Louisiana Scholarship Program

Scholarship Programs

Louisiana offers three scholarship programs that enable families to send their children to nonpublic schools of their choice.

Louisiana Scholarship Program

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.

How to apply

The application for 2023-2024 Louisiana Scholarship Program is now closed.

Please see the Louisiana Scholarship Program Application Guide for more information on the application process, eligibility for the program, and frequently asked questions.

To see a list of participating scholarship participating schools throughout the state, please click here.

For the 2023-2024 school year, ALL parishes (including Orleans) will complete one online application through the Louisiana Department of Education.

If a family submits a complete application, they will receive notice of the determination of the scholarship in late April 2023.

For more information, please contact the Office of School Choice at studentscholarships@la.gov.

School Choice Program for Students with Exceptionalities

Students with exceptionalities living in Caddo, Calcasieu, East Baton Rouge, Jefferson, Lafayette, Orleans, and St. Tammany Parishes are eligible to participate in the School Choice Program for Students with Certain Exceptionalities, which provides families with tuition assistance to attend participating schools that offer programs for Students with Exceptionalities. Tuition assistance is 50% of the state per pupil funding for the student's school district (approximately $2,500), and cannot exceed the cost of the nonpublic school tuition. Families are responsible for paying the difference if tuition exceeds that amount.

How to Apply

Applications for the School Choice Program for Students with Certain Exceptionalities for the 2023-2024 school year will open on February 1, 2023 and close on March 6, 2023. Families will be required to submit an online application.

Access the 2023-2024 School Choice Application.

If a family submits a complete application, they will receive notice of the determination of the scholarship in May 2023.

For more information, please see the School Choice Program FAQs or contact The Office of School Choice at studentscholarships@la.gov.

Tuition Donation Credit Program

The Tuition Donation Credit Program empowers Louisiana families with the financial resources to choose the school that best prepares their child for college and careers.

To be eligible for a scholarship, students MUST

  • have a family income that does not exceed 250% of the federal poverty line;
  • be a resident of Louisiana;
  • have attended a public school on October 1st and February 1st of the most recent school year;
  • be entering kindergarten for the first time; or have participated in the Louisiana Scholarship Program/Tuition Donation Program the previous school year.

Students apply directly to School Tuition Organizations for scholarships. Once a student receives a scholarship, the student then applies directly to one of the nonpublic schools of their choice for enrollment. Parents must pay any tuition and fees not covered by the scholarship.

For more information on the School Tuition Organizations participating in the Tuition Donation Credit Program, use the following links:

To learn more about the Tuition Donation Credit Program, please review the Tuition Donation Credit Program FAQ.