CSS Profile for International Students

Every year CSS Profile gives more than 10 billion US Dollars to thousands of undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. CSS Profile creation and application are submitted usually by domestic students in the USA, but there are a few universities that also require international students to submit their financial information through this application. The CSS Profile is administered officially by the College Board, which is also responsible for conducting the standardised SAT exam globally. 

In this article, we will inform you about all the information needed to complete your CSS Profile application starting Oct.1, 2023. We will also inform you how to apply for CSS Profile and the list of schools and scholarships accepting it.

What is a CSS Profile?

The CSS Profile or College Scholarship Service Profile is an online application maintained by the College Board which collects information used by almost 400 colleges and scholarship programs to award non-federal financial aid. 

CSS Profile for International Students

Many colleges provide institutional financial aid to international students as well. Colleges require candidates' details to give financial aid to students. Candidates need to submit their financial details to the colleges in the context of their local economy. Candidates need to submit information about their family's total income, expenses, and assets. Students will be able to submit all the information in their home currency; the College Board will do the currency conversion themselves.

Note: The software service platform is located in the United States, so, all your information is transferred to the United States. In case, you do not want to give the information, then you need to notify the colleges requesting your application.

When to complete the CSS Profile?

Candidates may complete the profile before Oct.1, 2020. They should submit the profile no later than two weeks before the earliest profile filling date specified by their colleges.

Who must complete the CSS Profile?

Candidates should check with their college, whether they require the CSS Profile. The list of participating colleges can be found on the CSS Profile homepage.

Benefits of CSS Profile

Some of the key benefits of creating a CSS Profile as an international student are as follows:

• CSS Profile is a one-time financial submission for students and parents, no individual university or college can request more details.
• CSS helps families of students give a holistic picture of their income background which helps universities understand how much funding the applicant requires to study. 
• Though there is an application fee of USD 25 to create a CSS Profile, around 40% of the students qualify for a fee waiver too. 
• CSS is shared with only those institutions where the applicant has applied and the data is not shared with others, thus, the information is confidential.
• Finally, there is no need to submit the application in one sitting. The applicant can save the application from time to time and submit when fully ready.

Cost of CSS Profile

The fee for the initial application is $25. The cost of additional reports is $16. Payment can be made through Credit or Debit card. First-time domestic college applicants may receive CSS Profile fee waivers if the student qualified for an SAT fee waiver, or if the student is an orphan or under the age of 24 based on parental income and family size. A family of four would qualify with an income of $45,000 or less.

Candidates can add a college at any time. They just need to sign in to their CSS Profile and click on 'Add a college or program' on their dashboard. They need to pay $16 for every college they add. Any unused fee waivers will be automatically applied to their charges.

Also Read

• When to start thinking about Finances to Study Abroad
• Types of scholarships available for Study Abroad aspirants
• Financial Documents Required for Study Abroad Applications

How to complete the CSS Profile?

Candidates should submit the CSS Profile at cssprofile.org. Once, the candidate signs in, they will find a list of documents like federal tax returns and other financial information that they will need to complete the application. In case of any difficulty, candidates can seek help within the application and they can seek additional help through phone, email, or chat by clicking 'Contact us' in the application.

Colleges Offering Financial Aid through CSS Profile

Candidates can check the list of colleges, universities, and scholarship programs here that use CSS Profile in order to give financial aid to international students. There are around 130 US universities and colleges that require international students to submit their CSS Profiles. Some of the popular US universities and colleges are as follows:

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
2. Stanford University
3. Rice University
4. Northwestern University
5. New York University
6. University of Pennsylvania
7. Brown University
8. CalTech
9. Case Western Reserve University (CWRU)
10. Cornell University
11. Dartmouth College
12. Whitman College
13. Yale College
14. Harvard College
15. Mount Holyoke College

CSS Profile Application Process

Following is the application process of creating and submitting a CSS Profile through the College Board website for international students: 

• Step 1: Candidates can sign in using their College Board's username and password, or they can create a new account. In case they have created an account to view their PSAT or AP scores, or they have created an account for the SAT exam, then they should use the same username and password for their CSS Profile application.
• Step 2: Fill details: Give all your details as asked by the system, It will build your profile according to your family's situation based on your answers. Candidates need not give complete details in one sitting; you can save the application details and return again to complete it.
• Step 3: Submit the application: Once you finished giving all the details, you need to submit the details and they will be sent to the selected colleges.
• Step 4: Review your details: Once the candidates submit their application, the dashboard will include the payment receipt and the next steps like submitting documents to the Institutional Documentation Services (IDOC).

CSS Profile vs. FAFSA

Usually, the FAFSA categorizes financial gifts received from family members as assets when they are used to pay for college, while the CSS Profile considers them as income. The CSS Profile considers elementary school tuition, upcoming medical expenses, and other household expenses while calculating financial aid.

Read more on scholarships

• 4 Steps to Writing a Winning Scholarship Essay
• How to Get a Scholarship to Study Abroad?
• All about Need-Based and Merit-Based Scholarships for Studying Abroad