Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Robert Farrington writes about higher education and student loans. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is usually the ...

The CSS Profile, administered and maintained by the College Board, the same group that develops the SAT, opens the door to nonfederal scholarships and other kinds of institutional aid that can make a ...

The CSS Profile, administered by the College Board, is a crucial tool for students seeking financial aid from colleges beyond federal support. Unlike the FAFSA, which determines eligibility for ...

It’s the season for would-be college students and their families try to figure out how to pay tuition bills. On Oct. 1, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or the FAFSA, went live. The FAFSA ...

The CSS Profile is an additional student aid application beyond the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) required at hundreds of private and public schools to be considered for ...

Hundreds of colleges use the CSS Profile to award institutional grants and scholarships to students. The 2025-26 form opened on Oct. 1, 2024.

This financial aid form is the key to non-federal aid at some colleges Greg Daugherty has worked 25+ years as an editor and writer for major publications and websites. He is also the author of two ...

Unfortunately, almost everything you've read about college financial aid is probably wrong. New rules affecting when and how students apply for financial aid will impact families and colleges over the ...

Applying to college is an exercise in paperwork: recommendations, essays, the application itself, and the FAFSA — the form that determines whether your student is eligible for federal financial aid.

The CSS Profile is a financial aid application for school-based aid like scholarships and grants. You’ll still need to complete the FAFSA to qualify for federal and state financial aid. Unlike the ...

It allows Drexel to consider you for need-based grant aid. Drexel grants are considered gift aid; they don't need to be paid back. In 2025–2026, the average financial aid package was $40,814 for first ...