Completing the CSS profile can help you qualify for non-federal aid opportunities. This form, unlike the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) , is used by a limited number of colleges. It ...

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 ...

While the Free Application for Federal Student Aid FAFSA determines eligibility for federal financial aid, the CSS Profile is used by certain colleges to award non-federal, institutional aid.