Skip to main content
Innovative College Prep logo
Innovative College Prep
College Admissions Resources

Financial Aid

What Is the CSS Profile?

What Is the CSS Profile? header illustration
Information may be out of date. CSS Profile fees, deadlines, and participating colleges change each year. Confirm current fees and which colleges require it on the College Board’s CSS Profile site and on each college’s financial aid page.

Some colleges require more than just the FAFSA to apply for financial aid. The CSS Profile is a more in-depth financial aid application that over 200 colleges require (mostly private universities). The application provides colleges with a more complete overview of your family's financial circumstances and thus takes longer to complete than the FAFSA.

Students and parents that need to complete the application must do so through the College Board. After going to https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/, students should sign into their account if they have one or create one if they do not. The information required to complete the application is the most recent year's federal tax returns, W-2 forms, any other financial information demonstrating income, including untaxed income. Asset and liability information such as investments, bank statements, loans, and mortgage information is also required. Both student and parental financial information is required.

After going through the application and entering in the information, it is ready for submission. Select submit and enter the desired colleges. The CSS profile should be submitted to a college the student is applying to 2 weeks before its priority deadline. There is a general $25 fee to submit the CSS profile in addition to a $16 payment for each college. Fee waivers are available for low-income applicants directly through the College Board website. Once the fees are paid or waived, students can actually submit the application. Make sure to research the priority deadlines for the colleges the student is applying to to ensure they can qualify for financial aid.

Helpful Links:

  • Tips: https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/getting-started-your-css-profile-application
  • CSS Profile Student Guide: https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/pdf/css-profile-student-guide.pdf
  • CSS Profile overview: https://learn.collegeboard.org/css-profile-overview/
  • CSS Profile step-by-step tutorial: https://www.proprofs.com/training/course/?title=the-css-profile_5f465f74e9586
Back to Articles