The Louisiana Scholarship Program (LSP) is designed to provide students with additional opportunities to attend the school of their choice.
To be eligible for a scholarship, students must have a family income that does not exceed 250% of the federal poverty line and must either be entering kindergarten or be enrolled in a public school with a C, D, F, or T letter grade during the year in which they apply.
The program was launched in 2008 in New Orleans with approximately 600 students and was expanded statewide in 2012.
The Louisiana Legislature allocates funding for the Scholarship program. Participating schools receive a per-student award equal to the school’s tuition, student fees, and associated state testing costs up to the amount allocated per-student to the local school system in which the student resides.
2025-2026 School Year
The Louisiana Scholarship Program will continue to be administered through the end of the 2024-2025 school year. The Louisiana Scholarship Program will sunset on June 30, 2025 and Louisiana Scholarship Program students and nonpublic schools will receive priority access to the
LA GATOR Scholarship Program. The Louisiana Department of Education will contact current Louisiana Scholarship Program families on next steps for the 2025-2026 school year.
Louisiana Scholarship Program Schools
Any nonpublic school participating in the Louisiana Scholarship Program during the 2024-2025 school year, provided that it has not subsequently been found to be ineligible to participate in the Louisiana Scholarship Program, may participate in the LA GATOR Program during the 2025-2026 school year without undergoing a separate application or approval process. Such a nonpublic school opting to participate in the LA GATOR Program will be required to register and attest to program requirements according to the process outlined by the department.
For each school year thereafter, such schools shall comply with the LA GATOR Program requirements with respect to the application process.
Louisiana Scholarship Program Students
Students having participated in the Louisiana Scholarship Program during the 2024-2025 school year, subject to the allocation of state funds, shall be awarded an amount equal to the award amount received during the 2024-2025 school year and shall continue to receive this award until the student completes the school’s terminal grade or until the student leaves the school, whichever comes first.
2024-2025 APPLICATION PHASE II
Phase II of the Louisiana Scholarship Program for the 2024-2025 academic year has now closed. This opportunity will provide eligible and interested Louisiana families desiring to apply to participating Non-Public Schools an abbreviated application period.
Award notifications will be sent via email to the parents of awarded students.
STUDENT ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
✓ Louisiana resident
✓ Household income that does not exceed 250% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines
✓ New student applicants are students who do not have a Scholarship award for the current school year
✓Student attended a “C”, “D”, “F”, or “T” public school on both October 1 and February 1 of the 2023-2024 academic school year
✓ Students applying to kindergarten must be entering kindergarten for the first time or coming from a C, D, F or T school and must be 5 on or before September 30, 2023.
✓ Students who participate in the NSECD PK4 program are considered new student applicants for the Scholarship Program
Students in grades K-12 who are currently homeschooled or who currently attend a nonpublic school are not eligible.
Submitting an application does not guarantee that a student will receive an award for the Louisiana Scholarship Program. Families that have questions regarding the application process should reach out to studentscholarships@la.gov
For more information, please contact the Office of School Choice at studentscholarships@la.gov.