TOPS Honors Award

The TOPS Honors Award is the highest tier of Louisiana's TOPS merit program. Recipients receive the TOPS Award Amount, which is pegged to 2016-17 tuition at their institution unless the Legislature increases it, plus an annual stipend of $800. At private LAICU colleges, the weighted average amount applies along with the stipend. Beginning with the class of 2022, eligibility requires a 3.50 GPA on the 19-unit TOPS core curriculum and an ACT composite of at least 27, without superscoring; home study and out-of-state graduates have higher test-only alternatives. Students must enroll full time as first-time freshmen by the first semester after the first anniversary of high school graduation. Renewal requires a 3.00 cumulative GPA at the end of each academic year, 24 earned hours per year and continuous full-time enrollment. Students who slip below 3.00 but meet Opportunity standards keep the base award without the stipend. Louisiana National Guard members follow a separate tuition exemption with larger stipends.