Millions of Americans are still hoping to receive another round of financial assistance from the federal government. But while waiting for it, families could avail of a student financial aid, and these are the two important forms you need in getting the grant.

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Most American families are still hoping for another fresh round of stimulus package that includes student loans, among others.

But while waiting for it to happen, American families and qualified individuals can avail of the student financial aid, and these are the two forms necessary to get a grant.

Not all families in the country with high school students know that they need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA to get a grant and continue their college education. It is important to note that the registration or application has already started last Oct. 1.

This grant is applicable for families if their child will attend college next year or is currently attending college.

To avail it, an applicant must complete filing the FAFSA form, which calculates the family's eligibility for federal aid like the Pell Grant and state aid like the California Grant. It will also help determine if you qualify for other federal loans and the work-study program.

The second form that most of the families forget is the College Scholarship Service or CSS Profile. It is applicable and is required by over 400 colleges to qualify for non-government scholarship aid. Well-known colleges like the Ivy League requires the CSS Profile, according to The Union.

The CSS Profile asks more questions or is more detailed compared to FAFSA. The FAFSA only asks for some information about the asset of the student's family and income.

The CSS Profile, on the other hand, does not only ask for information about the assets of your family, but may also ask about home equity, business income, and other factors that affect your expenses.

The most significant difference between the two forms is that the FAFSA form requires only one parent's information if parents are divorced. However, the CSS Profile asks for both parents' information even if the child does not live or even visit one of them.

Meanwhile, there are public universities that do not require the CSS Profile. Some of these are The University of California and the California State Universities or the community colleges in California.

The CSS Profile is an application developed by the company that administers the SAT and College Board.

After filing the CSS Profile, the information will be analyzed and will be sent to college financial aid to determine if the student qualifies for financial assistance. Additionally, students who are eligible for financial aid will be notified once they received their college acceptance.

The application for the CSS Profile is already open. You can file your application now if you plan to attend college during the school year 2021-2022. However, it should also be filed based on the deadline set by the colleges or the universities.

Both FAFSA and CSS Profile forms must be filed once a year while students are in college. This is somehow tricky, but all efforts will be paid off once you passed the eligibility.

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