The TOPS Excellence Award

• 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)

• 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.