FERPA Regulations Appendix C Module Disclosure
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords eligible students certain rights with respect to their education records. (An "eligible student" under FERPA is a student who is 18 years of age or older or who attends a postsecondary institution.) These rights include:
The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days after the day the [Name of postsecondary institution ("School")] receives a request for access. A student should submit to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department, or other appropriate official, a written request that identifies the record(s) the student wishes to inspect.
The school official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the school official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
- The right to request the amendment of the student's education records that the student believes are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student's privacy rights under FERPA.
A student who wishes to ask the school to amend a record should write the school official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record the student wants changed, and specify why it should be changed.
If the school decides not to amend the record as requested, the school will notify the student in writing of the decision and the student's right to• a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.
The right to provide written consent before the university discloses personally identifiable information (PII) from the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.
The school discloses education records without a student's prior written consent under the FERPA exception for disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the [School] in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support
staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person serving on the board of trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee. A school official also may include a volunteer or contractor outside of the [School] who performs an institutional service of function for which the school would otherwise use its own employees and who is under the direct control of the school with respect to the use and maintenance of PII from education records, such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent or a student volunteering to assist another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an educa tion record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibilities for the [School].
[Optional] Upon request, the school also discloses education records without consent to officials of another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll. [NOTE TO POSTSECONDARY INSTITUTION: FERPA requires a school to make a reasonable attempt to notify each student of these disclosures unless the school states in its annual notification that it intends to forward records on request.]
The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the [School] to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is:
Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202- Deadline
- Renewal Process
General Financial Aid Information
If you wish to apply for financial aid or you have questions, or you need sections of the handbook clarified, contact the financial aid office at the school. Additional information regarding the student aid programs available at VBC may be found in "The Student Guide" and the "Free Application for Federal Student Aid" published by the U.S. Department of Education. Additional information may be obtained by calling the Federal Student Aid Information Center between 9:00am and 5:00pm (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday at 1 (800) 433-3243.
Financial Aid Mechanism
Financial aid is a mechanism that reduces out-of-pocket costs that students and/or parents must pay to obtain a specific postsecondary education. Presented differently, financial aid is money made available to help students meet the cost of college attendance. Financial aid includes grants and loans. Grants do not have to be repaid. Loans usually have low interest rates and must be repaid in accordance to the individual loan program terms.
Most of the loans can be arranged to require payment after a grace period of several months upon graduation, or upon the student's termination from the program or if a student's attendance falls below half time. Financial aid is awarded to students who have "need". Need is the difference between the amount of money that the family will be expected to contribute to meet student costs and the cost of education at this school.. back to top
Types of Federal Student Loans
Direct Subsidized Loans and Subsidized Federal Stafford Loans (subsidized Loans)
are for undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree students. You must have finanical needs to qualify for a subsidized loan.The federal government pays the interest on the subsidized loans while you are enrolled at least halftime, during your grace period and during deferment periods.
Direct Unsubsidized Loans and Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans (Unsubsidized Loans) are also for undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree students. You are not required to have financial needs to qualify for unsubsidized loan. You are responsible for paying the interest on unsubsidized loans during all periods, starting from the date the loan is first disbursed.
Direct PLUS Loans and Federal PLUS loans (PLUS loans) are for graduate or professional degree students, and also parents of dependent undergraduate students (this counseling session covers only PLUS loans for graduate or professional degree students). You are responsible for paying the interest on PLUS loans during all periods, starting from the date the loan was disbursed.
Direct Consolidation Loan and Federal Consolidation Loans (Consolidation Loans) Allow Students and parent borrowers to combine multiple federal education loans into one loan with one monthly payment.
Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loan Limits For Direct Subsidized and Direct Unsubsidized Loans, there are no limits on the maximum amount you may borrow for an accademic year (annual loan limits) and the maximum amount you may borrow in total for undergraduate and graduate study (aggregate loan limits).
Dependent Students (except for students whose parents cannot borrow PLUS loans) |
Independent Sudents (and dependent students whose parents cannot borrow PLUS loans) |
|
1st Year Undergraduate |
$5,500 |
$9,500 |
2nd Year Undergraduate |
$6,500 |
$10,500 |
3rd Year Undergraduate and Beyond Undergraduate |
$7,500 |
$12,500 |
Graduate / Professional |
N/A All graduate and professional students are considered independent |
$20,500 |
Deadline
FASFA applications must be received by June 30, of the award year from which is the application intended for. SAR or ISIR must be submitted to the financial aid office by August 29, of the award year from which aid is requested from, or your last day of enrollment. A valid ISIR requires signatures of student, spouse and/or parents, when the ISIR has been corrected.
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Renewal Process
A FPELL Grant award received for one award year, (July 1 to June 30 of the following year) is not automatically renewed for the next award year. Students must reapply for the FPELL Grant and submit a copy of the new SAR or ISIR to the financial aid office. back to top
