FAQs for Louisiana Legislative Scholars Program

What is the value of Tulane's Louisiana Legislative Scholars Award?

The Louisiana Legislative Scholar Award is a scholarship for Louisiana students and covers the cost of tuition for one year. The value for the 2022-2023 school year is $58,666. However, the value of the scholarship changes with tuition each year. Receipt of the scholarship one year does not guarantee receipt of the scholarship in subsequent years.

Who nominates students to be Tulane Louisiana Legislative Scholars?

The Louisiana Legislative Scholars Program is funded by Tulane University. However, selected students are Louisiana Legislative Scholars because Tulane allows each Louisiana state senator and representative to nominate one scholar each year who meets all of the criteria listed under the following question. Given that the nominated student meets the criteria below, the Office of Undergraduate Admission will subsequently approve the nomination. Although the Office of Undergraduate Admission must ultimately approve the nomination, each legislator nominates a student based on their own judgment.

What are the minimum requirements for the Louisiana Legislative Scholars Program?

Legislators may nominate any student who meets ALL of the following criteria:

  1. Permanent resident of Louisiana
  2. Graduate of a Louisiana high school
  3. Admitted as a full-time undergraduate student to Newcomb-Tulane College of Tulane University (for new students) to begin in the fall semester or maintenance of a 2.30 cumulative Tulane GPA as a full-time undergraduate, degree-seeking student (for continuing Tulane students) in Newcomb-Tulane College.
What if the legislator who nominated me leaves office before I graduate from Tulane? What if I cannot secure a legislator's nomination in subsequent years? Can I get previously awarded merit-based aid reinstated?

Because the award is for one year, you must secure a legislator's nomination and continue to meet the criteria above to receive the scholarship in subsequent years. If the legislator who initially nominated you for their scholarship leaves office before you graduate from Tulane, you must attempt to secure a nomination from a different legislator. Legislators who are not in office cannot nominate a Louisiana Legislative Scholar. If you are unable to secure a legislator nomination in subsequent years, you may contact the Financial Aid Office to be considered for a reinstatement of previously awarded merit-based aid (that you did not accept previously because of incompatibility with the Louisiana Legislative Scholarship) given that you have maintained a 2.70 cumulative Tulane GPA and continuous, full-time enrollment. Students who are not maintaining a cumulative 2.70 Tulane GPA will not be considered for reinstatement of previously awarded merit scholarships. A request for reinstatement does not mean that your award can or will be reinstated. You should also apply for federal need-based aid by submitting the FAFSA and institutional need-based aid by submitting the CSS Profile.

Can a legislator from a district other than my own nominate me as a Louisiana Legislative Scholar?

Yes. Given that you meet the Louisiana Legislative Scholar criteria, you may receive the award from a legislator who represents your district or any other district in the state of Louisiana. However, many legislators tend to nominate students from their districts.

How many Louisiana Legislative Scholars are there each year?

Given that each state senator and representative nominates one Louisiana Legislative Scholar each year, there are 144 Louisiana Legislative Scholars (105 by representatives and 39 by senators) available each year. However, many legislators re-nominate the same student to cover the student’s four years at Tulane. Therefore, approximately one-fourth, or about 36, of the Louisiana Legislative Scholars are new to Tulane each year.

How do I apply for the Louisiana Legislative Scholars Program?

The Louisiana Legislative Scholars Program does not have an application. ALL Louisiana students ADMITTED into Newcomb-Tulane College as full time undergraduate degree-seeking students are automatically ELIGIBLE for the Louisiana Legislative Scholars Program, upon completion and return of the Louisiana Legislative Scholars Program Form, in accordance with the procedure described below.

Every Louisiana student offered admission as a freshmen under Early Action or Early Decision who meets the eligibility requirements outlined above will be provided access to the Louisiana Legislative Scholars Program form within their Green Wave portal within one week of being offered admission. The form requests certain student information and the student's written consent to make certain information publicly available if the student wishes to be considered as a Tulane Louisiana Legislative Scholar.

If a student properly completes and submits the Louisiana Legislative Scholars Program Form by April 1, 2022, the student will be eligible for consideration for the Tulane Louisiana Legislative Scholarship.

The disclosure form is not publicly available online and access to the form will only be provided to eligible admitted and currently enrolled students. Please note the Louisiana Legislative Scholars Program Form does not nominate you as a Tulane Louisiana Legislative Scholar. Tulane recommends contacting legislators(s) of your choice by sending a cover letter and resume to the legislators’ email and/or office address and following-up with the legislators’ offices after these items have been received.

How and when do I find out if I am a Louisiana Legislative Scholar?

Tulane will receive a nomination form from each Legislator in April, and if the student meets the criteria to be a Louisiana Legislative Scholar, Tulane will notify the student of the award. Students admitted as freshmen, transfer students, and currently enrolled students who are not currently Tulane Louisiana Legislative Scholars, will be notified of their awards on or before April 22 by a letter from the Office of Financial Aid. Existing Louisiana Legislative Scholars who are re-nominated will receive notification through their Gibson Online accounts after their spring grades are posted. Note that existing Louisiana Legislative Scholars must also continue to satisfy the Louisiana Legislative Scholars program requirements.

Can I combine the Louisiana Legislative Scholar Award with other financial aid?

You may combine the Louisiana Legislative Scholar Award with some, but not all, other financial aid awards. If you are a Louisiana Legislative Scholar, you may contact the Financial Aid Office at Tulane at (800) 335-3210 with questions about how your award will interact with other financial aid awards.

You may combine the Louisiana Legislative Scholar Award with the following two merit-based scholarships and apply these other scholarships towards the cost of fees, room, and board: Tulane National Merit Finalist Award and Louisiana's TOPS.

You may NOT combine the Louisiana Legislative Scholar Award with other scholarships, including but not limited to the following: Louisiana Excellence Award, Stamps Leadership Award, Deans’ Honor Scholarship, Paul Tulane Award, Presidential Scholarship, Premier Scholarship, Distinguished Scholar’s Award, the Founder’s Scholarship, Academic Recognition, Community Service Fellowship (for first-year students only), Collegiate Achievement Award, Scholastic Advancement Award, or Phi Theta Kappa (for transfer students only), ROTC Scholarships, Faculty/Staff Dependent Tuition Waivers, or the Tulane Mayoral Scholarship (for Orleans Parish residents and graduates of Orleans Parish schools only).

For which degree programs can the Louisiana Legislative Scholar Award be used?

The Louisiana Legislative Scholarship is available for up to four years of full-time, undergraduate study in Newcomb-Tulane College only. There are two specific five-year programs for which the Louisiana Legislative Scholar Award is available for up to five years of full-time, undergraduate study: Bachelor of Science in Management with a Master's of Accounting and the Bachelor of Architecture program. These two, five-year programs are the only five-year programs for which the Louisiana Legislative Scholar Award can be used for a fifth year program of study.

Whom should I contact with questions about the Louisiana Legislative Scholars Program?

Government and Community Relations
Marcia Taylor
pontchar@tulane.edu

Financial Aid (after a scholarship has been awarded only)
Tanya Robichaux
trobicha@tulane.edu