Hundreds of colleges use the CSS Profile to award institutional grants and scholarships to students. The 2025-26 form opened on Oct. 1, 2024. Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Robert Farrington writes about higher education and student loans. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is usually the ...

Completing the CSS profile can help you qualify for non-federal aid opportunities. This form, unlike the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) , is used by a limited number of colleges. It ...

The CSS Profile is used to determine eligibility for aid from a school. The form opens Oct. 1 each year, but deadlines to submit vary by college. Fee waivers are available for qualifying students. The ...

Applying to college is an exercise in paperwork: recommendations, essays, the application itself, and the FAFSA — the form that determines whether your student is eligible for federal financial aid.