.50 regained within 12 months), full-time continuous enrollment, 24 earned hours per academic year.
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
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