STEP — Free Tuition at Any Louisiana Public College for a Drilling Guard Member
The State Tuition Exemption Program exempts an actively drilling Louisiana National Guard member in good standing from TUITION at any Louisiana public postsecondary institution, for an Associate's, Bachelor's or Master's degree. FEES ARE NOT COVERED — the Patriot Scholarship exists to pay those, and the two are meant to be claimed together. LSU applies it automatically from a Guard roster each semester.
Verified August 27, 2026
What this benefit is
The State Tuition Exemption Program exempts an actively drilling Louisiana National Guard member in good standing from TUITION at any Louisiana public postsecondary institution, for an Associate's, Bachelor's or Master's degree. FEES ARE NOT COVERED — the Patriot Scholarship exists to pay those, and the two are meant to be claimed together. LSU applies it automatically from a Guard roster each semester.
What it's worth: Tuition exempt at any Louisiana public college — fees are NOT covered
- It exempts TUITION only. FEES ARE EXPRESSLY EXCLUDED, and at a Louisiana public institution the mandatory fees are a substantial bill on their own.
- The Patriot Scholarship exists to pay those fees. Claim both — that is how the pair is designed to work.
- It is for SERVING, actively drilling Guard members in good standing. A discharged veteran is not covered by this one.
- It covers Associate's, Bachelor's and Master's degrees, and academic standing must be maintained.
- LSU applies it automatically from a Guard-provided roster each semester; other institutions may need you to ask.
- Secondary sources describe a 15-semester cap. That figure is not confirmed on the official page reviewed and is not asserted here.
Who is entitled to it
- You are an actively drilling Louisiana Guard member.
- You are in Louisiana.
Not sure whether that describes you?
Answer a few questions about this benefit specifically — we only ask what this one actually depends on, and we stop as soon as we know.
How to claim it
Deadline: Each semester- 1Speak to your institution's veterans or military office. At LSU it is applied automatically from a Guard roster; elsewhere you may need to prompt it.
- 2CLAIM THE PATRIOT SCHOLARSHIP TOO. STEP does not pay fees and the Patriot Scholarship does. Claiming one and not the other leaves a real bill unpaid.
- 3Stay in good standing with the Guard and academically — both are continuing conditions.
- 4Ask the institution what the semester cap is; secondary sources say fifteen but the official page reviewed does not state it.
- Form
- Through your institution's veterans or military office
- File with
- Your institution's veterans or military office
- Each term
- Claimed per academic term.
Sources
- authority · published policyLouisiana National Guard — State Tuition Exemption Program (STEP)
- operating · published policyLouisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance
This finder provides an informational match, not a government eligibility determination. The responsible agency decides your application.