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Louisiana TOPS Excellence Award

Offered by Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) · Free to apply

TOPS Excellence is the newest and highest TOPS tier, added by Act 347 of 2025 for graduates from 2024-25 onward. It pays full tuition and fees up to $12,000 a year at a Louisiana public college, or up to $8,500 at a LAICU private college. Students need a 3.50 TOPS core GPA, the 19-unit core curriculum, and an ACT of 31 (no superscores), plus Louisiana residency, U.S. citizenship or permanent residency, and full-time enrollment as a first-time freshman by the semester after the first anniversary of graduation. Louisiana residents graduating from eligible out-of-state high schools need a 34. Apply through the FAFSA or TOPS Online Application by July 1 after the first anniversary of graduation. Renewal needs a 3.0 GPA; otherwise it continues as Opportunity.

Other deadlines near this one

How hard is the Louisiana TOPS Excellence Award to win?

Odds: no published selection data
Paperwork: ~1 hr to file

What drives the odds here

Odds on a scholarship are mostly a question of how many students can enter. Each rule below changes the size of that field.

Fewer rivalsOpen only to Louisiana residents
Fewer rivalsAn official transcript is required
Fewer rivalsRequires at least a 3.5 GPA
Fewer rivalsRequires a minimum test score
More rivalsA five-figure award attracts a bigger field

How Solyo estimates this: We model the applicant field from how narrow the eligibility rules are, then divide the awards available by that field. Requirements such as essays and recommendation letters improve a serious applicant’s odds, because most browsers never complete them. These are estimates derived from each award's published structure, not reported acceptance rates, which almost no scholarship provider discloses. Treat them as a way to rank where the hours go, not as a guarantee.

Who can apply for the Louisiana TOPS Excellence Award?

These are the eligibility rules Solyo verified against the official award page, translated into plain English. Your student must meet each one.

Must be a resident of Louisiana
Must attend a college in Louisiana (the award does not travel out of state)
Open to high school seniors and current college students
GPA of 3.5 or higher (unweighted)
ACT score of 31 or higher
Open to U.S. citizens or permanent residents (green card)

Confirm these before applying

Must complete the 19-unit TOPS core curriculum at a BESE-approved high school
ACT of 31; ACT superscores are not accepted

Good to know

Private LAICU colleges: up to $8,500

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Does your student actually qualify?

Not sure your student clears every rule above? Solyo checks 20+ criteria against their real profile: GPA, state, grade level, intended major, and more, across every award in this directory at once.

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What the application takes

Transcript required. Request it from the school registrar ahead of the deadline.

Deadline and application cycle

The current deadline is July 1, 2027. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around July 1 each year. File the FAFSA in senior year; a single ACT sitting must reach 31.

TOPS application (FAFSA or TOPS Online Application) due: July 1, 2027

Remind me before July 1 Apply on the official site

Free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge a fee. We use your student's information only to build their plan.

Common questions about the Louisiana TOPS Excellence Award

How much is the Louisiana TOPS Excellence Award worth?

The Louisiana TOPS Excellence Award awards tuition and fees up to $12,000 per year and is renewable in later years.

When is the Louisiana TOPS Excellence Award deadline?

The current deadline is July 1, 2027. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around July 1 each year. File the FAFSA in senior year; a single ACT sitting must reach 31.

Who is eligible for the Louisiana TOPS Excellence Award?

Key requirements: Must be a resident of Louisiana; Must attend a college in Louisiana (the award does not travel out of state); Open to high school seniors and current college students; GPA of 3.5 or higher (unweighted). 2 more criteria are listed on this page.

Does the Louisiana TOPS Excellence Award require an essay?

No essay is required. The application does ask for a transcript. Expect to spend about 1 hour on it.

How hard is it to win the Louisiana TOPS Excellence Award?

A large applicant pool chases this award. Apply if the student is a genuinely strong fit, but build the plan around better-odds awards first. No published applicant or winner counts exist for this award, so Solyo shows no odds figure. What is known: open only to Louisiana residents and an official transcript is required. Plan on about 1 hr of work.

Is the Louisiana TOPS Excellence Award free to apply?

Yes. The Louisiana TOPS Excellence Award is free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge an application fee, and Solyo verifies every listed award against its official page.

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Lists this award appears on

Award details are curated by Solyo and verified against the official scholarship page. Deadlines and requirements can change between cycles, so always confirm on the provider's site before applying.