The CSS Profile is an online financial aid form from the College Board. Several hundred colleges and scholarship programs use it, alongside the federal FAFSA, to decide who gets their own grants. It costs $25 for the first college and $16 for each one after that. Families earning up to $100,000 file for free. Each college sets its own deadline.
Where this information comes from
- What the CSS Profile is, what it costs and who files free come from the College Board's own CSS Profile site and help center, checked October 27, 2026.
- Which colleges use it comes from the College Board's list of 2027–28 participating institutions and programs, the forms for students starting college in fall 2027. Lens downloaded the list on October 27, 2026 and matched it to the colleges we write about.
- Deadlines and examples come from each college's financial aid office: Harvard, Vanderbilt, Princeton, the University of Wisconsin–Madison and UNC–Chapel Hill.
- Colleges change their aid forms from year to year. The college's own financial aid site is always the final word.
What the CSS Profile is, and how it differs from the FAFSA
Most families meet two financial aid forms in senior year. The FAFSA is the federal form: it is free, and it decides federal grants, loans and work-study, and often state aid. The CSS Profile is run by the College Board, and colleges use it to award their own money, which the College Board says comes to more than $14 billion a year.
The Profile asks for more than the FAFSA does. Expect questions about income, assets and expenses, using tax returns, W-2 forms and bank statements. For students starting college in fall 2027, the colleges we checked ask for 2025 tax returns.
Why do some colleges ask for a second form? Colleges that give large grants from their own funds want a fuller picture of each family before they decide how much to give. The Profile is how many of them get it. For many families, it is the form that leads to the largest grants. You may pay less if receiving grants or scholarships.
Who needs to file the CSS Profile
You only need the CSS Profile if a college or scholarship program on your list asks for it. On the College Board's 2027–28 list, there are 260 entries, including colleges, graduate and professional schools, and scholarship programs. Many are private colleges and universities. A few public universities appear too, including Georgia Tech, Michigan, UNC–Chapel Hill and Virginia.
Two things are worth knowing:
- Colleges can use it for some students and not others. The College Board says participating colleges use the Profile "for some or all" of their aid applicants. Check the college's financial aid page to see whether it applies to you.
- The list changes. Princeton uses its own Princeton Financial Aid Application and says it does not use the CSS Profile. UW–Madison stopped using the CSS Profile beginning with students who start in fall 2027.
What the CSS Profile costs, and who files for free
| Who | Cost |
|---|---|
| Most families | $25 for the first college or program, $16 for each additional one |
| Domestic undergraduates whose family adjusted gross income is under $100,000 | Free |
| Students who qualified for an SAT fee waiver | Free |
| Orphans and wards of the court under 24 | Free |
Source: College Board CSS Profile help center. The waiver is applied automatically as you fill out the form, so you don't need to apply for it separately. More on fee waivers for the SAT, ACT, applications and the CSS Profile.
When the CSS Profile opens and when it's due
The CSS Profile opens each year on October 1, the same day as the FAFSA. The forms for fall 2027 opened October 1, 2026.
The College Board doesn't set a single deadline. Each college sets its own, and early applicants often have an earlier date. The College Board suggests starting at least two weeks before your earliest deadline and submitting by midnight Eastern time on that date. You don't have to finish in one sitting.
Two examples, from each college's own site for 2027–28:
| College | Early round | Regular Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Harvard | November 1 (Restrictive Early Action) | February 1 |
| Vanderbilt | November 1, 2026 (Early Decision I); January 1, 2027 (Early Decision II) | February 1, 2027 |
Vanderbilt calls these priority deadlines. Harvard accepts late forms but says it may take longer to reply. Neither date is a rule for other colleges, so put each one on your calendar as you build your list. Our guide to early decision and early action explains the early rounds.
Divorced or separated parents: the noncustodial parent Profile
If your parents are divorced or separated, some colleges ask both parents to file. The parent you don't mainly live with, called the noncustodial parent, creates their own College Board account and fills out a separate Profile, which goes confidentially to the colleges you choose.
Not every college asks for this. On the 2027–28 list, 194 of the 260 entries require noncustodial parent information. Among the colleges below, Georgia Tech, UNC–Chapel Hill and Vanderbilt do not. If a parent can't take part, the College Board has a noncustodial parent waiver request form, and each college decides whether to grant it; ask its aid office.
IDOC: sending your tax documents
Some colleges also ask you to upload tax returns and other documents through IDOC, the College Board's document service. You can't use IDOC until you've submitted the CSS Profile, and the College Board will tell you if you need it. Not every student does.
Colleges on Lens that use the CSS Profile for 2027–28
These are the colleges with a Lens page whose undergraduate program is on the College Board's 2027–28 list. The CSS code is what you enter to send your Profile to that college.
Source: College Board, 2027–28 CSS Profile Participating Institutions and Programs, downloaded October 27, 2026. "Yes" means the college uses this for some or all of its aid applicants; check its financial aid site for details. Colleges with a Lens page that are not on the list, such as Princeton and many public universities, don't use the CSS Profile for 2027–28.
How to fill out the CSS Profile, step by step
- Check your list. Look up each college's financial aid page to see whether it asks for the CSS Profile, and note its deadline.
- Gather documents. Tax returns, W-2 forms, records of untaxed income and benefits, and bank and investment statements.
- Sign in with a College Board account. A noncustodial parent creates a separate account of their own.
- Add your colleges using their CSS codes. You can add more later.
- Submit before your earliest deadline, then watch your email for an IDOC request.
- File the FAFSA too. Harvard, Vanderbilt and the other colleges we checked also ask U.S. citizens and permanent residents for the FAFSA.
The forms are long, and it's natural for a family to feel the weight of them. It helps to see them for what they are: the way a college comes to understand your family well enough to help. A college that fits you should also be one your family can afford, and these forms are part of finding out.
Lens helps you understand which kinds of colleges fit you, using seven research-backed assessments, so the list you bring to these forms starts from who you are. Start with Lens →
Frequently asked questions
What is the CSS Profile? An online financial aid form from the College Board. Colleges and scholarship programs use it to award their own grants and scholarships, beyond federal aid from the FAFSA.
Is the CSS Profile the same as the FAFSA? No. The FAFSA is the free federal form for federal and often state aid. The CSS Profile is a separate form that some colleges use for their own aid, and it asks for more detail.
How much does the CSS Profile cost? $25 for the first college or program and $16 for each additional one. It's free for domestic undergraduates whose family adjusted gross income is under $100,000, students who qualified for an SAT fee waiver, and orphans or wards of the court under 24.
When is the CSS Profile due? Each college sets its own deadline. For 2027–28, Harvard's are November 1 for Restrictive Early Action and February 1 for Regular Decision; Vanderbilt's are November 1, 2026 for Early Decision I and February 1, 2027 for Regular Decision.
When does the CSS Profile open? October 1 each year. The 2027–28 Profile opened October 1, 2026.
What schools require the CSS Profile? The College Board's 2027–28 list has 260 entries, many of them private colleges and universities, plus some public universities, graduate schools and scholarship programs. The table above shows the 56 colleges with Lens pages that use it.
Does my noncustodial parent have to fill out the CSS Profile? Only if a college on your list asks for it. 194 of the 260 entries on the 2027–28 list do. Georgia Tech, UNC–Chapel Hill and Vanderbilt are among those that don't.
Do public universities require the CSS Profile? Most don't. A few do for some or all students, including Georgia Tech, Michigan, UNC–Chapel Hill and Virginia. UW–Madison stopped using it starting in fall 2027.
Related
- SAT, ACT and College Application Fee Waivers
- Net Price by Income
- Free Tuition Colleges by Income
- Early Decision vs. Early Action
- How Many Colleges Should I Apply To?
Sources
- College Board, CSS Profile home, What is the cost of the CSS Profile?, Who qualifies for a fee waiver?, Getting started, Divorced or separated parents, IDOC and student flyer. Accessed October 27, 2026.
- College Board, 2027–28 Participating Institutions and Programs, downloaded October 27, 2026.
- College Board BigFuture, How to Complete the CSS Profile.
- Harvard College, Financial aid for prospective students.
- Vanderbilt University, Apply and Undergraduate financial aid.
- Princeton University, Apply for aid: prospective students.
- University of Wisconsin–Madison, Bucky's Tuition Promise.
- UNC–Chapel Hill, Office of Scholarships and Student Aid: Apply.