When your student was in elementary, middle, and high school, FERPA granted you certain rights to their education records as their parent/guardian.
Once your student turns 18 or begins their first day of classes at a postsecondary institution like the University of Wisconsin–Madison, regardless of age, those rights under FERPA transfer to them. That means you do not automatically have the right to access your student’s records on your own.
Fortunately, your student has ways of sharing important information with you. The quickest, easiest way for you to receive information about your student’s grades, financial statement, or other student information is for them to provide it. Your student can download a copy of their unofficial transcript via their MyUW Student Center and email it to you. Your student can also set you up as an authorized payer to allow you to view and make payments on their account. If they would like, your student can also fill out a release form allowing a school official to share specific information directly with you. UW–Madison does not offer ongoing “blanket” disclosure, so your student will fill out a release form each time they want to share information.
Important: It is against Universities of Wisconsin policy for students to share their login information with anyone, including parents/guardians. Doing so can result in their access to crucial tools being suspended or revoked.
Publicly Available Information
Some recognitions, such as being named to their school/college’s Dean’s List and being listed in the Commencement program, will be public unless your student has restricted the release of their directory information.
Your student’s directory information (information that would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed) can be shared without their written consent. In addition, such information may be required to be released under Wisconsin Public Records Law.
Entering a Privacy Restriction
Your student can choose whether to restrict some or all of their personal information from being shared. They can edit their privacy settings in their MyUW Student Center. Additionally, they will be reminded to review their privacy restrictions each spring and fall semester before they sign up for classes as part of the Pre-Enrollment Checklist.
It’s important to note that putting a privacy restriction in place may prevent UW–Madison officials from sharing information about your student with potential employers and may mean their name is not included in the publicly available Dean’s List or the Commencement program. We encourage students to consider their individual circumstances carefully before adding or removing a privacy restriction.
In an Emergency
The Office of Student Assistance and Support (OSAS) coordinates reporting and interventions for “students of concern”: any student who may be experiencing personal, financial, health, mental health challenges or is displaying behaviors that may interfere with their own success or disrupt the learning of others. FERPA allows school officials to share critical information about students of concern with appropriate parties.
Visit OSAS’ website for more information about referring a student of concern and what happens after a referral.
FAQs
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I’m paying for some/all of my student’s tuition. Doesn’t that give me the right to view their education records?
No. Your willingness and ability to financially support your student’s educational pursuits does not change your rights under FERPA or your student’s right to provide consent when their educational records are disclosed.
What if my student is under 18 when they begin attending UW–Madison?
Once your student begins their first day at UW–Madison, FERPA transfers the rights to their education records to the student, regardless of their age.
If my student says it’s okay for UW–Madison to give me access to their records, is the university required to?
FERPA says that a university official may provide you access, but the law does not require the university to do so. In order for a school official to provide you with information about your student’s record, your student must complete a single-use release form specifying what information can be shared, with whom, and through what method(s). This form must be submitted each time your student wishes to share information with you or any other third party; we do not offer an ongoing “blanket” approval to access their education records. Release forms created by third parties will not be accepted.
The best way for you to access your student’s education records is for your student to provide the records to you directly.
What if I claim my student as a dependent on my taxes?
UW–Madison may – but is not required to – provide you information about your student if you claim them as a dependent for tax purposes under IRS rules.