What it is:
“FERPA” stands for the federal law known as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C. § 1232g et seq.).
The FERPA Student Consent to Release Education Records form allows an authorized third party (e.g., parent, grandparent, guardian, support person) to contact The Hub on your behalf and discuss your education records. This consent form allows students to provide legal, expressed consent to that authorized person to access either:
- Financial Aid Records: Includes, but is not limited to, status of file, offers and disbursement of funds information, Satisfactory Academic Progress status, and any other information contained in the financial aid application or file.
or
- Billing Records: Includes, but is not limited to, amounts due for tuition and fees, sources of payment for tuition and fees, refund information, holds as it relates to parking citations, library fines, financial aid repayments, payment plans, and any other information contained in student account records
Alternatively, the student can complete the form to select that their authorized 3rd party can access:
- All Education Records: Includes, but is not limited to, all academic, financial, residency, and personal information
Students can provide or revoke permission for education records to be released by using the Student Consent to Release Education Records form available on the Financial Aid section of RAMweb.
What it isn’t:
It does not provide access to your medical, student conduct or housing records. For more information on accessing those records, see:
In addition, this form does not provide FAMweb access.
Submitting a Student Consent to Release Form:
To Authorize a Third Party
To authorize a third party:
Authorization must be completed by the student. Authorization cannot be completed by a third party, including parents.
- Log in to RAMweb
- Open the Menu at the top right
- Select “Financial Aid”
- Once on the Financial Aid page, select “FERPA Consent to Release Education Records”
- In the form, select that you are providing permission to release education records the University maintains to a third party
- Identify which records(s) this person may access and/or discuss with the Office of Financial Aid
- Enter the person’s identifying information in the corresponding fields
- Determine a Security Passphrase
- Sign the form
- Click “Submit”
To Revoke Authorization
To revoke previously authorized consent to release education records:
Revocation must be completed by the student. Revocation cannot be completed by a third party, including parents.
- Log in to RAMweb
- Open the Menu at the top right
- Select “Financial Aid”
- Once on the Financial Aid page, select “FERPA Consent to Release Education Records”
- In the form, select that you are revoking previously authorized consent to release of education records to a third party
- Enter the person’s identifying information in the corresponding fields
- Sign the form
- Click “Submit”
Contacting The Hub, with FERPA in mind:
By Phone
When calling The Hub, authorized individuals will be asked to state their name and the security passphrase that was created by the student when submitting their FERPA Consent to Release form.
Staff can only discuss a student’s account if their name and security phrase both match what the student entered for them on the FERPA Consent to Release form.
By Email
When emailing The Hub, authorized individuals should use the email address that was identified by the student on their submitted FERPA Consent to Release form.
The student’s name, and security passphrase must be included in the message. Staff can only discuss a student’s account if the email and security passphrase both match what the student entered for them on the consent to release form.
Visiting In-Person
When visiting The Hub in-person, authorized individuals will be asked to provide a photo ID.
Staff can only discuss a student’s account if the name and date of birth on the photo ID matches what the student entered for them on the FERPA Consent to Release form.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Who can I authorize The Hub to release education records to?
Anyone!
When do FERPA rights begin?
Once a student reaches 18 years of age or attends a postsecondary institution, they become an “eligible student,” and all rights formerly given to parents under FERPA transfer to the student.
At CSU, a student is considered to be “in attendance” on the first day of the first term in which a student is registered.
Should the student be 18 prior to their attendance at CSU, their educational records are protected prior to registration/ attendance (as well as after).
How often do I need to complete this form?
The FERPA Consent to Release Form only needs to be submitted once per authorized individual.
If at anytime you wish to revoke previously provided access, you can submit a new form requesting this.
Can I provide multiple people access to my education records?
Yes, you can authorize an unlimited number of individuals.
Why do I need a security passphrase?
The security passphrase is intended to protect your privacy. A third party authorized to access your educational records/ account information will be asked to confirm their security passphrase when calling, emailing, or visiting The Hub in person.
What happens if I forget the security passphrase?
Students must contact The Hub directly, themselves, for assistance with retrieving their security passphrase.
We are unable to share forgotten or misplaced security passphrases with an authorized third party.
Can I complete the FERPA Consent to Release Form for the student?
No, this form must be completed by the student.
When do FERPA rights begin?
Once a student reaches 18 years of age or attends a postsecondary institution, they become an “eligible student,” and all rights formerly given to parents under FERPA transfer to the student.
At CSU, a student is considered to be “in attendance” on the first day of the first term in which a student is registered.
Should the student be 18 prior to their attendance at CSU, their educational records are protected prior to registration/ attendance (as well as after).
If the student has not submitted a FERPA Consent to Release form, can I still contact The Hub to ask questions about their account?
Unless a FERPA Consent to Release Form is submitted, The Hub will only be able to discuss general financial aid, billing, housing and dining, or registration-based related questions with you.
We will not be able to look up your student’s account, discuss specific details, or provide educational record information without a completed FERPA Consent to Release on file for your student.
Why do I need a security passphrase?
The security passphrase is intended to protect the student’s privacy. A third party authorized to access a student’s financial aid account information will be asked to confirm the security passphrase when calling, emailing, or visiting The Hub in-person.
What happens if I forget the security passphrase?
Students must contact The Hub directly, themselves, for assistance with retrieving their security passphrase.
We are unable to share forgotten or misplaced security passphrases with an authorized third party.
What is the difference between the FERPA Consent to Release Form and FAMweb?
FERPA Consent to Release:
The FERPA Student Consent to Release form allows The Hub’s staff to answer questions about specific aspects of a student’s educational records account and provide detailed answers to questions about their financial aid/ billing/ housing and dining/ registration with individuals other than the student.
FAMweb:
FAMweb is an online, read-only way for parents, families, and friends to see certain components of a student’s record. It does not allow these individuals to ask questions about or discuss a student’s record with a university representative.
For third parties looking to help students through their educational process as much as possible, it is best to both have your student file a FERPA Consent to Release Form and to have your student provide access to FAMweb.
