The CSS Profile is an application for college financial aid required by 300 colleges, universities and scholarship organizations. Completing the CSS Profile, short for the College Scholarship Service ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 is a financial aid application for school-based aid like scholarships and grants. You’ll still need to complete the FAFSA to qualify for federal and state financial aid. Unlike the ...

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 ...