| Student loans in the U.S. |
| Regulatory framework |
|---|
| National Defense Education Act Higher Education Act of 1965 HEROES Act U.S. Dept. of Education · FAFSA Cost of attendance · Expected Family Contribution |
| Distribution channels |
| Federal Direct Student Loan Program Federal Family Education Loan Program |
| Loan products |
| Perkins · Stafford PLUS · Consolidation Loans Private student loans |
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a form completed by current and prospective college students (undergraduate and graduate) in the United States to determine their eligibility for student financial aid.
The FAFSA is different from CSS Profile (short for "College Scholarship Service Profile"), which is also required by some colleges (primarily private ones). The CSS is a fee-based product of the College Board (a private non-profit organization) and is used by the colleges to distribute their own institutional funds, rather than federal or state funding.