Most college financial aid comes from the federal government, and colleges distribute it using the information families provide on the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). A few hundred colleges, universities, and scholarship programs also use a second form, the College Scholarship Service (CSS) Profile, to award their own institutional grants and scholarships. These funds can be substantial, and many Profile schools meet 100 percent of demonstrated need, so check whether any college on your student’s list requires the CSS Profile. If a school requires it and you don’t submit it, your student will not receive aid from that school. For this year’s seniors, the 2027-2028 CSS Profile opened on October 1, 2026, the same day as the FAFSA.
The two forms are very different. The FAFSA pulls most of its information directly from your federal tax return and uses the Federal methodology to calculate aid. The Profile asks many more questions, including about home equity and business or farm assets, and uses the institutional methodology to determine aid, which varies from school to school. Each college evaluates your information differently, so not qualifying for aid at one school doesn’t mean you won’t receive it at another. The Profile also lets you explain special circumstances, such as a job loss or high medical costs. Many Profile schools require information from both parents, so a noncustodial parent will need to complete a separate Profile form for the student. A waiver is granted only in limited situations.
To begin, go to cssprofile.collegeboard.org and sign in with your student’s College Board account, the same one used for the SAT or AP exams. Select the 2027-2028 Profile for students starting college in fall 2027. Since parents supply most of the financial information, sit down together or have your student share access so you can complete those sections.
You will need your 2025 federal tax returns and W-2s, since the Profile uses the same “prior-prior year” income as the FAFSA, along with recent bank statements, investment information, and records of any untaxed income. Answer carefully, because colleges will compare your responses to your tax documents. Some schools also use IDOC, a College Board service that collects tax returns, W-2s, 1099s, and, for business or farm owners, a separate supplement. Others have their own institutional forms in addition to or instead of the Profile.
The Profile costs $25 for the first college and $16 for each additional one. Students from families earning up to $100,000 will receive an automatic fee waiver.
Each school sets its own Profile deadline, and Early Decision and Early Action deadlines often fall in early to mid-November. Submit at least two weeks before your earliest priority deadline, and keep a copy of everything. Once you submit, watch your email and the college portals for requests for additional documents, and respond promptly.
