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Almost every student knows the feeling of bringing home report cards to share with parents or guardians. And almost every family is familiar with the steady flow of paperwork that comes home in backpacks or through electronic portals from school.  

In college, that all changes.听If听you鈥檙e听starting college this fall,听it鈥檚听important to know about听a law called the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Understanding the FERPA听can help you protect your privacy听and decide for yourself听how much information your parents or guardians can access during your college years.听

What is the FERPA?听

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act听is a federal听law that听gives听parents听and legal guardians听access to their children鈥檚 education records. The FERPA also allows them to听seek听to have the records amended听and gives them some听control over听how much听personally identifiable information from the education record听is shared.听听

Once a student turns 18 or attends a college or university, FERPA rights transfer from the parent to the student. That means colleges generally cannot share certain student information with parents or guardians without the student鈥檚 permission. One exception: A school may share information from a student鈥檚 education record without their consent if the student is a dependent for tax purposes.  

What information does the FERPA Protect?听

FERPA protects educational records including the following: 

• Grades and transcripts听听

• Class schedules听听

• Academic standing听听

• Financial aid information听听

• Disciplinary records听听

• Student ID numbers听听

• Enrollment records听听
  

Why is the FERPA Important?听

The FERPA is important because it gives students control over their educational information and encourages independence and responsibility.听

What is a FERPA release/waiver?  

A FERPA release or waiver, which is available through the college registrar鈥檚 office, allows your parents and guardians to access your education records. Some students choose to sign a release so that their parents can provide another layer of support for them.  

A FERPA release covers only education records, not other types of private information such as health records. 

What is an education record? 

An education record is any record kept by a college that听contains听information听directly related听to a student.听This听information can be听in any format: paper documents, computer files,听video听or audio.听

What other legal forms do I need to know about? 

In addition to the FERPA, families听should understand the following forms:听

• Financial Power of听Attorney:听Allows听a student to听choose听a trusted adult such as a parent/guardian to have听access to financial records and to act on their behalf听regarding听financial decisions including making payments, banking, taxes, lease agreements, etc.听

• Medical Power of Attorney:听Allows a student to听choose听a trusted adult such as parents/legal guardians听to make听medical decisions听on their behalf听in听an emergency where the student is unable to make decisions.听

• HIPAA Authorization/Release Form: Protects patients鈥� privacy but allows a student to听choose听other parties such as parents/legal guardians to have access to protected health information including听medical updates, emergency听statuses,听and billing information.听

• Health Insurance waiver: If a student is covered by a parent or guardian鈥檚 health insurance, they should decline the school-issued health insurance (otherwise the student will be billed).听听