The Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) is a state agency and the administrative arm of the Louisiana Student Financial Assistance Commission and the Louisiana Tuition Trust Authority. Among the programs administered by LOSFA are Louisiana’s premier merit-based scholarship program, the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS); the state’s 529 college savings plan, the Student Tuition Assistance and Revenue Trust (START) program; the State Matching Funds Grant (formerly LEAP); and the Rockefeller State Wildlife Scholarship program.

LOSFA is also extremely active in the dissemination of college access information within the state with a concentration on assisting students from low income families and first generation college attendees in locating and obtaining the resources necessary to pursue and complete a postsecondary education. To these ends, LOSFA regularly partners with other entities including the Louisiana Board of Regents, the Louisiana Department of Education, the Gear Up and Trio programs, the Louisiana Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators and others.

LOSFA annually provides presenters for individual high school financial aid workshops for parents and students. In state fiscal year 2008-09, LOSFA's Public Information and Communications Division made college access presentations at 222 Louisiana schools. 57,491 Louisiana students and parents attended LOSFA financial aid and college access presentations around the state.

LOSFA employs a staff of public information specialists who are available to assist students and parents via telephone from 8:00 AM until 4:30 P.M. Monday through Friday. LOSFA’s financial aid hotline number is 800-259-5626, extension 1012.

Each year, LOSFA conducts workshops for high school guidance counselors at a minimum of seven locations around the state. These workshops are designed to update counselors about the student financial aid process so they can best assist their students in preparing for their crucial first year of college. At each workshop, LOSFA representatives and financial aid professionals instruct counselors on the latest changes to both federal and state aid programs, completion of the FAFSA and other LOSFA services. In state fiscal year 2009-10, 1,900 Louisiana high school guidance counselors attended LOSFA workshops.

Each summer, LOSFA conducts “Trailblazer” camps for rising high school seniors. The Trailblazer Program is a unique approach to training high school students about the availability of financial aid as a means of access to postsecondary education. The program includes a comprehensive three-day training workshop, presented on a college campus by LOSFA personnel and other financial aid professionals for the purpose of educating selected high school rising seniors about the college admissions process and how to obtain financial assistance for college. One student is nominated by each public and non-public high school in the state. Under the direct supervision of the high school guidance counselor, each Trailblazer is expected to use every opportunity to share knowledge of financial aid procedures with peers throughout their senior year of high school. Each Trailblazer is given a manual outlining all aspects of the federal and state financial aid programs available.

Throughout each year, LOSFA produces and distributes numerous publications, brochures, bulletins, newsletters and posters explaining all of the student financial assistance programs available to Louisiana students. LOSFA also maintains a web site, www.osfa.la.gov, that contains a wealth of useful financial aid information.