About FERPA

Once the student attains the age of 18 or attends an institution of higher education, regardless of age, FERPA rights transfer from the parent to the student. Under FERPA, parents have no inherent rights of access to their students' education records.

Starting in September 2020, students can grant permission for their parents to access their education records by granting guest access.

For students that currently have a FERPA release on file. the release will remain active through December 2020. After December 2020, guest access will need to be granted.

Please use the Guest Access Instructional Information for direction on how to grant guest access.

Records may be released to parents without a signed consent from the student under certain exceptions. These include:

  • In a health or safety emergency.

  • Where the student has violated a law or the school’s policies governing alcohol or substance abuse if the student is under 21 years old.

  • By submission of evidence that the parents declare the student as a dependent on their most recent Federal Income Tax form.

Parents who wish to access their student's education records without the express written permission of the student may provide a copy of the previous year's tax form demonstrating that the student is a dependent for tax purposes to the Office of the Registrar, University of Texas at Arlington, Room 129 University Administration Building. Income data on the tax record can be redacted.

In a legal separation or divorce situation, biological parents have equal standing as custodial parents to gain access to the student’s education records.

For parents of dual-credit students: Students who are enrolled in both high school and courses at a postsecondary institution provide a unique situation. While the rights under FERPA belong to the parents with respect to high school records, they belong to the student with respect to the postsecondary records. In this case, FERPA's provisions allowing disclosure of information to parents of students who are dependents for income tax purposes would apply, allowing the postsecondary institution to share grades and other information from the student's education records with parents upon presentation of income tax records demonstrating the student is a tax dependent. Starting in September 2020, students can give permission for their parents to access their education record by granting guest access.

For students that currently have a FERPA release on file. the release will remain active through December 2020. After December 2020, guest access will need to be granted.

Please use the Guest Access Instructional Information for direction on how to grant guest access.

UT Arlington strongly encourages parents of dual-credit students to respect the student's ownership of his or her education record at the college level and seek ways to gain that information while safeguarding the student's rights and responsibilities. Faculty teaching dual-credit courses will make every attempt to communicate with and through the student, as an important maturation point for college students.

For parents in the State U dual-credit program, we ask that parent communication is made first with the student; then, in rare instances, with the instructor. Academic coaches are not an appropriate source for information related to students' records.