TOPS Scholarship Louisiana 2026: SAT/ACT Requirements & Award Tiers

The TOPS Scholarship (Taylor Opportunity Program for Students) is Louisiana's flagship state merit scholarship — and to qualify for the entry-level Opportunity Award you need a minimum SAT score equivalent to an ACT of 20 (set annually as the prior-year state average, never below 20), with upper tiers requiring SAT equivalents up to an ACT 31 for the brand-new Excellence Award. TOPS is a program of state merit-based scholarships for Louisiana residents who attend Louisiana public colleges and universities, schools in the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, approved proprietary schools, or institutions in the Louisiana Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (LAICU). In short: if you live in Louisiana and hit the right GPA and test score, the state will cover a substantial chunk — or all — of your tuition.

TOPS is one of the most straightforward state scholarship programs in the country, but it has five distinct award tiers, a dynamic ACT floor that resets every year, and a brand-new Excellence tier created by the Louisiana Legislature in 2025. If you're not paying attention to the exact cutoffs, you could leave thousands of dollars on the table. This guide breaks down every tier, every test-score threshold, the application process, renewal rules, and what changed for the 2025–26 cycle.

1. What Is the TOPS Scholarship?
2. The 5 TOPS Award Tiers Explained
3. SAT & ACT Score Requirements by Tier
4. GPA & Core Curriculum Requirements
5. How to Apply for TOPS
6. Renewal Requirements & How to Keep Your Award
7. Combining TOPS with Other Aid
8. Final Thoughts
9. Frequently Asked Questions

1. What Is the TOPS Scholarship?

Typical Question: "Is TOPS a grant or a scholarship, and do I have to apply separately?"

The Taylor Opportunity Program for Students is a merit-based scholarship program administered by the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) for Louisiana residents attending eligible in-state colleges. Unlike need-based aid, TOPS doesn't care about your family's income — it cares about your grades and test scores.

🧠 How It Works:

Each year, LOSFA evaluates the records of all Louisiana high school graduates whose parents are also Louisiana residents. Eligibility is determined through high school transcripts and student ACT scores, and LOSFA notifies graduates of their eligibility during the summer following high school graduation. To apply, high school graduates need to complete the FAFSA. There's no separate essay, no letters of recommendation, and no competitive application process. You either hit the numbers or you don't.

📊 Who Is Eligible (Base Requirements):

• Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and meet TOPS Louisiana residency requirements.
• Attend a BESE-approved high school. All Louisiana public schools are approved; non-public schools must be approved by BESE.
• Complete the required TOPS Core Curriculum units (19 units for Opportunity/Performance/Honors).
• Enroll full-time as a first-time freshman at a Louisiana college within one year of high school graduation.

Pro Tip: When you register for the ACT or SAT, add LOSFA's test code — ACT code 1595 and SAT TOPS code 9019 — so your scores are automatically sent to LOSFA. Forgetting this single step is one of the most common reasons students experience delays in eligibility notification.

2. The 5 TOPS Award Tiers Explained

Typical Question: "How much money does TOPS actually pay — and is it the same at LSU as it is at a community college?"

TOPS is a comprehensive program of state scholarships for students from Louisiana. It has four traditional award levels with different selection criteria and retention requirements — and as of the class of 2025, a fifth "Excellence" tier was added for the highest-scoring students.

✅ The 5 Tiers at a Glance:

💡 What "TOPS Award Amount" Actually Means:

The TOPS Award Amount is based on the cost of tuition set by the administering agency for a student at that particular institution for the 2016–2017 academic year unless increased by an Act of the Legislature. This means your award at a pricier school may not cover all of your tuition — the amount is essentially frozen at 2016–17 rates unless the legislature acts. 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 an Act of the Legislature, plus an annual stipend of $400.

The brand-new Excellence tier breaks from this model entirely. If a student attends a public institution in Louisiana, the Excellence Award pays an annual amount equal to tuition and fees as reported to the Board of Regents in the annual mandatory survey, or $12,000, whichever is less. If a student attends a private LAICU institution, the Award pays an annual amount equal to tuition and fees or $8,500, whichever is less.

Pro Tip: Louisiana has given merit-based TOPS scholarships for nearly three decades, but participation has slumped in recent years — fewer students are meeting the academic requirements, while more eligible students are turning down awards. Some of the highest-achieving students are choosing colleges in states with more generous scholarships. The Excellence tier was specifically designed to change that calculus.

3. SAT & ACT Score Requirements by Tier

Typical Question: "I have an SAT score, not an ACT — can I still qualify for TOPS, and what's the equivalent score?"

The ACT is the primary test for TOPS eligibility in Louisiana. But if you've only taken the SAT, you're not out of luck. A student who has not taken the ACT may use a qualifying score on the SAT. The SAT composite score is determined using the scores from the Critical Reading and Math sections only — the writing portion of the SAT is not considered.

🧠 SAT-to-ACT Conversion for TOPS Tiers:

Note: SAT equivalencies are based on College Board concordance tables. LOSFA uses official concordance data — always check mylosfa.la.gov for the current official SAT code table.

❌ Common Pitfalls:

• No superscoring: TOPS does not accept an ACT Superscore. Your score must come from a single test sitting.
• Test timing matters: The deadline for taking the ACT or SAT is April of the year you graduate from high school. Qualifying scores from tests taken in May or June may be used to qualify for a TOPS award as well, but only if the student does not have a qualifying score on file — and students using tests taken in May or June will lose one semester of TOPS eligibility.
• The Opportunity floor changes annually. The minimum ACT composite score is set at the prior-year state average but never less than 20. Plan for a 20 minimum as your baseline.
• Forgot the TOPS test code. Without codes 1595 (ACT) or 9019 (SAT) on your registration, your scores won't automatically reach LOSFA.

✅ SAT Strategy for TOPS:

If you're hovering near a tier cutoff on the ACT, the SAT can be your secret weapon. The SAT rewards careful preparation in math and reading — exactly the two sections LOSFA counts. Aiming for TOPS Performance? A targeted push to 1150+ on the SAT Evidence-Based Reading + Math is your goal. For TOPS Excellence, you're looking at 1400+. Want help diagnosing exactly which skills are holding your score back? Florida's Bright Futures guide walks through a parallel state-scholarship SAT strategy that Louisiana students can adapt directly.

4. GPA & Core Curriculum Requirements

Typical Question: "My overall GPA is 3.1, but my TOPS Core GPA is different — which one counts?"

This trips up more Louisiana students than any other TOPS rule. Your overall GPA doesn't count. LOSFA calculates a separate GPA based only on your TOPS Core Curriculum courses.

🧠 Traditional Mistake:

Students assume their weighted class rank or overall GPA qualifies them. But your TOPS eligibility is based on your TOPS Core GPA, not your overall cumulative GPA, and TOPS does not round GPAs. A 2.499 is not a 2.5 — there is zero rounding in TOPS calculations.

✅ What the Core Curriculum Looks Like:

The standard TOPS Core Curriculum requires completion of 19 units of specific courses, including English, math (through Algebra II or higher), science, social studies, foreign language, and electives. Make sure you are taking the correct required 19 units that comprise the TOPS Core Curriculum. The Performance and Honors tiers require a higher core GPA:

• TOPS Opportunity: Core GPA of 2.50
• TOPS Performance: Minimum TOPS Core Curriculum GPA of 3.00 (GPA computed on TOPS core courses only); increases to 3.25 for the graduating class of 2022 and beyond.
• TOPS Honors & Excellence: Minimum TOPS Core Curriculum GPA of 3.50 beginning with the graduating class of 2022.

❌ Common Pitfalls:

• Taking an elective that doesn't count as a TOPS core unit — ask your counselor every semester to verify.
• Assuming a dual-enrollment college course automatically substitutes for a TOPS core unit without verification.
• Earning an "Incomplete" grade: an incomplete (I) grade makes you ineligible for TOPS until that grade is completed.
• Forgetting that TOPS GPA is calculated on a standard 4.0 scale — schools that use plus/minus grading (like LSU) will have a TOPS GPA that differs from the institutional GPA.

Pro Tip: Log into the LOSFA Student Hub — an online system that lets high school students track TOPS core curriculum requirements, TOPS GPA requirements, and ACT scores in real time. Don't wait until senior year to discover you're short a science unit.

5. How to Apply for TOPS

Typical Question: "Is there a separate TOPS application, or does the FAFSA cover it?"

The application process is simpler than most students expect — there's no standalone TOPS application form in the traditional sense.

✅ Step-by-Step Application Process:

1. Complete the FAFSA (or LOSFA application) by July 1 of your senior year. The TOPS scholarship is awarded to graduating Louisiana high school seniors who have met certain academic requirements and have filed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by July 1.
2. Register for the ACT or SAT with the correct TOPS codes (ACT: 1595 / SAT: 9019). Take your exam no later than April of your senior year to protect all 8 semesters of eligibility.
3. Make sure your name matches exactly on all forms. Make sure your name is the same on all documents — school records, ACT test registrations, FAFSA, college applications. Pick a name and stick with it. Spelling, spacing, punctuation, and abbreviation matter.
4. Create a LOSFA Student Hub account after May 1 of senior year to track your initial eligibility in real time.
5. Receive your award letter. Students receive an official TOPS award letter via email from LOSFA. Students can expect to receive the notification towards the end of June or beginning of July. This notification provides the student with the TOPS level.
6. Enroll full-time at an eligible Louisiana institution by the first semester following the first anniversary of high school graduation.

🔍 Key Deadline:

The FAFSA deadline for TOPS is July 1 of your graduating year. Miss it and you forfeit the award entirely — there's no late filing exception for TOPS. Mark it in your calendar now. For broader SAT test scheduling that fits this timeline, see our full SAT test dates calendar.

❌ Common Pitfalls:

• Filing the FAFSA after July 1 — this is an absolute hard deadline.
• Not verifying your high school is BESE-approved (especially for private or charter school students).
• Assuming out-of-state test scores automatically transmit — always add the TOPS test codes manually at registration.

6. Renewal Requirements & How to Keep Your Award

Typical Question: "I got TOPS my freshman year — what do I need to do to keep it for all 4 years?"

Earning TOPS is step one. Keeping it is where students stumble. The award covers up to 8 semesters (4 academic years) for Opportunity, Performance, and Honors recipients — but only if you hit every renewal benchmark every single semester.

✅ What You Must Do Each Semester and Year:

• Be enrolled full-time on the 15th day of class each semester. Earn 24 credit hours by the end of the academic year (defined as fall, spring, summer, and interim sessions). Maintain continuous enrollment through consecutive fall and spring semesters. Maintain the required GPA for your specific TOPS award.
• At no time (by the end of each semester) can your cumulative GPA drop below a 2.0. If this happens, you will be suspended from TOPS immediately and will remain so until you reestablish eligibility by earning a cumulative 2.5 GPA.
• For Performance and Honors: at the end of each Spring semester, you must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better to maintain your TOPS Performance or Honors award.

🧠 Downgrade Rule (Don't Lose It All):

Falling short of the Performance or Honors GPA doesn't necessarily mean losing TOPS entirely. If a cumulative GPA is less than 3.00 but 2.30 or greater with 24–47 hours, the award will be continued as an Opportunity Award (no stipend); if less than 3.00 but 2.50 or greater with 48 or greater hours, the award will also be continued as an Opportunity Award (no stipend). In other words, you get stepped down — not eliminated.

❌ Common Pitfalls:

• Not earning 24 credit hours in the academic year. Summer courses count toward this total, so use them strategically.
• Withdrawing from a course after the 15th class day — this can drop you below full-time and cost you a semester of TOPS.
• You have only one year after your TOPS award is suspended to reestablish your eligibility; beyond this time frame, your TOPS award will be cancelled.
• Renewing FAFSA in December instead of October — the Financial Aid Office recommends that all students receiving TOPS renew their FAFSA yearly. File it as soon as it opens.

Pro Tip: The 24-hour rule catches more students than the GPA rule. If you're on track for 22 hours at the end of spring, register for one summer course. A single 3-credit summer class can save your entire award.

7. Combining TOPS with Other Aid

Typical Question: "If I get a merit scholarship from my university, does TOPS reduce my other aid?"

TOPS is stackable with many other scholarships — but there are overaward rules that can shrink your package if total aid exceeds your cost of attendance.

✅ How Stacking Works:

• Federal Pell Grant: TOPS and Pell can be combined. Examples of gift aid include Federal Pell Grant, Federal SEOG, TOPS, TOPS stipends, and institutional scholarships. Pell goes on top of TOPS, not in place of it.
• Institutional scholarships: Most Louisiana universities will layer their own merit scholarships on top of TOPS. Check with your specific school's financial aid office, but this is common practice.
• Overaward rule: In the event the student's total aid exceeds the cost of attendance, any federal loan aid shall be reduced, then institutional and other aid; then state scholarships and grants (including TOPS) shall be reduced by the amount of any remaining overaward. TOPS gets cut last in the overaward hierarchy — it's relatively protected.
• National Guard exception: Students eligible for both institutional National Guard tuition waivers and TOPS awards must accept the institutional National Guard tuition waiver and will receive a reduced TOPS award.

🎯 Real-World Example:

If you earn TOPS Performance (tuition + $400 stipend) plus a university merit award of $2,000, and your total cost of attendance is $18,000, you're well within bounds to stack both awards without a reduction. The overaward problem typically only arises when combined aid comes close to covering the full cost of attendance. For comparison, students pursuing the UAB Blazer Elite scholarship in Alabama face similar stacking rules — see our breakdown of UAB's Blazer Elite scholarship to see how stacking works across state lines.

❌ Common Pitfalls:

• Assuming TOPS replaces your need to file the FAFSA — it doesn't. FAFSA is required to receive TOPS.
• Not notifying your financial aid office about outside scholarships, which can trigger overaward adjustments retroactively.
• Expecting TOPS to cover fees at schools like LSU, where mandatory fees exceed the frozen TOPS Award Amount.

Final Thoughts: Is TOPS Worth Chasing?

Absolutely — TOPS is one of the most accessible and reliable state scholarships in the South. You don't write essays, you don't compete in a pool, and LOSFA evaluates you automatically based on your transcript and test scores. The entry bar is genuinely achievable: a 2.50 Core GPA and an ACT of 20 (or SAT equivalent ~1040) earns you real tuition money. Every tier above that is incremental improvement with meaningful payoff — from the Performance stipend at ACT 23 up to the full-tuition Excellence Award at ACT 31.

The biggest takeaway from the 2025 legislative session: the TOPS Excellence Award was added by Act 347 of the 2025 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature, with eligibility beginning for high school students graduating in the 2024–2025 academic year. If you're a high-achiever scoring 31+ on the ACT, staying in Louisiana just got dramatically more financially attractive. The Excellence Award provides up to $12,000 per year to students who attend a public university — roughly the annual cost of tuition and fees at LSU's main campus — and requires an ACT score of 31 or higher plus a 3.5 GPA.

Your action plan: verify your TOPS Core GPA with your counselor now, register for the ACT or SAT with codes 1595/9019, file your FAFSA before July 1, and create your LOSFA Student Hub account. If your SAT score is in striking distance of the next tier — say, you're at 1130 and Performance requires roughly 1150 — one focused retake could mean an extra $400/year in stipend money plus stronger college applications. Need a study plan? Our Morehead-Cain Scholarship SAT guide covers high-stakes test-prep strategy that applies directly to any merit-scholarship score target.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does TOPS accept the SAT, or is it ACT-only?

TOPS accepts both the ACT and the SAT. A student who has not taken the ACT may use a qualifying score on the SAT, with the composite calculated from the Critical Reading and Math sections only. However, the ACT is more commonly used in Louisiana. Note that TOPS does not accept an ACT Superscore — scores must come from a single sitting, and the same principle applies to SAT single-sitting scores for TOPS purposes. Add SAT code 9019 to your test registration to ensure your scores reach LOSFA automatically.

What is the TOPS application deadline for 2026?

The Taylor Opportunity Program for Students scholarship is awarded to graduating Louisiana high school seniors who have met certain academic requirements and have filed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by July 1. This July 1 FAFSA deadline is absolute — there is no extension for TOPS purposes. You should also aim to take your ACT or SAT no later than April of your senior year; students using test scores from May or June will lose one semester of TOPS eligibility. File the FAFSA the moment it opens each fall to be safe.

Can I lose TOPS and get it back?

Yes, in some circumstances. If your cumulative GPA drops below a 2.0, you will be suspended from TOPS immediately and remain so until you reestablish eligibility by earning a cumulative 2.5 GPA. You have one year after your TOPS award is suspended to reestablish your eligibility; beyond this time frame, your TOPS award will be cancelled. Performance and Honors recipients who fall below the GPA threshold are not eliminated — they are stepped down to the Opportunity Award level rather than losing TOPS entirely, giving you a financial safety net while you rebuild your GPA.

Does TOPS stack with Pell Grants and university scholarships?

Yes — TOPS is stackable with Pell Grants, institutional scholarships, and most outside awards. In the event total aid exceeds the cost of attendance, federal loans are reduced first, then institutional aid; state scholarships including TOPS are reduced last. This means TOPS is relatively protected in an overaward scenario. The key exception involves the Louisiana National Guard tuition waiver: students eligible for both the National Guard waiver and TOPS must accept the National Guard tuition waiver, and will receive a reduced TOPS award. Always notify your financial aid office of all awards you receive.

What is the new TOPS Excellence Award and who qualifies?

The TOPS Excellence Award was added by Act 347 of the 2025 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature, with eligibility beginning for high school students graduating in the 2024–2025 academic year. It is available to any student with a 3.5 GPA and a score of 31 or higher on the ACT, or an equivalent score on a similar exam. The award pays an annual amount equal to tuition and fees, or $12,000, whichever is less, for students attending a Louisiana public institution. This makes it one of the most generous automatic merit scholarships in the Gulf South region for high-achieving students who want to stay in-state.

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