College Board’s CSS Profile is now open for students entering college in fall 2027 (the 2027-28 academic year). For 12th-grade students in the Irvine Unified School District (IUSD) applying early decision or early action this year who plan to seek institutional financial aid from private universities, both the University of Southern California (USC) and Stanford University set the filing date for early applicants in November, two to three months earlier than for regular decision.
Who is affected
Families applying for institutional financial aid from private universities. The CSS Profile is a financial form that some private universities require in addition to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); colleges use it to evaluate the scholarships and grants they award from their own funds. Deadlines at two colleges, as examples:
| College | Early application deadline | Regular decision deadline |
|---|---|---|
| USC | Early decision November 1, 2026; early action November 15 | February 3, 2027 |
| Stanford (restrictive early action) | November 15 priority filing date | See the Stanford regular decision page |
USC sets the same deadlines for the FAFSA and the CSS Profile. Stanford states that students who complete the CSS Profile and upload tax documents through IDOC by November 15 can receive a financial aid notification in mid-December.
What to do now
First check whether the student qualifies for free filing. College Board states that undergraduate applicants living in the United States can submit at no charge if the family’s adjusted gross income is $100,000 or less, or if the student is eligible for an SAT fee waiver.
Prepare 2025 tax returns. Stanford requires parents to upload their 2025 federal tax returns with all schedules, along with W-2 forms and other income documents, through IDOC. In families where the parents are divorced, separated, or unmarried, each parent completes the form separately.
Add financial aid deadlines to the early application checklist. Early application deadlines are in Brief: Early Deadlines Split Between November 1 and 2, and state deadlines for the FAFSA and the Cal Grant are in Brief: FAFSA Is Open, California Deadline Is March 2. For the overall plan for college selection and the application timeline, see College Admissions Planning.
Sources
- College Board: CSS Profile (accessed October 1, 2026)
- College Board: CSS Profile Fee Waivers (accessed October 1, 2026)
- USC Financial Aid: Applying for Financial Aid (accessed October 1, 2026)
- Stanford Financial Aid: Restrictive Early Action—U.S. Citizen/Eligible Noncitizens (accessed October 1, 2026)
- California Class of 2026 SAT Average Is 1108College Board's Class of 2026 SAT report puts California's average at 1108, 63 points above the nation. Key figures and how Irvine applicants can use them.
- Common App Keeps Its Seven Essay PromptsCommon App keeps last year's seven essay prompts for 2026-27; the open topic was last season's top choice. The prompts and a drafting order for Irvine early applicants.
- Early Deadlines Split Between November 1 and 2November 1, 2026 is a Sunday, and the Common App grid updated September 25 puts some early deadlines on November 2. Dates for colleges Irvine students often apply to.
- UC Clears Up Eight Common Admissions MythsOn September 21 the University of California addressed eight admissions myths, including whether campuses share results and whether aid applications affect admission.
