The CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE (often written as CSS PROFILE), short for the College Scholarship Service Profile, is an application distributed by the College Board in the United States allowing college students to apply for financial aid. It is primarily designed to give private member institutions of the College Board a closer look into the finances of a student and family, it is much more detailed than the FAFSA.

The CSS Profile asks questions about the financial status of the student and the student's parents. The information the student gives in the CSS Profile is then sent to colleges or universities that the student specifies.

Along with the FAFSA, the CSS Profile is the most common financial aid application that students in the United States fill out.

Each CSS Profile costs a fee, varying from year to year.

Generally, colleges with early acceptance programs (student receives admission decision before the new year) use the CSS PROFILE to make preliminary financial aid decisions because the FAFSA is not available until after January 1. Then after student completes the FAFSA (the official financial aid application) colleges may then make adjustments to their financial aid awards if necessary.

External links

• Application Website