Privacy And Confidentiality Pledge
The Ohio State University Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA) is committed to keeping your financial aid information confidential and secure while you are enrolled and even when you are no longer a student at this university. We only use your personal information to administer financial aid and do not sell or rent this information to others. We have security programs, policies, and procedures that protect your information from unauthorized use or disclosure.
Furthermore, we comply with the rules set forth by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974, as amended. This law protects the privacy of student educational records. Click here for details about FERPA at Ohio State. We also comply with the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) Safeguards Rule. This law protects the security and confidentiality of consumers’ personal financial information. Click here for more information about GLBA.
Use of Your Social Security Number (SSN)
The federal processors designated by the U.S. Department of Education are authorized by law to collect your SSN and your parent’s SSN, if applicable, when you apply for federal student financial aid. They use it to verify your identity and to retrieve your financial aid records. Furthermore, they require OSFA to use it when communicating with them about your financial aid. OSFA also uses it to process state, institutional, and external financial aid and is very committed to safeguarding it.
With Whom We Share Your Information
Release of information about you is generally restricted to those who need it in order to administer financial aid programs. Written consent is NOT required for us to release information to the following individuals and organizations:
- You
- Your supporting parents, if you are classified as dependent for financial aid purposes
- Scholarship donors and awarding committees, both internal and external to the university
- Federal processor
- State aid programs
- Compliance with a lawful subpoena or judicial order
- Organizations requesting survey information; OSFA does not include personally identifiable information when complying with these requests, except as required by law and/or regulations
- Accrediting organizations; i.e. North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
Inspection, Review, and Release
With the exception of financial records of your parent(s), you have the right to inspect, review and release copies of your financial aid record. You may review only your own record. If your record contains information about other students, disclosure cannot include information regarding the other student(s).
Generally, OSFA destroys financial aid records three years after the end of the award year. Some records may have a shorter or longer retention period. Once you contact our office with your request, OSFA may take up to 45 days to provide you with the requested information or notification that it no longer exists. However, a response to your request will be made as expeditiously as possible.
You also have the right to correct inaccurate information in your financial aid record. OSFA must receive in writing a statement outlining the inaccurate information and documentation that supports the correct information.
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