Eligible Student

FERPA defines an eligible student as a student who has reached 18 years of age or is attending a postsecondary institution at any age. This means that, at the secondary level, once a student turns 18, all the rights that once belonged to his or her parents transfer to the student. However, a secondary school or postsecondary institution may still provide an eligible student’s parents with access to education records, without the student’s consent, if the student is claimed as a dependent for IRS tax purposes.

For more information, see the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Regulations, 34 CFR §99.3.