One application that international students may encounter during the U.S. college application process is the CSS Profile, administered by the College Board. But not every college requires it, and submitting the CSS Profile does not automatically mean that you will receive financial aid.
Here is what students and families need to know before completing it.
What is the CSS Profile?
The CSS Profile is an online application used by participating colleges and scholarship programmes to assess students for non-federal institutional financial aid.
While the FAFSA is used to determine eligibility for U.S. federal student aid, the CSS Profile helps participating colleges assess a family’s financial circumstances when awarding their own institutional aid.
The CSS Profile can therefore be particularly important for students applying to colleges that offer need-based financial aid to international students.
Do international students need to complete the CSS Profile?
Not necessarily.
Being an international student does not automatically mean that you need to submit the CSS Profile. You should complete it if a college or scholarship programme you are applying to uses the CSS Profile to assess you for institutional financial aid.
There is no limit to how many schools can receive your CSS Profile. A list of colleges, universities and scholarship organizations that use the CSS Profile is available here. Requirements can differ by college, so check the financial-aid section of each institution’s website and the College Board’s list of participating institutions before you begin.
Some colleges may also have additional financial-aid forms or documentation requirements.
When does the CSS Profile open?
The CSS Profile opens on October 1 each year. However, each institution sets its own financial-aid deadline, and the deadline may be different from the college’s admission application deadline. Always check the financial-aid deadline for every college on your list.
How much does the CSS Profile cost?
The CSS Profile currently costs:
- $25 for the initial application to one institution (INR 2393 approx.)
- $16 for each additional institution (INR 1531 approx.)
Some students may qualify for a CSS Profile fee waiver. Eligibility rules apply, so check College Board’s current fee-waiver information before assuming that you qualify.
What information does the CSS Profile ask for?
The CSS Profile is designed to give colleges a detailed picture of a family’s financial circumstances.
Depending on your circumstances, the CSS Profile may ask about:
- Student and family details
- Parent and student income
- Bank accounts and other assets
- Investments
- Real estate
- Businesses or farms
- Household expenses
- Untaxed income and benefits
- Tax information
- Family circumstances that may affect your ability to pay for college
The questions you see can vary depending on your family’s circumstances. International students can enter financial information in their home currency, and College Board provides the currency conversion as part of the application process.
What documents should you prepare?
Before beginning the CSS Profile, it is useful to have financial records available for both the student and the relevant parents. Depending on your circumstances, these may include:
- Recent tax returns or equivalent local tax documents
- Records of income and employment
- Bank statements
- Investment statements
- Information about real estate
- Business or farm records, where applicable
- Records of untaxed income or benefits
- Information about major household expenses
Having these documents ready beforehand can make filling out the application easier.
How do you complete the CSS Profile?
Step 1: Create or access your College Board account
If you already have a College Board account for an SAT, PSAT or AP exam, you can use the same account credentials. Otherwise, create a College Board account and access the CSS Profile through the official website.
Step 2: Select the correct application year
Make sure you select the application year corresponding to the college entry year for which you are seeking financial aid.
Step 3: Complete the application
Work through the questions about your student and family circumstances. You do not have to complete the application in one sitting; you can save your progress and return later.
Take particular care when entering financial information. If information is requested in your local currency, enter it accurately rather than converting it yourself unless the application specifically instructs you to do so.
Step 4: Review and submit
Review your answers carefully before submitting the application. Check that the information is consistent with the financial documents you have available. Your submission date and time are based on Eastern Time, so pay attention to the time zone when working towards a deadline.
Step 5: Check your dashboard for next steps
After submitting the CSS Profile, check your College Board dashboard and your college’s financial-aid portal for any additional requirements. Some students may be asked to submit supporting financial documents through IDOC (Institutional Documentation Service).
What should students remember?
The CSS Profile is not a universal financial-aid application for every U.S. college. Its importance depends on the institutions you are applying to and the type of financial aid they offer.
Before completing it:
- Check whether each college uses CSS Profile for international students.
- Find the college’s financial-aid deadline.
- Prepare your family’s financial documents in advance.
- Use accurate and consistent financial information.
- Check your dashboard after submission for additional requirements.
- You can also add additional participating colleges to your CSS Profile later through your dashboard.
- If you are asked to submit documents through IDOC, follow its separate deadlines carefully.
Most importantly, do not wait until the last minute. Financial-aid requirements can involve more than one form or deadline, and completing them early gives you time to resolve questions or provide additional documentation.
