When starting the college financial aid process, it’s important to know that there is another financial aid application besides the FAFSA you may need to complete.
Many colleges and universities also require the CSS Profile, an online application generally used by private colleges to determine eligibility for their own institutional financial aid. https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/
While the FAFSA is used to determine eligibility for federal financial aid, the CSS Profile gives colleges a more detailed picture of your financial circumstances. If you are applying to colleges that require the CSS Profile, completing it on time is an important part of your college application process.
If you haven’t completed the FAFSA, read our Tips for Filling Out the FAFSA.
What Is the CSS Profile?
The CSS Profile is a financial aid application created by the College Board. Colleges use it to help determine eligibility for institutional, non-federal financial aid, including grants and scholarships funded by the college.
Not every college requires the CSS Profile. You should check the financial aid requirements for each college on your list because requirements and deadlines vary by school.
The CSS Profile generally becomes available on October 1 if you are applying for financial aid for the following academic year.
CSS Profile vs. FAFSA: What’s the Difference?
The FAFSA and CSS Profile serve different purposes:
FAFSA
- Used to determine eligibility for federal financial aid
- Required for federal student aid
- Also used by many colleges and states to determine eligibility for additional aid
CSS Profile
- Used by participating colleges to determine eligibility for institutional financial aid
- Asks for more detailed information about a family’s financial circumstances
- Is required only by colleges that participate in the CSS Profile program
Completing the FAFSA does not replace the CSS Profile at a college that requires both.
Which Colleges Require the CSS Profile?
Hundreds of colleges and scholarship programs use the CSS Profile.
Some colleges on your list may require it while others may not. That’s why you should create a financial aid checklist for each school rather than assuming the requirements are the same everywhere.
You can check the College Board’s list of participating institutions and then confirm the requirements and deadlines directly with each college’s financial aid office.
How Do You Complete the CSS Profile?
The CSS Profile is completed online through the College Board.
If you already have a College Board account from taking the SAT, PSAT, or AP exams, you can use the same username and password to sign in. Otherwise, you can create a College Board account.
The application can be completed over multiple sessions, so you don’t have to finish it all in one sitting.
The basic process is:
- Create or sign into your College Board account.
- Select the appropriate CSS Profile application year.
- Add the colleges that require the CSS Profile.
- Complete the financial and family information.
- Review the application carefully.
- Submit the CSS Profile by each college’s deadline.
- Check your dashboard for any additional requirements.
What Information Do You Need to Complete the CSS Profile?
The CSS Profile asks for detailed financial information, so it’s a good idea to gather your documents before you begin. College Board recommends having the following information available:
Tax Information
- Most recently completed federal tax return
- All applicable tax schedules
- W-2 forms
- Other records of current-year income
Income and Benefits
- Records of untaxed income
- Information about benefits or other sources of income
Assets
- Current bank account balances
- Investment information
- Other assets requested by the application
Family Information
- Your information
- Parent information
- Household information
- Information about other family members, as applicable
Having these documents nearby can make the application much easier to complete and can help reduce mistakes. It also helps to create a spreadsheet with your balances from your accounts, so you can calculate. Break it down into Savings (bank accounts), Investments (529 accounts, stocks and mutual funds), 401K, and Home Value (you can look into online sites like Zillow or Redfin to calculate an average of your home’s value)
What Is IDOC?
Some colleges that use the CSS Profile also use the Institutional Documentation Service, or IDOC, which is a separate College Board service used to collect financial documents for participating colleges. Not every CSS Profile school uses IDOC.
If your colleges require IDOC, the College Board will notify you. You can then log into the IDOC system to see exactly which documents are required and the deadlines for submitting them.
Documents requested through IDOC may include:
- Federal tax returns
- W-2 forms
- Additional financial aid documents
- Forms that need to be completed or signed
One important tip: Don’t assume that everyone needs to submit the same documents. Wait until IDOC tells you what is required for your specific schools.
What If Parents Are Divorced or Separated?
The CSS Profile can be more complicated for divorced or separated families.
Some colleges require financial information from both the custodial and noncustodial parent. In those cases, the noncustodial parent may need to complete a separate CSS Profile.
However, policies vary by college. Check each college’s requirements carefully.
How Much Does the CSS Profile Cost?
The CSS Profile is currently free for domestic undergraduate students who meet certain criteria, including families with an adjusted gross income of up to $100,000.
If you do not qualify for a fee waiver, College Board currently charges $25 for the initial college and $16 for each additional institution.
When Should You Complete the CSS Profile?
Don’t wait until the college application deadline to think about financial aid.
CSS Profile deadlines can be earlier than you expect, and each college establishes its own deadline.
The College Board recommends submitting the CSS Profile by the earliest priority filing date for the schools on your list.
We recommend creating a simple financial aid deadline list that includes:
- FAFSA deadline
- CSS Profile deadline
- IDOC deadline, if applicable
- Any college-specific financial aid forms
- Scholarship deadlines
Keeping all of these dates together can help prevent a missed deadline from affecting your financial aid eligibility.
Don’t Forget: You May Need Both Applications
The biggest takeaway for families is simple:
Completing the FAFSA does not necessarily mean you’re finished with financial aid applications.
If one or more of your colleges requires the CSS Profile, you’ll need to complete that application as well.
Before submitting either application, check the financial aid requirements and deadlines for every college on your list.
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