About FERPA
Understanding FERPA and Student Privacy
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), also known as the Buckley Amendment, is a federal law that grants students specific rights to privacy concerning their educational records. Here's a quick overview of what that means for you.
What FERPA Covers
FERPA protects the confidentiality of all student education records maintained by Montana State University, regardless of format. Whether the records are on paper, stored digitally, or kept in a database, they are protected under FERPA.
In addition to federal law, Montana state law offers even stricter privacy protections. For example, the university generally cannot release information about dependent students to parents without the student's consent.
Study Abroad and Privacy
Due to these privacy protections, the Study Abroad Office cannot share any student information unless the student has explicitly named you on their FERPA release form. This form is completed as part of the student’s study abroad application.