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Parents and Family

EAP Policies

Student Policies

As part of the application and acceptance process, your son or daughter will sign a Student Agreement, which is a contract with UCEAP. This agreement covers a range of issues, from expectations regarding conduct to the consequences of student code of conduct violations. Please review this agreement and the following EAP policies carefully with your son or daughter:

Confidentiality and Student Privacy

UCEAP believes that parents and other relatives who are closely involved in students’ lives are an important part of the educational team. The best way for family to find out how a student is doing is by communicating directly with the student. However, there may be times when you may consider it helpful to speak directly with EAP officials. UCEAP staff and faculty protect the privacy of paper and electronic records containing student information as required by the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA); the California Information Practices Act (IPA); and the California State Constitution.

Most student records in EAP’s possession are confidential, except for public/directory information.

FERPA is a federal law that grants students access to their educational records and limits the information universities are allowed to give out to third parties, including parents, about individual students. FERPA requires that UCEAP obtain your student’s written consent before disclosing personally identifiable information (non-directory information) from your student's education records. A student record is personally identifiable information relating directly to a student that is retained in any way (e.g., handwritten, printed, e-mailed, in data or other electronic media, or on video/audio tape, DVD, or film). Directory information, which is personally identifiable information that is generally not considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if released, can be disclosed.

UCEAP regards the following items as directory (public) information that, unless the student has restricted disclosure, can be shared with third parties without the written consent from the student:

Full name of the EAP student
E-mail address
Home UC campus
EAP program in which student is enrolled
Study Center’s e-mail address on file with EAP
Study Center street address
Study Center business telephone number
Class level

According to FERPA, college students are considered responsible adults and are allowed to determine who will receive information about them. Unless an exception applies, the disclosure of confidential information from a student’s records requires the student’s prior consent. Students must complete, sign, date, and submit the Release of Student Information to a Third Party Authorization form.

In a health/safety emergency situation, federal and state laws make an exception and allow the University to disclose records to appropriate parties without prior consent if knowledge of the information is necessary to protect the health and safety of the student or others.

EAP encourages your student to keep you informed about his or her Education Abroad Program or to refer you to the appropriate websites and resources for additional information. If you have questions, your first point of contact should be your student who will most likely have the information already.