CSS Profile guide: what it is, who needs it, and what it costs
Last updated October 2026 · By The Scholarly team
The CSS Profile is a financial aid application from College Board that some colleges and scholarship programs use to award their own money. It is not a federal form and doesn't replace the FAFSA. It opens October 1 each year, costs $25 for the first school and $16 for each additional school, and is free for undergraduates in the U.S. whose family adjusted gross income is up to $100,000. Deadlines are set by each college, and early applicants often face a November date.
What the CSS Profile is
Think of the FAFSA as the form for government money and the CSS Profile as the form for a college's own money. College Board describes it as the application colleges and scholarship programs use to award non-federal institutional aid, and it says the Profile gives access to more than $14 billion in that aid each year.
The Profile asks more than the FAFSA does, which is the point. Colleges that use it want a fuller picture before they hand out large grants: home equity at many schools, detailed business and farm information, both parents' finances in some divorced families, and room to explain unusual circumstances. Each school then runs its own formula, so the same Profile can produce different results at different colleges.
Who needs to file it
Only students applying to a school or program that requires it. That is mostly private colleges and a few public universities and honors or scholarship programs. College Board keeps the official list of participating institutions and programs, linked in the sources below. Check each college on your list against it, and confirm on the college's own aid page, because some schools require the Profile only from first-year applicants or only for certain aid.
A rule of thumb from experience: if every college on your list is a public university in your home state, you probably don't need it. If you have even one selective private college on the list, look it up.
Divorced or separated parents
This is the biggest difference from the FAFSA. Some colleges require a separate Profile from the noncustodial parent. College Board says the noncustodial parent's Profile is free to submit when that parent lives in the U.S. and their family AGI is up to $100,000. Whether a school requires it, and whether it grants waivers of the requirement, is up to the school. Ask early, because getting a second household's documents together can take weeks.
Cost and fee waivers
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| First school or program | $25 |
| Each additional school | $16 |
| Family AGI up to $100,000 (U.S. undergraduate) | Free |
| Student qualified for an SAT fee waiver | Free |
| Orphan or ward of the court under 24 | Free |
So a student sending the Profile to six schools without a waiver pays $25 + (5 × $16) = $105. Payment is by credit or debit card. If your family is over the income line but money is tight, some colleges will cover the fee if you ask the aid office directly.
Timeline
- Summer before senior year: find out which of your colleges require the Profile and write down each school's deadline. Gather your parents' 2025 tax return, W-2s, and current account balances.
- October 1: the Profile opens. The FAFSA opens around the same time (this year it opened September 23, 2026). Do them in the same week, since most of the inputs overlap.
- Early decision or early action: many schools want the Profile in November so they can send an aid estimate with your admission decision. That timing matters more than anywhere else, because an ED offer is binding once the aid is enough to attend.
- Regular decision: college deadlines commonly fall between January and March.
- After you submit: some colleges ask for tax documents through College Board's IDOC service or their own portal. Watch your email and each school's applicant portal for missing-document notices.
Tips from people who have filled out a lot of these
- Do the FAFSA first. The numbers overlap, and having one finished makes the other faster.
- Use the explanation sections. Medical bills, a parent's job loss, supporting a grandparent: if it isn't in the numbers, write it in. Aid officers do read these.
- Estimate honestly, then update. If you file before your parents' records are final, use your best estimate and correct it later. Don't leave fields blank to come back to.
- Save the PDF. Keep a copy of what you submitted. You'll want it next year, because colleges that use the Profile usually require it again to renew aid.
A strong aid offer from a Profile school can be very generous, and outside scholarships interact with it in specific ways. Read how outside scholarships affect financial aid before you report any awards.
Common questions
How much does the CSS Profile cost?
It costs $25 to send to the first school and $16 for each additional school, according to College Board. Many families pay nothing because of fee waivers.
Who gets a CSS Profile fee waiver?
College Board says undergraduate students living in the U.S. can submit for free if family adjusted gross income is up to $100,000, if the student qualified for an SAT fee waiver, or if the student is an orphan or ward of the court under age 24.
When does the CSS Profile open?
October 1 each year. Deadlines are set by each college, often in November for early decision and early action and between January and March for regular decision.
Do I need the CSS Profile if I file the FAFSA?
Only if a college or scholarship program on your list requires it. The FAFSA is for federal and most state aid; the CSS Profile is used by certain colleges to award their own money. Check College Board's list of participating institutions.
Does my noncustodial parent have to fill out the CSS Profile?
At some colleges, yes. Requirements vary by school. College Board says the noncustodial parent's Profile is free when that parent lives in the U.S. and has family adjusted gross income up to $100,000.
Sources
- What does CSS Profile cost? College Board Help Center $25 first school, $16 each additional.
- CSS Profile fee waivers, College Board Free for family AGI up to $100,000 and other criteria.
- About CSS Profile, College Board Purpose; opens October 1.
- CSS Profile participating institutions and programs, College Board
- CSS Profile home, College Board $14 billion in nonfederal aid figure.