{"id":2268,"date":"2018-05-13T10:06:27","date_gmt":"2018-05-13T10:06:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.scholarshipowl.com\/?p=2268"},"modified":"2021-03-24T15:54:03","modified_gmt":"2021-03-24T15:54:03","slug":"css-profile-vs-fafsa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scholarshipowl.com\/blog\/apply-for-scholarships\/css-profile-vs-fafsa\/","title":{"rendered":"CSS Profile vs. FAFSA"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"applicationsMost students know the importance of completing a FAFSA once a year for financial aid. There is a new financial aid form that is gradually being adopted throughout the country. The CSS Profile, created by the College Board, is a similar application that assesses a student’s income and financial need. It is now used by over 400 schools and scholarship organizations in America.<\/span><\/p>\n

What are the key differences in the CSS Profile vs. FAFSA? Which one school I fill out, or do I need to fill out both? We’ll answer these questions and more in this financial aid form comparison guide. <\/span><\/p>\n

What Is the CSS Profile?<\/b><\/h2>\n

The College Scholarship Service Profile (CSS Profile or PROFILE) is a financial aid application developed by the College Board. It is a detail-oriented application that requires more specific information than FAFSA. This data, mostly surrounding a student’s household income, is used to calculate a student’s financial need. <\/span><\/p>\n

The CSS Profile is mostly used by private universities at this time. It requires a $25 application fee (includes one school submission), plus $16 per school submission after that. Schools like Yale, Harvard and Columbia use the CSS Profile because it provides a more comprehensive overview of a student’s financial status. Students and families can clarify specific elements of their application, which may indicate a greater need for aid. <\/span><\/p>\n

A new CSS Profile must be completed once a year, if the student is attending a school using it. If you do not attend an institution that uses a CSS Profile, or you are not applying for a scholarship that requires it, you do not have to complete the application. <\/span><\/p>\n

What Is FAFSA?<\/b><\/h2>\n

\"freeThe Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a form used to determine what types of federal aid a student qualifies for. The FAFSA is used for Pell Grants, as well as federal student loan programs. Some schools and scholarship programs use FAFSA results when determining award amounts and acceptances. The FAFSA calculates a family’s expected contribution, which is a measure of financial need. The lower the expected contribution, the more need a student has. This usually increases the award amount, or qualifies the student for maximum aid. <\/span><\/p>\n

Much like the CSS Profile, the FAFSA uses tax information to assess a student’s family income and financial need. This information is sent to the college the student attends, as well as any other organization the student decides to submit it to. A new FAFSA must be completed once a year, but the application is completely free. <\/span><\/p>\n

For more information about the FAFSA, check out our <\/span>FAFSA Basics Guide<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n

Differences between CSS Profile vs. FAFSA <\/b><\/h2>\n

While both the CSS Profile and the FAFSA are used to assess financial need, there are key differences between the two. These include:<\/span><\/p>\n