Applying for Institutional Aid
The CSS Profile (College Scholarship Service Profile) is an online application managed by the College Board that many private colleges, universities, and some public institutions use to determine eligibility for their own institutional (non-federal) financial aid. It typically collects more detailed financial information than the FAFSA.
Key Features
- Detailed Financial Application: Gathers comprehensive information about family income, assets, and expenses.
- Used by Hundreds of Institutions: Required by roughly 400 colleges and scholarship programs for awarding their funds.
- Calculates Institutional EFC: Used to determine the Expected Family Contribution based on the institution's specific methodology (IM).
- Secure Platform: Managed by the College Board.
How it Helps Students & Families
- Enables students to apply for potentially significant grant and scholarship aid directly from the colleges themselves.
- Required step for receiving institutional aid at participating schools.
Pricing & Access
There is a fee to submit the CSS Profile, including an initial fee plus a fee for each additional college report sent. However, fee waivers are automatically granted based on FAFSA information or specific indicators for eligible low-income students.