Confidentiality and Release of Information

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) provides you with access to your educational records and limits the release of this information without your written consent. We will release information from your file only to members of the university community or its agents who request pertinent aid application information. We reserve the right to request identification before releasing any information from your financial aid file.

Students have certain rights regarding their education records when beginning attendance at a post-secondary institution, or upon reaching the age of 18. Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) transfers the rights to the student.

Limitations are placed on student record information that may be released to third parties (which includes parents, guardians, and or caregivers). The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid can provide limited financial aid information to the parent listed on the FAFSA.

We will require proof of your identity as required by FERPA when calling on the telephone, emailing or visiting an on-campus office.

• Telephone: You will be asked various questions from the FAFSA to prove your identity.
• Email: Responses will only be sent via the student's CMU email address (we can send very general information to non-CMU email addresses).
• In-person: Picture ID will be required.

Designation as an authorized payer through the billing office is for billing and payment information only. We cannot verify designated authorized payers.