Completers Grant

The Completers Grant provides financial aid to students who are near completion in any degree program, with priority given to students in healthcare, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields and teacher education. The grant is available to students within 30 hours of completing a degree at a Louisiana public two- or four-year postsecondary institution. The Completers Grant also incentivizes enrollment in and completion of short-term credential programs at two-year institutions. The maximum a student can receive is the total of the tuition, fees, and books as set forth on their fee bill. The Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) will continue to administer this grant program which is being funded using one-time Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund dollars and is available for the Fall 2022, Spring 2023, and Summer 2023 terms.

Under the framework provided, institutions can structure the award to best fit the needs of their students. Completers Grant funds will be available for eligible students for the Fall 2022, Spring 2023, and Summer 2023 terms and will be issued to students in the following order:

First, to those students who are expected to complete their program of study/graduating in the Fall 2022 who have significantly depleted or who have no other sources of financial aid.
Second, to those students who are expected to complete their program of study/graduate in Spring 2023 who have significantly depleted or who have no other sources of financial aid.
Third, to those students who are expected to complete their program of study/graduate in Summer 2023 who have significantly depleted or who have no other sources of financial aid.

Am I eligible for the Completers Grant?

To be eligible for the Completers Grant, a student must:

Be a Louisiana Resident;
Be enrolled through the 14^th class day
Be eligible to receive funds through CARES Act/CRRSA Act/ARP Act
Meet one of the following:
1. Have completed at least 90 credit hours toward their declared bachelor’s degree program;
2. Have completed at least 30 credit hours toward their declared associate degree program;
3. Be enrolled in an on-ramp credential and/or short-term credential of value program as identified by the Louisiana Workforce Commission.
Meet one of the criteria listed below;
For credit programs, students shall meet the enrolling institution’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy for receipt of Title IV aid.
For non-credit programs, students shall successfully complete course(s) sufficient to continue in their program of student as determined by the institution.
Be working on his or her first associate degree or baccalaureate degree.
1. (Note: Students pursuing a baccalaureate degree after having received an associate degree are eligible.
2. Students pursuing a second associate degree, or a second baccalaureate degree are not eligible.)
Be enrolled in a healthcare, STEM, or teacher education related field. Other majors are eligible and will be considered for funding.
Have a remaining, outstanding balance at the time of awarding. For students on a payment plan, an award can be placed on the account in lieu of the remaining payment plan amount (outstanding balance).
A student cannot receive a refund for the Completers Grant.

Billing for a grant constitutes certification that the student meets one of the priorities set forth herein and has met the Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements for receipt of Title IV aid. Postsecondary institutions shall submit bills to LOSFA on or after the 15th class day.

Have remaining financial need after deducting Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) and all federal/state/institutional grant or scholarship aid (“gift aid”) from student’s Cost of Attendance (COA);
Be a student enrolled in an eligible Louisiana institution on at least half-time basis (minimum 6 hours at semester school or 4 hours at a quarter school)

Award Amounts

Postsecondary institutions shall determine the minimum and maximum award amounts for enrollment in short-term credential and any baccalaureate or associate degree program, as well as amounts for students who enroll on a less than full-time basis with priority given to students in their final semester majoring in health care, STEM, or teacher education programs. Awards shall be limited to tuition, fees, and books (if books are applied to the bill), as set forth on the student’s fee bill. Awards shall be limited to mandatory fees/charges on a student’s fee bill including, tuition, fees, and instructional materials as set forth on the student’s fee bill. Other fees/charges such as housing, meal plans, fines and non-academic related charges are not to be covered by the grant (i.g., NSF charges, library fines, parking fines etc.). Institutions shall not award the maximum amount set for the program of study if that amount would exceed the student’s cost of attendance as defined in the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended.

Minimum award amount = $100.00
Maximum award amount = May not exceed the amount of the tuition, fees, books, and instructional materials which are evidenced on the recipient’s fee bill.

Award Calculations

Institutions should allocate funds with the primary goal of helping students complete the credential/degree as soon as possible. Southern University at Shreveport will make a good faith effort to distribute Completers Grant allocations in an equitable manner, reaching students with the most financial need and have completed 30 hours towards their declared degree program. The Completers Grant may be provided in addition to any other state or federal aid awarded to the student provided that the award cannot cause the student’s aid to exceed the cost of attendance. The Completers Grant shall be applied to those costs evidenced on the student’s fee bill, which shall include only tuition, fees, and books; other sources of student aid may be applied to other costs of attendance. It is not the intent of Completers Grant funds to provide refunds to students. Institutions may award the Completers Grant to cover the charges paid by cash, credit or debit cards effective with this revised framework for the academic year 2022-2023. A book allowance can be allocated to students as long as the school documents such costs and maintains the information for audit purposes. Book costs should not exceed the amounts indicated in the LASFAA budget.

Packaging Policy

Note: If a student is on a payment plan, the award can only apply to any remaining balance for that specified term; however Southern University at Shreveport can award the Completers Grant to students who paid their fees with cash payments, credit cards, or debit card.

Note: Awards can be made for the fall, spring, and summer terms.

Note: The awards will apply to the bill and never disburse as a refund to the student.

Award amounts:

Any student receiving the award that has completed 30 hours toward his or her declared major shall receive the award in subsequent semesters until completion, provided that the student has met the Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements for receipt of Title IV aid.
Completers Grant shall be awarded after Title IV grant aid, TOPS, Go Grant, institutional gift aid and prior to MJ Foster Promise Program, and WIOA.
Any other honorific and/or meritorious gift aid shall not be considered against a student’s eligibility for the Completer’s Grant. The student is eligible to retain the additional resources to assist with other components of his or her Cost of Attendance provided that the total Cost of Attendance is not exceeded (as noted above).
Completers Grant prioritization is as follows:

Students who have exhausted federal grant and state aid eligibility (TOPS, Go Grant, etc.).
Students who have limited availability for federal aid and other sources of aid.
Other eligibility criteria listed above.

The Completers Grant selection, packaging, and disbursement processes are as follows:

Southern University at Shreveport may consider financial need and mandate that students submit the FAFSA.
The Office of the Registrar will run a report in the Banner system to identify students who have completed 30 hours towards the declared major.
The Office of Financial Aid staff will then run an Argos report to verify that students meet the Title IV SAP requirements and have an outstanding balance.
Students will then be prioritized based on the criteria set by LOSFA and the Board of Regents (refer to Overview), their degree program, and their financial need.
The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships will issue Completers Grant awards until the allocated funds are exhausted or until there are no eligible students remaining.

NOTE: Eligibility criteria MAY NOT:

Use any academic criteria other than Satisfactory Academic Progress for receipt of Title IV aid; or
Automatically eliminate students receiving other financial assistance, including TOPS.

Reporting Process

Southern University at Shreveport will report the following data at the end of each semester:

The demographic information of recipients.
The number of students who meet each priority.
CIP codes for students who complete their program within a single semester/term of receiving the Completers Grant.
The number of students who met each priority and received a grant under this program.
The number of students who met each priority and did not receive a grant under this program.
The minimum, maximum, and average of award amounts provided.
The dollar amount needed to fund all eligible students in each priority.
The number of students who received the minimum award amount.
The number of students who received the maximum award amount.

For more information about the Completers Grant, see the topic below:

Completers Grant Q & A .