FERPA Form | Registrar

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

What is FERPA?

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. FERPA gives students the right to inspect and review their education records, request the correction of inaccurate or misleading information, and control the disclosure of personally identifiable information from their education records.

FERPA applies to all currently enrolled and former students, regardless of age or financial dependency status.

Guide to FERPA

Why FERPA Matters

Your education records are protected by federal law. FERPA helps safeguard information maintained by QC that is directly related to you as a student.

Examples of protected education records include:

Grades and transcripts
Class schedules and enrollment records
Financial aid records
Student account information
Disciplinary records
Other personally identifiable information (PII) contained in your education records

In most cases, QC cannot disclose information from your education records without your written consent unless disclosure is permitted under FERPA.

Directory Information

FERPA allows colleges to designate certain student information as Directory Information, which may be released without prior written consent unless you request that it be withheld.

Examples may include:

Student name
Major field of study
Enrollment status
Degrees, honors, and awards
Dates of attendance

If you do not wish your directory information to be released, you may submit a Directory Information Non-Disclosure Form to the Registrar’s Office.

Your Rights Under FERPA

As a QC student, you have the right to:

1. Inspect and Review Your Education Records

Submit a written request to the appropriate College official.
The College will make your records available for inspection within 45 days of receiving your request.

2. Request Amendment of Your Records

If you believe information in your education records is inaccurate or misleading, you may request that the record be corrected.
If your request is denied, you have the right to request a hearing.

3. Consent to the Release of Your Records

In most cases, QC must obtain your written consent before releasing personally identifiable information from your education records.
FERPA allows certain disclosures without consent as authorized by federal law.

4. Request a Record of Disclosures

You may request a record of certain disclosures made from your education records, as permitted by FERPA.

5. File a Complaint

If you believe your FERPA rights have been violated, you may file a complaint through the College’s FERPA procedures or with the U.S. Department of Education.

Parents and FERPA

Once a student begins attending QC, FERPA rights belong to the student.

In most cases, parents or other third parties cannot access a student’s education records without the student’s written consent unless another FERPA exception applies.

Students who wish to authorize another person to access their education records must complete a FERPA Release Form.

Disclosure Without Student Consent

FERPA permits QC to disclose education records without a student’s written consent in limited circumstances, including:

To school officials with legitimate educational interests
In connection with financial aid
To authorized federal, state, or local education authorities
To accrediting organizations
To comply with a lawfully issued subpoena or court order
During a health or safety emergency
As otherwise permitted under FERPA

FERPA Forms

Use the forms below to manage access to your education records.

FERPA Release Form
Authorize a parent or another individual to access your education records.

Forms Page

Directory Information Non-Disclosure Form
Request that your directory information not be released without your written consent.

Download Form

FERPA Appeal
If you wish to appeal a FERPA-related decision or request additional information regarding your rights, contact the Office of the Registrar.

Registrar Forms

CUNY FERPA Policy