Does Wake Forest Require the CSS Profile?
Wake Forest requires the CSS Profile for its need-based scholarship funds and uses CSS code 5885. Federal-only applicants can skip the Profile and IDOC steps after telling the aid office that they want only federal aid.
CSS Profile
RequiredApplicants seeking Wake Forest need-based scholarship funds submit the CSS Profile and IDOC records. Eligible domestic applicants also file the FAFSA; students seeking only federal aid can omit the Profile after notifying the aid office.
CSS school code
5885Wake Forest's CSS Profile code is 5885. Use that code to send the form to Wake Forest University.
Published financial aid deadlines
These are the school's currently published 2026–27 dates. A late or updated application cycle can use different dates, so confirm the deadline shown in your applicant portal.
Which parent files?
When parents are separated or divorced, Wake Forest requires each parent to complete a separate CSS Profile. If either parent has remarried, the applicable stepparent's income, assets, and household information must also be included.
Documents and next steps
Use Wake Forest CSS code 5885. Students, parents, and stepparents submit 2024 tax returns, schedules, W-2s, and applicable business records through IDOC within two weeks after filing the Profile.
Official sources for this answer
- Wake Forest first-year and transfer aid instructions (checked August 2, 2026)
Common questions
Does Wake Forest require the CSS Profile?
Yes. Wake Forest requires the CSS Profile for its need-based scholarship funds and uses CSS code 5885. Federal-only applicants can skip the Profile and IDOC steps after telling the aid office that they want only federal aid.
What is Wake Forest's CSS Profile code?
Wake Forest's CSS Profile code is 5885. Use that code to send the form to Wake Forest University.
When is Wake Forest's financial aid deadline?
Early Decision I and Early Action: December 1, 2025; Early Decision II and Regular Decision: January 1, 2026; Fall transfer: March 15, 2026; Spring transfer: November 1, 2026.
Is the FAFSA enough for Wake Forest?
Not for Wake Forest's institutional aid. Eligible students should file the FAFSA for federal aid, but Wake Forest uses the CSS Profile separately to evaluate its own need-based funding.
Estimate the rest of your aid
The CSS Profile does not tell you what federal aid you may receive. Estimate that separately, then compare the result with each college's net price and your outside scholarship options.