CSS Profile guide: What you need to know

Key takeaways

• Some colleges require you to fill out the CSS Profile to qualify for non-federal financial aid.
• Unlike the FAFSA, most applicants have to pay a fee to submit the CSS Profile.
• You can still complete the CSS Profile, even if your school doesn't require it, to qualify for grants or scholarships.

The College Scholarship Service Profile (CSS Profile) is an online application that helps schools determine your eligibility for non-federal financial aid. Unlike the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) that's free for everyone, the CSS Profile typically costs money.

Even so, completing the CSS Profile is important because it has the potential to lower your costs for college. Some students may receive scholarships or lower-priced tuition based on the financial information they include in their profiles, so spending the money to fill it out may be worth it, even if your school doesn't require it.

What is the CSS Profile?

The CSS Profile is a private, independent survey you fill out through the College Board. The CSS Profile helps college students access over $10 billion in financial aid nationwide. Filling out an application could potentially help you secure institutional scholarships and aid on top of any grants or student loans the federal government may offer you.

There are currently more than 250 schools that use the CSS Profile, although participating institutions of higher education can change over time. You need to fill the CSS Profile application for each academic year. The College Board can then share your information with as many participating colleges or scholarship programs you select.

Examples of schools that are using the CSS profile for the 2025-26 academic year include the following:

The exact amount of financial aid you could receive after completing the CSS Profile depends on various factors, such as the institution you're attending, schools you're applying for and your family's income. In the 2023-24 school year, colleges and universities gave $82.8 billion in grants.

Double check with schools

If a college you're considering offers scholarship programs, you should check to see if you need to complete the CSS Profile. In some cases, a school may require it to qualify for need-based financial aid.

What is the CSS Profile deadline?

The CSS Profile deadlines fall somewhere between Jan. 1 and March 31. You can fill out a CSS Profile application as early as Oct. 1 for the upcoming school year. Ideally, you should aim to complete your profile as close to the application opening date as possible to increase your aid potential.

The College Board recommends submitting your profile no later than two weeks before a college's priority filing date for financial aid applications. As far as the cutoff date goes, each institution sets a deadline regarding when you can submit your completed CSS Profile application.

CSS Profile vs. FAFSA: What's the difference?

Both the CSS Profile and the FAFSA form can help you find ways to cover educational expenses. Yet while you may share similar information on both applications, there are several key differences.

In general, the CSS Profile requires more information from you than the FAFSA form, especially where your family's income, assets and liabilities are concerned. These two applications also differ in the type of financial aid they may help you secure and which universities accept them.

Use the following cheat sheet to compare the CSS Profile versus the FAFSA.

How to complete the CSS Profile

To fill out a CSS Profile, begin by visiting the CSS Profile website. Then follow these steps:

1. Create a College Board account: If you took the PSAT or SAT, you might already have one.
2. Gather the required information: You will need your family's most recent tax return, W-2 forms or other income records, bank statements and documents confirming assets like savings, stocks and bonds.
3. Fill out the application: Answer questions about your income, assets and expenses, along with the same details for your parents. (Divorced parents may need to fill out separate profiles.) You should also expect to provide academic and housing information, along with answers to supplemental questions. The CSS Profile application is detailed. However, you can complete part of it, save your progress and come back at a later time to finish if needed.
4. Review and save your application: Make sure the information on your CSS Profile is complete and accurate. Remember to save a copy for your records too.
5. Select the colleges or scholarship programs to which you want to send your CSS Profile: You can also come back and add additional schools or programs in the future.
6. Enter your payment information: Once your application is complete, you can enter your credit card or debit card information to cover your costs. Unless you qualify for a fee waiver, it costs $25 to submit your CSS Profile to the first university or scholarship program. Additional profile submissions are $16 each.

Next Steps

If you run into any problems while filling out your CSS Profile application, you can contact the College Board for help. Support is available via phone, email or chat. Simply click the "Contact Us" button in your application to access these options.

Once you submit your application, you'll receive confirmation if your payment was successful. Be sure to check your CSS Profile Dashboard as well. It may contain new messages from the specific colleges or programs with which you shared your profile.

Bottom Line

The CSS Profile is similar to the FAFSA: It helps students qualify for financial aid. This form isn't required by most colleges and universities, so you may not need to worry about it unless you're attending an institution of higher education that requires it.

Read over the instructions for this form and answer all the required questions carefully before you submit. Doing so can help you qualify for aid that can help you graduate from college with less student debt overall.

Frequently asked questions

• Who should submit the CSS Profile? If a college you're considering offers scholarship programs and you plan to apply, you should check to see if you need to complete the CSS Profile. The good news is that you only have to fill out the CSS Profile application once. From there, the College Board can share your information with as many participating colleges or scholarship programs you select.
• When should you complete the CSS Profile? CSS Profile applications open on Oct. 1 each year. Should a university or scholarship program require a CSS Profile to consider you for financial aid, you'll want to complete your application a minimum of two weeks before any scholarship priority application deadlines. However, it's wise to complete your application as soon as it becomes available for the upcoming school year.
• How much does the CSS Profile application cost?

  It may cost $25 to submit your CSS Profile to a single college or scholarship program and $16 for each additional profile submission.

  Despite the cost, domestic undergraduate students may be eligible for fee waivers under the following circumstances:

  • • Their family has an adjusted gross income (AGI) of under $100,000.
  • • They qualified for an SAT fee waiver.
  • • They're under the age of 24 and are currently considered an orphan or ward of the court.
• Is the CSS Profile worth it? Completing the CSS Profile costs money (unlike the FAFSA), but it might be worth it if it helps you qualify for scholarships, grants, and other forms of aid that can defray the cost of your college education.