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Office of Financial Aid

Louisiana’s Taylor Opportunity Program “TOPS” For Students

If you are not going to be enrolled in at least 12 hours in the Fall and 12 hours in the Spring, there are steps you must follow to receive your TOPS. (Wintersession classes are not calculated in the 12 hour semester requirement for TOPS purposes)

You need to reach out to the ULM Financial Aid Office at finaid@ulm.edu or 318-342-5320.

If you do not reach out and complete the requirements for less than full time enrollment, you are at risk of losing your TOPS.

If you are less than 12 hours, your TOPS may be posted initially. However, it will be cancelled eventually if you do not reach out to us to see what needs to be completed to qualify to keep it. 

 

***If you are approved to take less than 12 hours and complete the required documentation, your TOPS will be prorated to the amount of hours you are enrolled in for that term. ***

The four different award components of the TOPS Program are:

The TOPS Opportunity Award

Standard Eligibility Requirements

*BESE-Approved Home Study Eligibility – ACT/SAT Score of 2 points above standard – Currently 22
*Louisiana Residents graduating from an eligible out-of-state/country high school – ACT/SAT Score of 3 points above standard – Currently 23

Renewal Requirements

1 Suspended Award will be reinstated if appropriate GPA regained within 24 months.
2 Failure to enroll full time, maintain continuous enrollment or earn 24 hours results in cancellation of award and it cannot be reinstated without an Approved Request for Exception to the Initial, Continuous, Full-Time Enrollment and/or 24 Hour Requirement.

 

The TOPS Performance Award

The TOPS Performance Award pays the TOPS Award Amount set by the administering agency for a student at a particular institution during the 2022-2023 academic year unless increased by Act of the Legislature plus an annual stipend of $400. If a student attends a college within the Louisiana Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, the award amount will be the weighted average award amount that was set for public colleges and universities during the 2022-2023 academic year plus an annual stipend of $400.

Click here for the award amount at your school

 

Standard Eligibility Requirements

*BESE-Approved Home Study Eligibility – ACT/SAT Score of 24 (1 point above standard in lieu of core units and GPA)
*Louisiana Residents graduating from an eligible out-of-state high school – ACT/SAT Score 26 (3 points above standard in lieu of core units and GPA)

 

Renewal Requirements

– Minimum 3.00 GPA at the end of all Academic Years 1
– Maintain Steady Academic Progress at the end of all other semesters/terms (2.00 Cumulative GPA) 1,2
– Student must be enrolled full-time as of the 15th class day at a semester institution or as of the 10th class day at a quarter institution and maintain continuous enrollment3
– Earn at least 24 Credit Hours for Academic Year (the TOPS Academic Year begins with the fall term of the award year and concludes immediately before the next fall term commences. All intersessions and summer sessions are included) 3
– Hours earned during the Intersession between Fall and Spring Semesters will be counted toward meeting the 24 Hours Annual Requirement but not toward Full-Time Enrollment 

1 If Cum GPA less than 3.00 but 2.30 or greater with 24 – 47 hours, award will be continued as Opportunity Award (no Stipend); if less than 3.00 but 2.50 or greater with 48 and greater hours, award will be continued as Opportunity Award (no Stipend).
2 If Cum GPA less than 2.30 with 24 – 47 hours or less than 2.50 with 48 or greater hours, award will be suspended but will be reinstated if appropriate GPA regained within 24 months.
3 Failure to enroll full time, maintain continuous enrollment or earn 24 hours results in cancellation of award and it cannot be reinstated without an Approved Request for Exception to Initial, Continuous Full-Time Enrollment, and/or 24 Hour Requirement.

 

The TOPS Honors Award

The TOPS Honors Award pays the TOPS Award Amount set by the administering agency for a student at a particular institution during the 2022-2023 academic year unless increased by Act of the Legislature plus an annual stipend of $800. If a student attends a college within the Louisiana Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, the award amount will be the weighted average award amount that was set for public colleges and universities during the 2022-2023 academic year plus an annual stipend of $800.

Click here for current TOPS Award Amounts by Institution.

 

Standard Eligibility Requirements

*BESE-Approved Home Study Eligibility – ACT/SAT Score of 28 (1 point above standard in lieu of core units and GPA)
*Louisiana Residents graduating from an eligible out-of-state high school – ACT/SAT Score 30 (3 points above standard in lieu of core units and GPA)

Renewal Requirements

– 3.00 GPA at the end of all Academic Years 1
– Maintain steady Academic Progress at the end of all other semesters/terms (2.00 Cumulative GPA) 1,2
– Student must be enrolled full-time as of the 15th class day at a semester institution or as of the 10th class day at a quarter institution and maintain continuous enrollment3
– Earn at least 24 Credit Hours for Academic Year (the TOPS Academic Year begins with the fall term of the award year and concludes immediately before the next fall term commences. All intersessions and summer sessions are included) 3
– Hours earned during the Intersession between Fall and Spring Semesters will be counted toward meeting the 24 Hours Annual Requirement but not toward Full-Time Enrollment 

1 If Cumulative GPA less than 3.00 but 2.30 or greater with 24 – 47 hours, award will be continued as Opportunity Award (no Stipend); if less than 3.00 but 2.50 or greater with 48 or greater hours award, will be continued as Opportunity Award (no Stipend).
2 If Cumulative GPA less than 2.30 with 24 to 47 hours or less than 2.50 with 48 and greater hours, award will be suspended but will be reinstated if appropriate GPA regained within 24 months.
3 Failure to enroll full time, maintain continuous enrollment or earn 24 hours results in cancellation of award and it cannot be reinstated without an Approved Request for Exception to the Initial, Continuous, or Full-Time Enrollment, and/or 24 Hour Requirement.

 

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.

LAICU Award Amount: Tuition and Fees or $8,500 (whichever is less)
If a student attends a private institution within the Louisiana Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (LAICU), 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 $8,500, whichever is less.

Standard Eligibility Requirements 

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 here to 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 here for TOPS home study requirements.

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

Complete the 19.0 core units of the TOPS OPHE Core Curriculum

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

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

Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

Meet the TOPS Louisiana residency requirements.

1Louisiana 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)

 

Renewal Requirements

Earn a cumulative minimum 3.00 GPA at the end of all Academic Years 1

Maintain Steady Academic Progress at the end of all other semesters/terms (2.00 cumulative GPA). 1,2

Student must be enrolled full-time as of the 15th class day at a semester institution or as of the 10th class day at a quarter institution, and maintain continuous enrollment 3

Earn at least 24 credit hours for each academic Year (the TOPS academic year begins with the fall term of the award year and concludes immediately before the next fall term commences. All intersessions and summer sessions are included) 3

Hours earned during the Intersession between Fall and Spring Semesters will be counted toward meeting the 24 Hours annual requirement but not toward Full-Time Enrollment

For more information on courses that will and will not fulfill the 24 Hours annual requirement, click here.

1 If cumulative GPA is less than 3.00 but 2.30 or greater with 24 – 47 hours, award will be continued as the Opportunity Award (no stipend); if less than 3.00 but 2.50 or greater with 48 or more hours, award will be continued as Opportunity Award (no Stipend).
2 If cumulative GPA is less than 2.30 with 24 — 47 hours or less than 2.50 with 48 or more hours, award will be suspended but will be reinstated if appropriate GPA regained within 24 months.
3 Failure to enroll full time, maintain continuous enrollment, or earn 24 hours results in cancellation of award, and it cannot be reinstated without an Approved Request for Exception to the Initial, Full-Time or Continuous Enrollment, and/or 24 Hour Requirement.

2025-2026 TOPS OPH/Grad/PROF Programs Annual Award Amounts

 

 

Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance, a program of the Board of Regents

 

 

 Questions & Answers 

Visit the following site for LOSFA FAQ Information

https://mylosfa.la.gov/students-parents/scholarships-grants/tops/

 

Questions not answered?

Please contact the ULM Office of Financial Aid at 1-318-342-5320 or email finaid@ulm.edu. More detailed information can be found on the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance TOPS website                                (www.mylosfa.la.gov). You may also contact them by email at (custserv@la.gov).

 

 

For more information, please visit our website(s) listed below:

 

For more information on TOPS, please visit our TOPS FAQ information or use the LOSFA link above or contact LOSFA at the contact information below:

https://mylosfa.la.gov/about/contact/

 

For more information on Scholarships, contact:
ULM Admissions & Scholarships | Sandel Hall 102| Phone: 318.342.5321 | Email: scholarships@ulm.edu


To discuss other financial aid options, including education loans, please contact:
Financial Aid Services | Sandel Hall 115| Phone: 318.342.5320 | Email: finaid@ulm.edu


To discuss Fee Bill questions or concerns, please contact:
Student Account Services | Coenen Hall | Phone: 318.342.5128 or 318.342.5124 | Email: sas@ulm.edu 

 

 

 


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