| Nearly every student who applies to college or career | | | | CSS Profile. When you apply to a college or career |
| school also applies for financial aid. With grants, loans, | | | | school, inquire at your school's admissions office or |
| and scholarships available from federal, state, | | | | financial aid office. |
| institutional, and private sources, students have good | | | | FAFSA |
| reason to explore their financial aid options. When | | | | The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (known |
| you apply for financial aid, you'll encounter two | | | | as the FAFSA) is a form that you fill out annually to |
| applications: the FAFSA and the CSS College Profile. | | | | determine your eligibility for federal student financial |
| Here's what they are and how they differ from each | | | | aid. Federal programs include Pell grants, Stafford |
| other. | | | | loans, PLUS loans, and work-study programs. The |
| The CSS / Financial Aid PROFILE | | | | program is administered by Federal Student Aid, |
| The College Board, a not-for-profit membership | | | | which is an office of the U.S. Department of |
| association that assists students to enter college, | | | | Education. Its mission is to ensure that all eligible |
| includes more than 5,400 career colleges, trade | | | | individuals can access federally funded or federally |
| schools, universities, and other educational | | | | guaranteed financial assistance for college education. |
| organizations. The College Board administers the SAT | | | | Most accredited career colleges are eligible to |
| test to high school students. But another key mission | | | | administer federal Title IV education grants, and they |
| of the College Board is to help you lower your cost | | | | will ask you to fill out the FAFSA before your first |
| of attendance (COA). Your COA includes tuition, | | | | tuition payment is due. The FAFSA form is available |
| room and board, books, travel expenses, and other | | | | online at the FAFSA website. The application is free, |
| expenses associated with attending college. | | | | and may be filled out either online or printed out on |
| The College Board administers the online CSS / | | | | paper. |
| Financial Aid PROFILE application (commonly known | | | | What's the Difference Between the Applications? |
| as the CSS Profile). Member schools agree to use the | | | | The FAFSA and the CSS profile use two different |
| CSS Profile application to standardize the financial aid | | | | systems to calculate your expected family |
| application process and to make it easier for | | | | contribution (EFC), which is the amount of money a |
| students. By using one standardized application, it's | | | | school will expect you or your family to contribute, |
| much easier for students to apply to multiple schools. | | | | and how much the school will award in grants and |
| Schools use your CSS Profile application information | | | | scholarships. |
| to determine how much nonfederal financial aid you | | | | FAFSA asks for a different set of financial |
| are eligible to receive. Nonfederal financial aid includes | | | | information than the CSS Profile. For example, FAFSA |
| institutional grants and scholarships, which are | | | | ignores assets of siblings, all assets of certain families |
| subsidies that the college gives you to help you lower | | | | with less than $50,000 of income, and both home |
| your cost of attending college. | | | | and family farm equity. The CSS Profile collects |
| You fill out your CSS Profile online. There is an initial | | | | information on estimated academic year family |
| fee of $25 that includes sending your application to | | | | income, medical expenses, elementary and secondary |
| one school, plus a fee of $16 for every additional | | | | school tuition, and unusual circumstances. |
| school or college that you want your information sent | | | | The CSS Profile is generally due earlier in the year |
| to. | | | | than the FAFSA. Individual colleges set their own due |
| Which Colleges Use the CSS Profile? | | | | dates, and you should plan ahead. Go to the College |
| The information collected on the CSS Profile is used | | | | Board website, review the list of colleges that |
| by almost 600 colleges, universities, graduate schools, | | | | interest you, and get the due dates for the one(s) |
| and professional schools to determine eligibility for | | | | you want. |
| nonfederal student aid funds. Many private colleges, | | | | How to get started? Search a reputable online college |
| which have institutional financial aid funds, will ask | | | | directory. Compare colleges and apply to the ones |
| students to complete both the FAFSA and the CSS | | | | that are a good fit for you. When you are accepted, |
| Profile applications. Many career colleges and public | | | | immediately contact the school's financial aid office |
| universities do not have institutional funds to | | | | and find out which applications they require. |
| distribute, and these schools may not require the | | | | |