Financial Aid
Regular Decision, First Year Deadlines and Timeline for Domestic Students
- Everybody: Fill out the FAFSA (if divorced, custodial parent only)
- Those with colleges that require CSS: Fill out CSS Profile
- Those in California: Complete Cal Grants and GPA Verification Form
- Those with colleges that require CSS: Fill out IDOC
Key Applications and Deadlines
| Application | Link | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) | fafsa.ed.gov | Variable by college/state; before March 2 in California |
| CSS Profile and IDOC | collegeboard.com | College-specific deadlines |
What These Forms Mean
FAFSA is like a bare-bones "Common Application" for financial aid that most Universities require.
CSS is a much more detailed financial aid app from the College Board that many Universities require. It has 2 parts: the Profile, which contains basic information and estimated income, and the IDOC, a report of tax documents, which is due later.
Additional Resources
- Princeton's financial aid application information
- 5 Tips for Getting Financial Aid for Graduate School
See also: QuestBridge, Scholarships, Gates Millennium Scholarship, UC Berkeley Regents