The Taylor Opportunity Program for Students is a unique financial aid opportunity for students in Louisiana. It provides funding for a variety of colleges, universities, and trade schools in the area, and most of the awards within it are renewable throughout a student’s education. If you are planning to attend school in Louisiana, you may want to look into a TOPS scholarship in the future. Here is an overview of the program so you can determine if it is right for you.
Different Types of TOPS Scholarships
There are several scholarships within the TOPS program, and they all come with different requirements to abide by. In order to figure out your place in this program, you need to review the awards available to you. Possibilities include:
- TOPS Honors Award: Graduating high school seniors, minimum GPA of 3.00, ACT score of 27 or SAT score of 1220
- TOPS Opportunity Award: College freshmen, minimum GPA of 2.50, ACT score of 20 or SAT score of 950
- TOPS Performance Award: Graduating high school seniors, minimum GPA of 3.00 GPA, full time enrollment, ACT score of 23 or SAT score of 1070
- TOPS Tech Award: Technical college students, minimum GPA of 2.50, 17 to 19 tech course units, ACT score of 17 or SAT score of 830
Check out the scholarships available to you to decide which one you want to apply for.
Award Amounts for TOPS Scholarships
The award you win in TOPS will depend on the educational institution you enroll in. Some schools have more money available than others based on the cost of education within them. Here is a list of the awards you may win based on the school you attend:
- Baton Rouge Community College: $2,112
- Bossier Parish Community College: $2,112
- Delgado Community College: $2,112
- Grambling State University: $3,510
- L. E. Fletcher Technical Community College: $2,112
- LAICU Institutions: $3,242
- Louisiana Delta Community College: $2,112
- Louisiana State University at Alexandria: $3,468
- Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge: $4,552
- Louisiana State University at Eunice: $2,018
- Louisiana State University at Shreveport: $3,502
- Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at New Orleans: $4,702
- Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport: $4,846
- Louisiana Tech University (Quarters): $3,885
- Louisiana Technical College Campuses: $984
- McNeese State University: $3,392
- Nicholls State University: $3,450
- Northshore Technical Community College: $1,422
- Northwestern State University: $3,446
- Nunez Community College: $2,112
- Our Lady of the Lake College: $846
- Proprietary and Cosmetology Schools: $951
- River Parishes Community College: $2,112
- South Louisiana Community College: $2,112
- Southeastern Louisiana University: $3,464
- Southern University at Baton Rouge: $3,510
- Southern University at New Orleans: $2,944
- Southern University at Shreveport: $2,024
- SOWELA Technical Community College: $2,112
- University of Louisiana at Lafayette: $3,440
- University of Louisiana at Monroe: $3,478
- University of New Orleans: $4,102
How to Apply
To apply for a TOPS scholarship, visit the website for the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance. There you should be able to find an online application to fill out and turn in. Look for the deadlines on the specific scholarship you want to apply for, and then all you have to do is get your application in on time. Hopefully you will receive good news shortly.
