To assure that your Scholarship and Grant Program Rules remain current, please record this document on your TOPS Bulletin index and retain it with your manual.

The Louisiana Student Financial Assistance Commission has revised the Scholarship and Grant Program Rules at its October 10, 2002 meeting to extend the foreign language deadline for certain military members, to establish a minimum grade point average for graduate students applying for a Rockefeller State Wildlife Scholarship, to revise the high school TOPS notification of certified students, and to revise the criteria used to determine whether a student qualifies for an exception to the initial and continuous enrollment requirement.

The full compilation of the TOPS rules with all changes incorporated to date may be viewed on our web site at www.osfa.state.la.us. The revisions, with inserted language underlined and stricken language struck out, follow:

Title 28

EDUCATION

Part VI. Student Financial Assistance—Higher

Education Scholarship and Grant Programs

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Chapter 7. Tuition Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) Opportunity, Performance, and Honors Awards

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§703. Establishing Eligibility

A. - D. …

E. Students graduating in academic years 1996-97 and 1997-98 who qualified by reduction of the foreign language requirement must provide LASFAC a copy of their college transcript showing completion of one or more foreign language courses. Eligibility for an award is not established until receipt of the transcript verifying that the foreign language credit was earned and the student shall first be awarded for the semester or term following that in which eligibility was established. Under this provision, eligibility must be established not later than the conclusion of the 1998-99 award year. High School Graduates of 1996-97 and 1997-98 who meet the requirements of §703.A.4.b. or d. or §803.A.4.b. or d. of these rules and who have not been discharged with an undesirable, bad conduct or dishonorable discharge must meet the foreign language requirement no later than one year after the date of separation from active duty.

F. - G.2. ...

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Chapter 11. Rockefeller State Wildlfe Scholarship

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§1103. Establishing Eligibility

1. - 7. ...

8.

a. must have graduated from high school, and if at the time of application the student applicant has earned less than 24 hours of graded college credit since graduating from high school, have earned a minimum cumulative high school grade point average of at least 2.50 calculated on a 4.00 scale for all courses completed in grades 9 through 12 and have taken the ACT or SAT and received test score results; or
b. if, at the time of application, the student applicant has earned 24 or more hours of college credit, then the applicant must have at least a 2.50 cumulative college grade point average.
c. If, at the time of application, the student is in graduate school, then the applicant must have at least a 3.00 cumulative grade point average on all credits earned in graduate school.

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Chapter 17. Responsibilities of High Schools, School Boards, Special School Governing Boards, the Louisiana Department of Education and LASFAC on Behalf of Eligible Non-Louisiana High Schools

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§1705. Notification of Certified Students

A. - B. ...

C. If the certifying authority elects to notify students of their certification, then the following disclaimer shall be included in any communication to the student:

"Although you have been certified as academically eligible for a Tuition Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) Award, you must satisfy all of the following conditions to redeem a scholarship under this program:
1. You must be a Louisiana resident as defined by the Louisiana Student Financial Assistance Commission; and
2. You must be accepted for enrollment by an eligible Louisiana college and be registered as a full-time undergraduate student; and
3. You must annually apply for federal student aid, if eligible for such aid, by the deadline required for consideration for state aid; and
4. You must have met all academic and nonacademic requirements and be officially notified of your award by the Louisiana Student Financial Assistance Commission (LASFAC)."

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Chapter 21. Miscellaneous Provisions and Exceptions

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§2103. Circumstances Warranting Exception to the Initial and Continuous Enrollment Requirements

A. - E.3.c. ...

4. Temporary Disability

a. - b.i. ...

ii. a written statement from a qualified professional of the existence of a temporary disability and a description of the injury, illness, or required surgery, including the dates of treatment, the treatment required, the prognosis, the length of the recovery period, the beginning and ending dates of the doctor's care, and opinions as to the impact of the disability on the student's ability to attend school; and

E.4.b.iii - 7.c. ...

8. Death of Immediate Family Member

a. Definition. The student's spouse, parent, stepparent, guardian, sister or brother, step sibling, or grandparent dies.

8.b. - 11.c. ...

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