Student Confidentiality

Confidentiality Statement

Kansas State University maintains a variety of student records to document academic progress and support interactions with University officials and staff. To safeguard students' rights to privacy and comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), the University has established a Student Records Policy.

This policy is informed by ongoing experience and may be revised accordingly. Students are notified annually of their rights under FERPA, and the full policy is available online through the FERPA Annual Notice and in both the Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogs.

Student Rights According to FERPA

FERPA affords students the following rights regarding their educational records:

  • The right to inspect and review their records
  • The right to request amendment of records they believe are inaccurate
  • The right to provide written consent before the University discloses personally identifiable information from their records (with certain exceptions)
  • The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged FERPA violations

Please note: There are specific exceptions and areas of institutional discretion concerning these rights. For more information, visit the Student Records Policy or consult the U.S. Department of Education FERPA website.

Directory Information

FERPA allows certain categories of information to be designated as "directory information," which may be disclosed without prior consent unless the student requests otherwise. Examples include name, major, enrollment status, and degrees awarded.

Students who wish to restrict the release of their directory information must submit a Request to Add or Remove a Non-Disclosure Hold form to the Office of the Registrar. Once processed, appropriate University offices are notified via a notation in the student information system. Visit the FERPA Disclosure page for details.

Consent for Access

K-State offers a consent/designee process that permits students to authorize others to access Student Billing and Financial Aid information. However, there is currently no University-wide consent process that allows access to academic or educational records across all offices. Additionally, K-State does not provide a general-purpose individual consent form for such access.

As the sole owners of their educational records, students are encouraged to remain actively involved in all conversations pertaining to their academic information. For additional guidance, please refer to the FERPA FAQs.