Student Rights to Privacy (FERPA)

The UCF Registrar’s Office believes the best approach is for students to talk directly with their parents. Parent-student communication isn’t always as easy nor as open as parents would like. However, parent-student conversation is the most effective and certainly our preferred method for a parent to learn about your performance. Direct discussion of non-directory information (grades, academic performance or standing) is not permissible under FERPA without your written permission or in your verified and consenting presence.

Under FERPA the rights transfer from the parents to you, the student, once you turn 18 years old or you enter a postsecondary institution at any age. Although the rights under FERPA have now transferred to you, a school may disclose information from an “eligible student’s” education records to your parents, without your consent, if your parents claimed you as a dependent for tax purposes in the last tax year. Neither the age of the student nor the parent’s status as a custodial parent is relevant. If you are claimed as a dependent by either of your parents for tax purposes, then either parent may have access under this provision.

Given that we cannot authenticate the identity of someone over the phone, the Registrar’s Office would relay to parents (who have met the above criteria) the information asked for in a face-to-face meeting, preferably in your presence as well as a member of the Registrar’s Office professional staff.

You would have to come to the University Registrar’s Office to complete a Records Release Authorization form. This form is not available on the Registrar’s Website. You must come into Millican Hall room 161 and ask for the form. You must complete it, and turn it into the Registrar’s Office with a photo ID. Faxed forms will not be accepted. You have to be specific about who University faculty and staff can talk to, and be specific about what we can talk about. Just saying “You can talk about anything”, or “Everything!” is not specific enough. This from is good for one semester only.

There are several exceptions to FERPA’s general prior consent rule. One exception is the disclosure of “directory information” if the school follows certain procedures set forth in FERPA.

You can then go to the Registrar’s Website and complete a “FERPA Directory Information Authorization” form. You must either indicate that you do not want any “directory information” to be released, or be specific about the parts that you don’t want released. You then turn this form into the Registrar’s Office.

NOTE: for information to appear on your transcripts and diploma when you graduate, you must rescind the any information hold before your graduate.

Yes, if you are under the age of 21 at the time of the disclosure. FERPA was amended in 1998 to allow such disclosures. If you are a “dependent student” as defined in FERPA, the institution may disclosure such information, regardless of your age.