BYU’s Global Privacy Notice details how BYU collects, uses, and shares personal information from students and participants in its programs and activities.
In keeping with BYU’s Global Privacy Notice and applicable laws, BYU Independent Study has adopted the following procedures to ensure the privacy of its students’ education records.
FERPA and access to education records: The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) requires that BYU Independent Study protect the privacy of student education records. Generally, before personally identifiable student information can be released, (1) the identity of the student must be verified; for third-party requests (e.g., from a parent or school counselor), the requester must also (2) verify his or her identity and relationship to that student, and (3) either have been granted guest access to records on the student’s FERPA permissions form or fall within the category of individuals for whom student permission is not required.
Transfer of FERPA rights: When the student is 18 years old, or enters postsecondary study at any age, the rights to the student’s education records under FERPA transfer from the parents to the student. If the student is enrolled in BYU Independent Study’s non-university-level courses and is at least 18 years old or is enrolled in BYU Independent Study’s university courses, regardless of age, education records will not be released to anyone other than the student and any school in which the student is currently enrolled or seeking to enroll. Access to the student’s education records may be granted to a third party if the student provides signed permission granting a specified person rights to access his or her records. View a printable FERPA permissions form.
Tax dependency: If the parent of a student who has turned 18 or enrolled in a university course can provide tax documentation that the student was claimed as a dependent in the previous income tax year, the parent may have access to the student’s educational records. In addition to the FERPA permissions form, proof of tax dependency must be provided each time information is requested from the student’s education records.
Sharing education records with other educational institutions: Under FERPA, BYU Independent Study may share a student’s education records with other educational institutions in which the student is concurrently enrolled or to which the student may be seeking to enroll. For example, if you are a high school student and have supplied your high school’s name, BYU may inform your high school of your course activity and grades. Officials of other educational institutions will typically be required to register for a verified Counselor Portal account in order to access such records or information. Students may request and obtain from BYU Independent Study a copy of any records shared with another educational institution.
Net ID and password: In addition to FERPA, other laws and regulations require that the BYU Independent Study protect sensitive personal information and financial records. BYU Independent Study’s systems require individuals to log in using a secure Network Identification (Net ID) and password. Sharing of Net IDs and passwords with third parties is strictly prohibited because it violates confidentiality and degrades the ability of BYU Independent Study to protect secure information. A student who shares his or her Net ID and password may be subject to discipline per the BYU Independent Study Student Code of Conduct. All students (or their parent/legal guardian for youth registrations) are required to individually log in so personal, financial, and education information remains secure and protected.
