3rd Party Requests for Student Record Information

[excludes school officials with a legitimate educational need]

• What is FERPA?
  • The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) set forth requirements regarding the privacy of student educational records. This law governs the access and release of these records.
• Who can submit a request for student information?
  • The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) generally preclude an institution from disclosing or sharing personally identifiable information from a student record. Exceptions apply, including, for example:
    • If the institution has obtained the prior consent of the student, or
    • In response to requests for directory information provided the student has not withheld release of his/her directory information.
• What are the fees for processing a request for student records?
  • Fees are assessed depending on the medium of the record being requested:
    • Search Fee:
      • Category 1: Hardcopy. A Search Fee of $15.00 is charged for each records request.
      • Category 2: Electronic. A Search Fee of $15.00 is charged for each records request.
      • Category 3: Digital. A Query Script Development, Test, Production, & Validation Fee of $200.00 is charged for all requests for digital data.
    • Copy Fees: [in addition to the Search fee]
      • For the first 25 pages, there is an additional $1.00 charge per page.
      • For each page in excess of 25, there is a $0.50 charge per page.
    • Shipping Fee:
      • Each request for a hardcopy record is shipped via UPS at the overnight rate of $17.00.
      • Requests for digital data will be e-mailed as an Excel spreadsheet.
• Note : Payment is required before the record request will be finalized. Checks should be made payable to the University of Alabama.
• Student Record Requests
  • Student Record requests must be in writing.
  • Please include one of the following in your letter [whichever is applicable]:
    • A statement you are a representative of the news media affiliated with a newspaper, magazine, television station, etc., [ Name:___________] and this request is made as part of newsgathering, or
    • A statement whether you are affiliated with an educational or noncommercial scientific institution [Name:_______________] and this request is made for a scholarly or scientific purpose, or
    • A statement whether you are affiliated with a private business [Name_______________] and are seeking information for use in the company’s business. State how you intend to use this information.
    • Please describe the specific information you want and the format, layout in which you wish to receive it. Please note, by law we may only provide you with directory information.
    • Please indicate the date by which you would like to receive the data.
      • IMPORTANT NOTE : Due to other priorities, resource availability, etc. a request may take from two to three weeks to fulfill from date of receipt.
    • Please state your willingness and ability to pay for applicable costs incurred in processing your request.
    • Please provide your contact information, name, postal mailing address, telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address.
    • Please mark the envelope “Student Record Request.”
    • Please insure your request is signed.
  • Student Record requests must be mailed to :

    Office of the University Registrar
    The University of Alabama
    206 Student Services Center
    Box 870134
    Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-2857
    Or, faxed to (205) 348-7717.

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