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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

It allows Drexel to consider you for need-based grant aid. Drexel grants are considered gift aid; they don't need to be paid back. In 2025–2026, the average financial aid package was $40,814 for first ...

Priority filing dates for new and returning students as it relates to the CSS Profile and FAFSA. Note for Returning Students: You can submit the 2026-2027 FAFSA starting October 1, 2025. We will not ...

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.

The CSS Profile, managed by the College Board, helps students access institutional financial aid beyond federal support. Unlike the FAFSA, it provides colleges with a detailed view of income, assets, ...

The College Scholarship Service PROFILE (CSS Profile) is an application for non-federal student financial aid that is administered by the College Board, the creator of the SAT. Nearly 400 of their ...

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 ...