The CSS Profile is a financial aid application run by the College Board. A limited set of colleges and scholarship programs use it, usually in addition to the FAFSA, to decide how to award their own money. Whether you need it depends entirely on where you apply.
Who needs the CSS Profile
Only students applying to colleges that ask for it. There's no way to know from the form itself, so check each school's financial aid page and note which forms and deadlines it lists. If a school doesn't mention the CSS Profile, you almost certainly don't need it for that school.
How it differs from the FAFSA
The FAFSA is free, federal, and used by nearly every college. The CSS Profile is run by a private organization, is used only by participating schools, and asks more detailed questions about your family's finances. Schools use it to award their own institutional aid, while the FAFSA unlocks federal aid. A school that requires both will expect both. Our FAFSA guide covers the federal side.
What it costs
The fee is currently $25 for your first school and $16 for each additional one, but it's free automatically for many students, such as those with family income up to $100,000 or an SAT fee waiver. Confirm the current amounts on the College Board's site before paying.
How to stay organized
Make a short list of each school, the forms it requires, and its priority deadline. Deadlines often differ between the FAFSA and CSS Profile, and between early and regular applicants. When your numbers come back, our guide to the Student Aid Index explains what the FAFSA result means.
The honest bottom line
Don't pay for or file a CSS Profile until a school you're applying to asks for it. When one does, file it by that school's deadline, and still file the FAFSA.