Louisiana TOPS Performance Award
Offered by Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) · Free to apply
TOPS Performance is the second tier of Louisiana's merit scholarship. It pays the TOPS Award Amount (a per-school tuition figure set from 2016-17 levels unless raised by the Legislature) plus a $400 annual stipend at Louisiana public colleges, or a weighted average at LAICU private colleges. Students need a 3.25 TOPS core GPA, the 19-unit TOPS core curriculum, an ACT of 23 or SAT equivalent (no superscores), 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. Apply by filing the FAFSA or TOPS Online Application by July 1 after the first anniversary of graduation. Renewal requires a 3.0 college GPA; below that the award drops to Opportunity.
Other deadlines near this one
- Arkansas Academic Challenge ScholarshipDue July 1, 2027 · $1,000 freshman year, then $4,000-$5,000/yr at 4-year colleges (up to $14,000 total)
- Arkansas Future Grant (ArFuture)Due July 1, 2027 · Full tuition and mandatory fees for qualifying certificate/associate programs (last-dollar)
- Arkansas Governor's Higher Education Transition ScholarshipDue July 1, 2027 · Up to $2,500 a semester
How hard is the Louisiana TOPS Performance Award to win?
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.
- 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 3.25 GPA
- Fewer rivalsRequires a minimum test score
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 Performance 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 3.25 or higher (unweighted)
- ACT score of 23 or higher
- Open to U.S. citizens or permanent residents (green card)
- Must complete the 19-unit TOPS core curriculum at a BESE-approved high school
- ACT of 23 or SAT equivalent; ACT superscores are not accepted
- Must meet TOPS Louisiana residency rules
Personalized matching
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.
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; the July 1 deadline for full funding falls a year after graduation, but filing early avoids lost semesters.
- TOPS application (FAFSA or TOPS Online Application) due
- July 1, 2027
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 Performance Award
How much is the Louisiana TOPS Performance Award worth?
The Louisiana TOPS Performance Award awards TOPS Award Amount plus $400 per year and is renewable in later years.
When is the Louisiana TOPS Performance 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; the July 1 deadline for full funding falls a year after graduation, but filing early avoids lost semesters.
Who is eligible for the Louisiana TOPS Performance 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 3.25 or higher (unweighted). 2 more criteria are listed on this page.
Does the Louisiana TOPS Performance 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 Performance 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 Performance Award free to apply?
Yes. The Louisiana TOPS Performance Award is free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge an application fee, and Solyo verifies every listed award against its official page.
More merit-based scholarships
- Louisiana TOPS Tech AwardTOPS Award Amount (tuition) for up to two years · due July 1, 2027
- Massachusetts Valedictorian Program Tuition Waiver100% tuition waiver at Massachusetts public colleges · due June 30, 2027
- Missouri Advanced Placement Incentive Grant$500 (one time) · due June 1, 2027
- Mitch Daniels Early Graduation Scholarship$4,000 (one time) · due August 31, 2027
- Montana National Merit Semi-Finalist Tuition WaiverTuition for the first two semesters · due June 30, 2027
- NALC William C. Doherty Scholarship Fund$16,000 ($4,000/yr over 4 years) · due December 31, 2026
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.