College Scholarship Service (CSS)
The College Board’s CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE is an online application used by many private colleges and universities to determine a student's eligibility for non-government financial aid, such as the institution's own grants, loans and scholarships. Students interested in getting the College Scholarship Service are required to fill out the CSS/ Financial Aid PROFILE application, which the College Board then sends it to select colleges and scholarship programs they have chosen.
(Read: our exclusive financial aid FAQs for more detail information.)
The PROFILE, which is generally viewed as the application for private or institutional funds, is required by many, but not all institutions. It is therefore, in the best interest of a student to check with their school's financial aid office to ensure that their select institution participates within the CSS PROFILE pogram.
(Read :Sources of Financial Aid - to get more information on specific grants and scholarships.)
CSS PROFILE vs. FAFSA:
The CSS is primarily designed to give
private educational institutions a closer look into the finances of a
student and family. It is much more detailed than the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Basically, the CSS PROFILE and FAFSA are the two most common
financial aid application that students in the United States
fill out.
The biggest differences between the CSS PROFILE and the FAFSA include:
•Submission dates: The CSS PROFILE can be submitted in the
fall; FAFSA cannot be submitted before January 1;
•Specific questions: The CSS PROFILE questions are specific
to the school or program a student is applying to; FAFSA contains the same
questions for everyone;
•Different methodology: The CSS PROFILE determines a
student's financial need using the Institutional Methodology. While the FAFSA,
uses the Federal Methodology to calculate a student's Expected Family
Contribution. Also, the CSS delves deeper and needs
detailed information about a student's family finances (including step
parents, home equity etc). The FAFSA is more lenient and only requires information on the
custodial parent, plus any child support;
•Minimum student contribution: The CSS PROFILE requires
this; the FAFSA doesn't;
•Cost: Each CSS PROFILE costs a fee, varying from year to
year; the FAFSA, as the name implies, is free.
NOTE: If the school requires the PROFILE, the financial aid
office will be delving deeper into a student's family finances.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q1. What kind of colleges generally require the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE?
Q2. Who provides and processes the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE?
Q3. When should I start the CSS PROFILE process?
Q4. When should I register for the CSS/ Financial Aid PROFILE?
Q5. How do I get my CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE application?
Q6. What information do I need to fill out the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE application?
Q7. What happens after I send in the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE application form?
Q1. What kind of colleges generally require the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE?
Typically, private colleges having a substantial amount of their own financial aid money (or institutional funds), will require the use of the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE. While public colleges, like state universities, receive most of their financial aid money from government programs. At times, you may find that a college may want both the FAFSA and CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE forms and, in addition, may require their own supplementary institutional forms.
It is your responsibility to determine which schools require which forms. College catalogs may not be completely updated with the most current information about the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE system. Remember, if you have any doubts, simply call the financial aid office of the select schools you plan to apply and ask for specific information about whether they require the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE and/or institutional applications in addition to the FAFSA.
Q2. Who provides and processes the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE?
The CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE application was developed by the College Scholarship Service (CSS). Colleges can use this application to decide on how to award institutional funds to qualified students. The CSS is a branch of the College Board, a non-profit membership organization with more than 6,000 two- and four-year colleges, universities, secondary schools, higher education systems and other nonprofit organizations.
Q3. When should I start the CSS PROFILE process?
In early September, determine which schools require the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE. Invest time studying the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE registration information on College Board's website, ask your counselor or career center specialist, or call your target college financial aid offices for more information.
Q4. When should I register for the CSS/ Financial Aid PROFILE?
The CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE is only available online. If you are applying for aid for the first time, you must register with the College Board prior to completing the PROFILE online. You should register at least two weeks before the filing deadlines of your participating schools or scholarship programs.
Once you register, you can complete the PROFILE application right away in one sitting or save your data and return to it later. Keep in mind that many independent colleges may have financial aid deadlines that are earlier than others. Submit your registration well ahead of CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE deadlines. One supposed advantage of the PROFILE (according to the CSS) is the actual process of applying for financial aid starts earlier than the FAFSA.
Q5.
How do I get my CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE application? Fill out the
CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE registration form to start the process in motion.
The CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE registration form is available
online at:
profileonline.collegeboard.com. After you register online, you can
choose to complete the PROFILE application immediately or return to it at a
later time. You will have the option to print a pre-application worksheet,
which allows you to review the application questions in advance of filling
out the online form. Be sure to have tax returns (if available) and
financial documents on hand when filling out the application.
Q6. What information do I need to fill out the
CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE application?
Be sure to have tax
returns and financial documents on hand when filling out the application.The
PROFILE asks for more detailed information than the FAFSA.
Information collected by
the PROFILE may include:
Value of parents'
home;
Medical and dental
expenses not covered by insurance;
Trust funds for
siblings;
Cost of primary
and/or secondary education tuition;
Businesses,
properties owned by you or your parents;
Q7. What happens after I submit the CSS/Financial Aid
PROFILE application form?
After you submit your application,
you will receive an online PROFILE acknowledgment. This acknowledgment
provides a record of the information you entered on your application and
gives you information about the next steps required to complete the
financial aid process. You can use the acknowledgment to make changes to
your PROFILE. At this point, your CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE information has been analyzed and sent to the
target colleges you selected. These colleges will now use this
information to determine your eligibility for institutional (college-based) aid.