The College Scholarship Service Profile (CSS Profile) is a required application for need-based institutional (Northwestern Scholarship) assistance. Students who wish to be considered for all available aid programs should complete a CSS Profile as part of the annual application process. Those families interested only in non need-based federal and institutional loan programs (Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, PLUS and NU Loan) do not need to file this application.

The CSS Profile is only available as an online service. To access the CSS Profile online go to The College Board website. Returning students whose families do not have internet access may want to log in to the site while on campus in order to print out the Pre-Application and the Supplemental Information Worksheets as well as the CSS Profile Instructions. These worksheets can be prepared at home in advance and will ensure that the student has all of the necessary information in order to complete the CSS Profile online.

Prospective students and returning students who are applying for aid for the first time must register with the College Board prior to completing the CSS Profile. Registration must be done online at the The College Board website; it is no longer possible to register by telephone. CSS charges a nominal registration fee, which can be paid by credit card, debit card or online check. Additional fees are charged by CSS for each college to which you request your Profile information be sent.

When completing the CSS Profile, be sure to designate Northwestern's Office of Undergraduate Financial Aid as a recipient of the information. Our College Scholarship Service code is 3593 for returning students, and 1565 for prospective students. Once the CSS Profile is processed you will receive an acknowledgement and a Data Confirmation Report which summarizes the information you submitted. If any of the information is incorrect, corrections must be submitted directly to the Office of Financial Aid. CSS does not process corrections.

Please submit the CSS Profile at least two weeks prior to our application deadline to allow time for it to be processed and the information forwarded to our office. See Applying for Financial Aid - Application Procedures and Deadlines for more information on this and other required application materials.

If you are applying for aid for the current year and have not yet filed a 2007-08 CSS Profile, you will need to contact our office for instructions. CSS is no longer accepting 2007-08 Profile Applications.