Learn about the CSS Profile, a financial aid application used by roughly 200 colleges, universities, and scholarship agencies, including what colleges require it, why colleges use it, how it differs from the FAFSA, and more.…

Whether a parent is working or retired, the college calculates the parent(s)' total income and uses that figure in the standard financial aid formula to determine how much they believe the family can contribute toward college costs.…

Factors that determine your financial aid include your Student Aid Index (SAI) and the college's strategic goals. …

We answer common questions about appealing, including if you need a specific reason to appeal, how the process works, if it ever hurts to appeal, if you can submit multiple appeals, and more. …

Learn about the College Cost and Financial Aid Eligibility Information Tool, located in the MASSAid Portal, that helps new financial aid filers learn their aid eligibility. Learn how to access the tool, tool features, and which aid eligibility is included.…

Learn how to list schools on your FAFSA, if colleges can see the other schools you have listed, how the ordering may affect your MassGrant, and why students in Massachusetts and seven additional states may want to list their top-choice in-state school first.…

Learn if you report these items on the FAFSA, including a multi-family unit, unemployment, cars, boats, credit card debt, life insurance, Roth IRA contributions and withdrawals, pension distributions, workers compensation, inheritance, insurance settlements, and more. …

Review our tips on creating an account, completing the form, making corrections, listing colleges, filing the form as an undocumented student, filing the form with multiple children, and reporting items such as retirement, home value, home debt, and 529 accounts. …

Learn about the Stanley Z. Koplik Certificate of Mastery Award, a tuition credit awarded to Massachusetts students who receive high scores on the MCAS, what students must do to qualify, how students can maintain the award, and where students can find more information. …

Some colleges are need-blind, while others only consider financial need when filling the last spots or pulling from the waitlist. But colleges want to admit their best applicants, and if you need financial aid in order to afford a school, you should apply. …