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Accessing Student Information

This page provides instruction for how your student grants you access to view academic, financial, and honor/conduct details, speak about their information over the phone with W&M staff, and pay their student bill. Learn what the systems are, how to log in, and who to contact if you need assistance. 

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act 

Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), post-secondary students control access to their academic records and grant access to those records to their parents and other third parties through written permission. Many students grant this access with general permission; others sign individual forms or written documents on a case-by-case basis. 

The Personal Information Questionnaire (PIQ) 

The Personal Information Questionnaire (PIQ) is an important record in William & Mary’s database. Your student will be asked to provide directory information, phone contacts, university communication preferences, and emergency plans. 

The Release of Records section of the questionnaire is where your student will grant access to their academic, financial, or honor/conduct information. 

Students must complete their Personal Information Questionnaire form (personalinfo.wm.edu) to avoid a hold being placed on their account.  

LEARN MORE ABOUT FERPA

Three Tools to Know

There are three tools to be familiar with, which, after being granted access by your student, you can use to access student information: Passphrase, Proxy, and eServices. All three of these tools act independently of each other. 

Tools & Terms Simplified

Tools & Terms Simplified:  

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or FERPA, is a federal law that affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. In most cases, your student will need to grant you access to their educational records (academic, financial, and judicial) through their Personal Information Questionnaire.  

To speak on the phone with W&M staff about records your student has released to you, your student can deploy to you a unique, private Passphrase through their Personal Information Questionnaire.  

If your student adds you as a Parent Proxy via Banner, they can grant you access to view certain information in Banner - mostly academic information, like final grades, holds, and course schedule. 

Your student must make you an Authorized User in eServices before you can access and pay your student's e-Statement.  For questions about eServices, please contact Student Accounts at (757) 221-1220 or email bursar@wm.edu for further assistance. You may also visit the eServices website for detailed information, tutorials and videos.