CSS Financial Aid Profile VS. FAFSA
The CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE® is the financial aid application service of the College Board. Many private colleges and universities require that students submit a CSS PROFILE in addition to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
The CSS PROFILE determines your eligibility for non-government financial aid, such as the institutional grants, scholarships and loans. CSS is a fee based service. The form is available in the Fall and most of the schools offering early decision or early action require the submission of the CSS Profile as early as the early application deadline.
Meanwhile, the FAFSA, as its name suggests, is a free service which usually available on or after January 1 each year. The FASFA is a form that can be prepared annually by current and prospective college students in the US to determine their eligibility for student financial aid (including the Pell Grant, federal student loans and federal Work-Study).
