XULA awards every freshman an automatic, stats-based academic tuition scholarship at admission ('varied amounts up to full tuition'), and stacks four named full-tuition tiers on top — Board of Trustees (full tuition + fees + room & board), President's (full tuition + housing allowance), and the Drexel/Francis valedictorian awards (full tuition).
Verified Jun 20268 days ago· CC
Merit tiers84 automatic on stats
Last verifiedJun 2026Analyst CC
Rules that bite at Xavier (Louisiana)
The trip wires we'd flag in a custom playbook. Each is derived from Xavier (Louisiana)'s own published policy, not generic advice.
renewalXavier University Academic Scholarships: renewal floor that quietly knocks awards out
Renewable for up to 8 consecutive semesters. Per the dedicated Academic Scholarship Policy page, renew by keeping a valid FAFSA on file, full-time enrollment, a cumulative GPA of 3.1 or higher, and 30 completed credit hours per year. A cumulative GPA of 3.0 (but below 3.1) drops the award to 75% of the initial amount; below 3.0 cancels it permanently. (The older catalog text states a 3.3 minimum with a 3.0-3.29 reduction band — see Section C conflict.) A single rough term can end a four-year award here without warning if the GPA floor isn't met cumulatively.
capHard $50,124 cost-of-attendance ceiling
Institutional aid at Xavier (Louisiana) cannot push the package past $50,124. Big outside wins can mathematically reduce institutional grant once the ceiling is reached.
Common merit-aid mistakes at Xavier (Louisiana)
XULA's top awards are defined by what they COVER, not a fixed number: Board of Trustees = full tuition + fees + room and board; President's = full tuition + housing allowance; Drexel/Francis = full tuition. As Arts & Sciences tuition rises, the award value rises with it ('All scholarship packages that cover full tuition will be adjusted for any Arts and Sciences tuition increases').
The dedicated Academic Scholarship Policy page sets the renewal floor at a 3.1 cumulative GPA (with 30 completed credit hours/year), while the older catalog text says 3.3. Both are official XULA pages and they conflict — confirm the current figure with the aid office before counting on it. Either way, dropping to a 3.0 cuts the award to 75% of the original, and below 3.0 cancels it permanently.
Even a pure merit scholarship requires a valid FAFSA on file every year, full-time enrollment (at least 12 credit hours), and completing at least 30 credit hours per year (30/60/90 by the end of years 1/2/3). Miss any of these and the scholarship is cancelled, regardless of GPA.
XULA caps academic scholarship + aid at the institution's Direct cost (tuition + room/board + mandatory fees), and reduces scholarship amounts based on Federal and state grant aid received. A big Pell/TOPS package can shrink the XULA scholarship rather than add to it once the Direct-cost ceiling is hit.
Xavier University of Louisiana (XULA, xula.edu) is a historically Black, Catholic university in New Orleans, founded by St. Katharine Drexel. It is a completely different institution from Xavier University in Cincinnati (xavier.edu), which has its own, different merit grid. Make sure scholarship pages you read are on xula.edu.
The Rousseve Scholars Program (full tuition + $250 book allowance) is for continuing students — only the top ten in each of the sophomore, junior, and senior classes — and is awarded one academic year at a time. It is not something an incoming freshman can be offered at admission.
Who this school is for
High-stats students (3.8+ GPA, 26-28+ ACT / 1170-1250+ SAT) who want guaranteed automatic merit at a historically Black, Catholic university in New Orleans — and Catholic / Orleans-Jefferson public-school valedictorians and salutatorians, who have their own full-tuition tracks.
Tuition / cost of attendance: Approximately $50,124 for 2025-2026. Source
Institutional merit aid tiers
Every tier below is sourced to the school’s own published financial aid pages. Renewal terms apply only if the student maintains the stated GPA.
Varied amounts up to full tuition p…Varied amounts up to full tuition per year
Xavier University Academic Scholarships
AutomaticRenewable
GPA
Good high school GPA (no fixed cutoff published for the partial award)
SAT
Above-average SAT (no fixed cutoff published)
ACT
Above-average ACT (no fixed cutoff published)
Requirements & details+
Eligibility
Awarded automatically at the time of admission based on information submitted with the application; a high school counselor recommendation is part of the consideration
Renewal terms
Renewable for up to 8 consecutive semesters. Per the dedicated Academic Scholarship Policy page, renew by keeping a valid FAFSA on file, full-time enrollment, a cumulative GPA of 3.1 or higher, and 30 completed credit hours per year. A cumulative GPA of 3.0 (but below 3.1) drops the award to 75% of the initial amount; below 3.0 cancels it permanently. (The older catalog text states a 3.3 minimum with a 3.0-3.29 reduction band — see Section C conflict.)
Notes
This is the automatic base merit award every freshman is considered for at admission; amounts scale up to full tuition but no published dollar grid ties a specific amount to a specific GPA/test band. The dollar amount is not stated, so it is reported as a range, not a number.
Full tuition…Full tuition, mandatory student fees, and room and board
Board of Trustees Scholarship
AutomaticRenewable
GPA
Minimum 3.8 high school GPA
SAT
Minimum 1250 SAT (combined Reading and Math)
ACT
Minimum 28 ACT composite
Requirements & details+
Eligibility
Demonstrated community involvement and leadership potential as evidenced in the admissions application and scholarship application materials
Renewal terms
Covers eight consecutive semesters and accounts for any institutional adjustments in Arts & Sciences tuition. Subject to the same renewal terms (3.1 cumulative GPA per the policy page; 75% reduction at 3.0).
Notes
XULA's top award — the only one that also covers room and board, not just tuition/fees. Considered from the admissions application; note the page says 'scholarship application materials,' so confirm whether a separate scholarship application is required.
Full tuition and a full housing all…Full tuition and a full housing allowance
President's Scholarship
AutomaticRenewable
GPA
Minimum 3.8 high school GPA
SAT
Minimum 1170 SAT (combined Reading and Math)
ACT
Minimum 26 ACT composite
Requirements & details+
Eligibility
Demonstrated community involvement and leadership potential as evidenced in the admissions application and scholarship application materials
Renewal terms
Covers eight consecutive semesters and accounts for any institutional adjustments in Arts & Sciences tuition. Subject to the same renewal terms (3.1 cumulative GPA per the policy page; 75% reduction at 3.0).
Notes
Full tuition plus a housing allowance (does not include the mandatory-fee + full room-and-board coverage of the Board of Trustees award). Slightly lower test bar (26 ACT / 1170 SAT) than Board of Trustees (28 ACT / 1250 SAT) at the same 3.8 GPA.
Valedictorian or salutatorian of a U.S. Catholic high school graduating class
Renewal terms
Covers eight consecutive semesters and accounts for any institutional adjustments in Arts & Sciences tuition. Subject to the same renewal terms (3.1 cumulative GPA per the policy page; 75% reduction at 3.0).
Notes
Eligibility is rank-based (val/sal at a Catholic high school), not a published GPA/test grid, so it is not 'automatic on stats' in the usual sense. Named for St. Katharine Drexel, founder of the university.
Valedictorian or salutatorian of a public high school in Orleans or Jefferson parish
Renewal terms
Covers eight consecutive semesters and accounts for any institutional adjustments in Arts & Sciences tuition. Subject to the same renewal terms (3.1 cumulative GPA per the policy page; 75% reduction at 3.0).
Notes
Geographically restricted (Orleans/Jefferson public high schools) and rank-based, so not 'automatic on stats.' Named for Dr. Norman C. Francis, XULA's long-serving former president.
High school counselor recommendation; awarded to first-time freshmen based on application information
Renewal terms
Renewable for up to eight consecutive semesters of full-time enrollment; reviewed annually. Recipients must maintain at least a 2.75 GPA (a lower renewal bar than the academic scholarships).
Notes
A smaller merit-grant tier (max $5,000) awarded alongside or below the academic scholarships; has its own lower 2.75 renewal GPA. Despite the name 'Grant,' the catalog describes it as merit-driven (HS GPA + test + counselor rec), not need-based.
Based on the student's academic record at their previous institution (for transfer students)
Renewal terms
Renewal terms not stated on the catalog page for transfer awards specifically; the general academic-scholarship renewal policy (3.1 GPA, 30 credits/yr, FAFSA) governs institutional scholarships.
Notes
For transfer students only; awarded on the prior-institution academic record. Transfer students are not eligible for the Rousseve Scholars Program.
Full tuition scholarship and a…Full tuition scholarship and a $250 book allowance for an academic year
Rousseve Scholars Program
ApplicationRenewable
GPA
Selected on the basis of the previous two semesters' GPA (top ten per class); cumulative GPA used to break ties (high school GPA for sophomores)
Requirements & details+
Eligibility
Must take the appropriate number of semester hours for advancement and have no grades of F, U, or W during the academic year. Transfer students are not eligible.
Renewal terms
Selected annually for one academic year; the top ten students in each of the sophomore, junior, and senior classes are chosen each year based on the previous two semesters' GPA. It is an annual selection rather than a multi-year renewable award.
Notes
A continuing-student (sophomore/junior/senior) merit award, NOT an entering-freshman scholarship; included because it is a notable full-tuition merit track. Limited to the top ten students per class each year.
All institutional aid is capped at the Direct cost of attendance (tuition, room and board, and mandatory university fees). Scholarship amounts may be reduced when federal and state grant aid is received, so federal/state grants and outside aid can displace XULA scholarship dollars once the Direct-cost ceiling is reached.
The catalog states scholarship amounts may be adjusted based on receipt of Federal and state grant aid, and that 'Academic scholarship and aid combined cannot exceed Direct cost to the institution,' with Direct cost defined as tuition, room and board, and mandatory university fees. Full-tuition packages are also adjusted for any Arts & Sciences tuition increases. No separate page spells out how third-party private outside scholarships specifically are sequenced (loan-first vs grant-first) within that cap.
Named awards that don’t always surface on the main financial aid page. Each one has its own eligibility rules.
AmountVaries by award level (Opportunity / Performance / Honors)EligibilityLouisiana residents who earn a 2.5 GPA on the TOPS Core Curriculum and a composite score of 20 on the ACT, graduate from an accredited Louisiana high school, complete the FAFSA, and meet the state college-prep curriculum.
State of Louisiana award administered by LOSFA, not by XULA. LOSFA eligibility supersedes any TOPS figure on a XULA estimated award letter. Renewal GPA varies by tier (Opportunity 2.30 first year / 2.50 after; Performance & Honors 3.00).
AmountAward amounts vary from year to yearEligibilityContinuing students who have not received Academic and/or Rousseve Scholarships, who demonstrate significant academic achievement and verifiable financial need.
Need-AND-merit blend for continuing students; awarded as funds become available. Listed for completeness — not a pure entering-freshman merit award.
AmountTuition assistance, a textbook allowance, and a monthly subsistence allowanceEligibilityOffered through the service departments located on the Tulane University campus; available to Xavier students with university incentives and supplements.
Administered by the military service branches, not XULA financial aid. Contact the service departments at Tulane for details.
Do I have to apply separately for XULA merit scholarships?
Most are automatic: all freshmen are considered for Xavier University Academic Scholarships at the time of application for admission, based primarily on high school GPA and test scores plus a counselor recommendation. The named top awards (Board of Trustees, President's) reference 'scholarship application materials,' so confirm with admissions whether a separate scholarship application is required for those. The Drexel and Francis awards are based on valedictorian/salutatorian status rather than an application.
What GPA do I need to keep my XULA scholarship?
Per XULA's Academic Scholarship Policy page, you must keep a valid FAFSA on file, enroll full-time, complete at least 30 credit hours a year, and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.1 or higher. If your cumulative GPA falls to 3.0 (but below the renewal floor) the award is reduced to 75% of the original; below 3.0 it is permanently cancelled. (An older catalog page lists 3.3 instead of 3.1 — verify the current number with the aid office.)
Can I stack a XULA scholarship with TOPS, Pell, or an outside scholarship?
Up to a point. XULA caps academic scholarship plus aid at the institution's Direct cost (tuition + room/board + mandatory fees), and says scholarship amounts may be adjusted based on Federal and state grant aid received. So TOPS, Pell, and similar aid can reduce your XULA scholarship once you reach that ceiling rather than always adding on top. Ask the aid office exactly how an outside award affects your specific package.
How long does the scholarship last?
XULA institutional academic scholarships are renewable for up to eight consecutive semesters (four years), reviewed at the end of each academic year, as long as you meet the FAFSA, full-time, credit-hour, and GPA requirements. A break in enrollment may cancel the award.
What are the stats for the biggest awards?
The Board of Trustees Scholarship (full tuition + fees + room and board) lists a minimum 3.8 high school GPA and a minimum 28 ACT composite or 1250 SAT (Reading + Math), plus demonstrated leadership. The President's Scholarship (full tuition + housing allowance) lists a minimum 3.8 GPA and a minimum 26 ACT or 1170 SAT.
How Xavier (Louisiana) compares across our verified dataset
160 of 751 verified schools in our dataset use cost-of-attendance cap displacement.
Xavier (Louisiana) is in a recognizable cluster (160 schools share this category). That framing matters when comparing peer schools that may publish the policy differently or not at all.
669 of 751 verified schools publish at least one four-year renewable merit award.
Xavier (Louisiana) is one of them. The cohort minority (82 schools) only awards one-year scholarships, which means the four-year value families assume on a brochure quote isn't guaranteed at every school.
Sources used on this page
Every claim is checked against Xavier (Louisiana)’s own published materials. Below is the full reference set.
