Authorize Access to Your Records (FERPA)

As a student, you have the option to release/disclose your student record information to a designated person (e.g. parent or legal guardian). To do so, you may access the MySJSU portal to complete an Authorization to Release form for the designee(s).

This guide provides the steps for you to give your designated person permission to have your information disclosed from your records (academic, financial aid, financial accounts, and housing). Go to Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) to learn more about how SJSU protects the privacy of your student records.

1. Log in to MySJSU.

1. Go to the Personal Information section.
2. Click the Authorize to Release link.

Personal Information page showing the “Authorize to Release” link highlighted in the right-hand menu.

2. Please read the information on the page to understand the following:

1. Types of records you can choose to disclose.
2. Who has access to view the authorization.
3. Who is authorized to disclose to your designee.
4. How to add or modify your designee.
5. Information required from your designee to verify authorization.

Create an Authorization to Release page explaining FERPA consent and the types of student record information that may be shared with a designated individual.

3. To add your first designee:

1. Enter the designee's First and Last name.
2. Create a 4-digit access code without leading zeros for the designee and share it only with that person.
3. Enter the date on which the designee's access will expire.
  1. 1. You can enter a minimum of 1 day and a maximum of 365 days from date of entry.
    2. You can return to this page to shorten or extend the access period at any time.

Authorization to Release page showing fields to add a designee’s name, access code, and expiration date.

4. Click the search icon to select the Department of the record you wish to authorize. You have the option of selecting the following:

1. Admissions
2. Bursar’s Office
3. Financial Aid and Scholarship Office
4. Office of the Registrar
5. University Housing Services

Authorization to Release page showing how to select a department for records release using the department lookup.

5. Click the search icon to select the Records to Release.

1. Each department will have different types of records you may select to release to your designee.

Authorization to Release page showing how to select the types of records to be released using the records lookup.

6. In the Purpose of Release, enter the purpose/ reason of the release for this designee. This is a required free text field.

For example: Provide support on admission’s application process.

7. Click the Save button at any time when you are finished.

Authorization to Release page showing completed department, records, and purpose fields and the option to save the authorization.

Adding more authorized records.

8. To add more department records to release to the same designee, click the Add button.

Authorization to Release page showing the Add button used to add selected records to the authorization.

9. Select the Department and Records to Release. Fill in the Purpose of Release.

MySJSU table with fields for Department, Records to Release, and Purpose of Release. One completed row shows Admissions, Graduate Admission Status, and a purpose of providing admissions support. A second empty row is available to add another entry, with Add and Delete buttons for each row.

Adding more designees.

10. To add another designee, click the Add button (plus icon) next to the Expiration Date.

Screenshot of a MySJSU page titled “Authorized Records to Be Released To.” The page includes fields for first name, last name, access code, and expiration date, along with Add and Delete buttons. Below, a table lists authorized departments such as Admissions and Financial Aid, the records to be released, the purpose of release, and Add and Delete buttons for each entry.

11. Enter designee information:

1. Enter designee's First and Last name.
2. Create a 4 digit access code without leading zeros for the designee and share it only with that person.
3. Enter the date on which the designee's access will expire.

1. 1. 1. You can enter a minimum of 1 day and a maximum of 365 days from date of entry.
    2. You can return to this page to shorten or extend the access period.

Screenshot of an “Authorized Records to be Released” form for a student. The page shows fields for authorized person’s first name, last name, access code, and expiration date; a table listing departments, records to release, and purpose of release with Add and Delete buttons; an empty section to add another authorized person; pagination controls; and Cancel and Save buttons at the bottom.

12. Add authorized records to be released for the designee.

1. Select the Department and Records to Release. Fill in the Purpose of Release.

13. Click the Save button once you are done adding designees and the records to be released.

Modifying Designee(s).

14. To make changes:

1. To completely remove a designee, click the Delete button right above the designee’s name you want to remove.
2. To change the expiration date for a designee, locate the designee row and click the calendar icon. Select a different Expiration Date for the designee.
3. To remove an authorized record from the designee, locate the row and click the Delete button.

Screenshot of the “Authorization to Release your Record(s) to your Designee” page showing authorized designee information, including name, access code, expiration date, and tables of departments and records to be released with Add and Delete buttons.

15. Click the Save button when you have finished adding/modifying designee(s) and the authorized records to be released for the designee(s)

MySJSU Authorize Access to Records page showing a table of departments (Admissions, Bursar’s Office, Financial Aid), records to release, and purpose of release, with Add and Delete buttons for each row. The Save button is highlighted at the bottom right.

16. To exit out of the Authorization to Release page, click the Return button at the top right of the page.

MySJSU screenshot for ‘Create an Authorization to Release’ showing FERPA information for the student and a Return button at the top right. The left navigation menu includes Student Center, View My Messages, Holds, To Do List, and Make a Payment.

17. You have successfully completed adding/modifying your authorization to release for your designee(s).