The Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance alerted state colleges Thursday that it was suspending TOPS scholarship payments immediately due to the state’s historic budget crisis.TOPS eligible institutions received an email Thursday, alerting schools that payments would be suspended.The office said the notice was a precautionary measure until more is learned about the implications of budget cuts.TOPS is the state’s popular scholarship program that covers tuition for Louisiana students who meet certain academic standards. It’s provided hundreds of thousands of dollars to students in Louisiana for the past two decades.

The Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance alerted state colleges Thursday that it was suspending TOPS scholarship payments immediately due to the state’s historic budget crisis.

TOPS eligible institutions received an email Thursday, alerting schools that payments would be suspended.

The office said the notice was a precautionary measure until more is learned about the implications of budget cuts.

TOPS is the state’s popular scholarship program that covers tuition for Louisiana students who meet certain academic standards. It’s provided hundreds of thousands of dollars to students in Louisiana for the past two decades.