The CSS Profile is an application for college financial aid required by about 200 undergraduate institutions. Completing the CSS Profile, short for the College Scholarship Service Profile, can be ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Robert Farrington writes about higher education and student loans. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is usually the ...

All schools accept the FAFSA for federal aid, but only some accept the CSS Profile for state and institutional aid. Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are from our advertising ...

The CSS Profile, administered and maintained by the College Board, the same group that develops the SAT, opens the door to nonfederal scholarships and other kinds of institutional aid that can make a ...

Completing the CSS profile can help you qualify for non-federal aid opportunities. This form, unlike the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) , is used by a limited number of colleges. It ...

The CSS Profile, administered by the College Board, is a crucial tool for students seeking financial aid from colleges beyond federal support. Unlike the FAFSA, which determines eligibility for ...

Applying to college is an exercise in paperwork: recommendations, essays, the application itself, and the FAFSA — the form that determines whether your student is eligible for federal financial aid.

This financial aid form is the key to non-federal aid at some colleges Greg Daugherty has worked 25+ years as an editor and writer for major publications and websites. He is also the author of two ...

Hundreds of colleges use the CSS Profile to award institutional grants and scholarships to students. The 2025-26 form opened on Oct. 1, 2024. Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are ...