The CSS Profile 2027–28 application is available for Fall 2027/Spring 2028. Use it if a college or scholarship program on your list requires the form for institutional financial aid. There is no single deadline for every applicant: your participating schools set the dates, and you should plan around the earliest one.
Official sources checked: October 2, 2026. This is an independent guide to College Board’s application.
Before spending time or money on the form, check each college’s current financial aid instructions. A school can require the FAFSA, CSS Profile, additional documents or a different institutional application. An admission deadline and an aid deadline are not automatically the same.
CSS Profile 2027–28 at a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Which year should Fall 2027 applicants select? | Fall 2027/Spring 2028 on the official sign-in page |
| What is it used for? | Nonfederal institutional aid from participating colleges and scholarship programs |
| Who sets the deadline? | Each participating institution or program |
| Initial application fee | $25 if you do not receive a fee waiver |
| Additional school reports | $16 each |
| Where do you apply? | Through College Board’s official CSS Profile website |
The official CSS Profile homepage now includes the Fall 2027/Spring 2028 sign-in option. College Board’s application instructions state the current fees and explain submission and dashboard follow-up.
CSS Profile versus FAFSA: which do you need?
The CSS Profile helps participating schools consider you for their own nonfederal aid. The FAFSA is the application used for federal student aid. One does not replace the other. Some applicants need both; others only need the forms listed by their colleges.
College Board explains the purpose of the form on its About CSS Profile page. Our FAFSA 2027–28 checklist covers the newly opened federal application cycle.
For example, if one college asks for both forms and another asks only for the FAFSA, record those requirements separately. Do not add a CSS Profile report merely because a school accepts your admission application. Check that it actually requests the aid form.
How to find your CSS Profile deadline
Create a short record for each institution: admission plan, aid priority date, required forms and document deadline. Early decision, early action, regular decision and transfer applicants may have different instructions. Returning students should check renewal requirements rather than copying a first-year deadline.
College Board advises submitting by midnight Eastern Time on your earliest priority filing date. Follow the school’s own instructions and leave time to resolve missing documents. Its Getting Started guide explains the timing, account setup and preparation records.
Use our college application checklist to organize these dates with your other admissions tasks. In your own tracker, distinguish “form submitted” from “all requested documents received.” Those are different checkpoints.
CSS Profile fees and fee waivers
If you do not qualify for a waiver, the initial application costs $25 and each additional report costs $16. As a budgeting example, sending the application to four schools would cost $73: $25 for the initial application plus three reports at $16 each.
Undergraduate students living in the United States may submit free if their family adjusted gross income is up to $100,000, they qualified for an SAT fee waiver, or they are an orphan or ward of the court under age 24. College Board also lists a separate income-based provision for U.S.-resident noncustodial parents.
Read the official fee-waiver criteria before assuming that an income amount alone makes every applicant eligible. International applicants should ask their colleges about available payment assistance or alternatives.
Documents and submission checklist
Prepare the financial records relevant to your household, then follow the application’s questions. College Board lists recent completed tax returns, wage and current-income records, untaxed income, assets and bank statements as preparation items.
- Confirm the cycle. Use the Fall 2027/Spring 2028 application for that enrollment year.
- Use the correct account. An existing College Board student account can be used. A noncustodial parent may need a separate account when the college requires their information.
- Check who each question concerns. Student questions should contain the student’s information, even when a parent is helping.
- Select the intended recipients. Compare the college names with your aid-requirement list.
- Review the application before payment and submission. Keep your confirmation or receipt.
- Return to the dashboard. Check for document requests, including IDOC if applicable, and follow each college’s instructions.
A saved draft is not a submitted application. After submitting, keep your school list and follow-up requests together so you can identify what remains outstanding without starting from memory each time.
Can international students use the CSS Profile?
Yes, when a participating college requests it. College Board explains that international applicants can enter financial information in their home currency, with conversion handled by the application. The college’s policy determines whether it offers institutional aid and what evidence it requires.
See the official guidance for international applicants. Completing the form does not itself guarantee funding or change eligibility for other aid programs.
Frequently asked questions
Does every U.S. college require the CSS Profile?
No. Check the financial aid instructions at every institution on your list. Submit it to the schools or programs that actually require it.
Is there one CSS Profile 2027–28 deadline?
No. Schools set their own deadlines. Record your earliest priority filing date and any separate document requirements.
How much does it cost without a fee waiver?
The initial application is $25. Additional reports cost $16 each. Review the official fee-waiver page before paying.
What if I discover an error after submitting?
College Board provides a “Correct Your CSS Profile” option on the dashboard. Follow its instructions and contact the relevant college if you are uncertain about a requested change.
Apply and keep your other deadlines organized
Access CSS Profile through College Board. This site is an independent information publisher and does not process CSS Profile applications.
If you are also exploring graduate awards, our October 2026 scholarship deadline briefing separates Chevening and Knight-Hennessy’s closing times from their later university requirements.