What the CSS Profile is
The CSS Profile is an online form run by the College Board. Colleges that use it want a fuller picture of a family's finances than the FAFSA gives, such as home equity, business income or a noncustodial parent's finances, so they can award their own need-based grants. It does not replace the FAFSA: you file both if a college asks for both.
Who needs to file it
Only students applying to colleges that require it. Each college's financial aid page says whether it uses the CSS Profile and its deadline, which is often close to the admission deadline (early in November for many early applications). Hundreds of colleges use it (NerdWallet, checked October 24, 2026).
Cost and fee waivers
For the 2026-27 cycle the CSS Profile costs $25 for the first college and $16 for each additional college. Undergraduates in the U.S. get a fee waiver automatically if their family's adjusted gross income is under $100,000, if they qualified for an SAT fee waiver, or if they are an orphan or ward of the court under 24 (NerdWallet, checked October 24, 2026). Confirm the current fees on the College Board's CSS Profile site before you file.
What you need
- Your and your parents' most recent tax returns and W-2s
- Current bank and investment balances
- Home value and mortgage balance, if your colleges ask
- Business or farm information, if any
- For divorced or separated parents, some colleges also ask the noncustodial parent to file
How it differs from the FAFSA
| Question | FAFSA | CSS Profile |
|---|---|---|
| Who runs it | U.S. Department of Education | College Board |
| Cost | Free | $25 first college, $16 each after (2026-27), with waivers |
| Opens | 2027-28 form opened September 23, 2026 | October 1 each year |
| Used for | Federal, state and most college aid | A college's own grants |
Tips
- File it with the FAFSA in the fall if any college on your list needs it.
- Check each college's deadline, not just the federal one.
- Explain anything unusual in the notes section, such as a job loss or medical bills.
- Compare results by net price. Look up what families like yours paid at each college with net price by income.
