Whether you just got back a disappointing midterm or you're applying for your first post-graduate job, a common question arises: Who can actually see my grades? Are your academic records strictly confidential, or can professors, parents, and employers access them without your consent?
The Foundation of Privacy: FERPA
In the United States, student privacy is governed by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), enacted in 1974. FERPA is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education.
Under FERPA, your academic records—which include your GPA, transcripts, academic probation status, and individual class grades—are considered strictly confidential. Educational institutions face severe federal penalties, including the loss of federal funding, if they violate this confidentiality.
Who Can See Your Grades?
1. School Officials with Legitimate Educational Interest
FERPA allows schools to disclose records, without consent, to certain parties under specific conditions. The most common exception is for school officials who have a "legitimate educational interest." This means your academic advisor, the registrar, or a committee reviewing you for a scholarship can view your grades without asking you first.
2. Your Parents (With a Catch)
When a student turns 18 years old, or enters a postsecondary institution at any age (like college), the rights under FERPA transfer from the parents to the student. This means that once you are in college, your parents cannot legally call the university and ask for your grades.
However, there is an exception: if your parents claim you as a dependent for tax purposes, the school may disclose your records to them without your consent, though the school is not federally required to do so. Many universities require students to sign a specific FERPA waiver before they will discuss academic performance with parents.
Are you worried about your current academic standing? Use our calculators to see exactly what grades you need on your finals to pass your classes.
3. Future Employers and Graduate Schools
Future employers and graduate school admissions committees cannot access your educational records without your explicit written consent.
When you apply for a job or to a graduate program, they will almost certainly ask for an official transcript. However, the university will not send this transcript unless you submit a formal request and sign a release authorization. If an employer calls your university to verify your GPA, the university will typically only verify that you received a degree and the dates of your attendance (often referred to as "Directory Information"), but they will not disclose your GPA.
What is "Directory Information"?
FERPA allows schools to disclose certain "directory information" without consent. This typically includes:
- Your name, address, and telephone number
- Your major field of study
- Dates of attendance
- Degrees and awards received (like Latin Honors)
Crucially, your GPA and individual class grades are never considered directory information. You also have the right to request that the school withhold even your directory information from public disclosure.
Summary
Your grades are highly confidential and protected by federal law. Aside from school officials who need the information to do their jobs, nobody—not your parents, not your employer, and not the general public—can access your academic records without your explicit, written permission.