Howdy - Parent/Guardian Account

Overview

Once authorized, parents can access their student’s academic records, financial aid, tax forms and other services by logging in to the Howdy Portal (http://howdy.tamu.edu) with their own NetID and NetID password.

Student information is protected by FERPA laws. It is up to the student to decide if they want to create a Parent/Guardian Howdy account and what entitlements come with the account. A parent should never know their student's password or be logged into their account under any circumstances. FERPA laws still apply to university students under the age of 18.

Please note that parents can access student bills and pay tuition using the Bill Payment Suite (http://billpay.tamu.edu). Bill Payment Suite access must be set up separately. Instructions are available in our documentation titled Setting up Parent Access to Student Billing.

Setting Up Parent/Guardian Access to Howdy Portal

Step 1: Student grants access to Parent/Guardian

This step must be completed by the student.

1. Log in to Howdy using your NetID and password.
2. Search for “Parent” or “Guardian” in the search box. Select the Parent/Guardian Access Control suggestion.
3. Click the Add Parent/Guardian Access button to add a parent or guardian to your account.
4. Provide the following information:
   1. Parent/guardian last name
   2. Parent/guardian first name
   3. Parent/guardian email address
5. Select the item or items you want your parent or guardian to be able to access.
6. Click Submit.

Step 2: Parent/Guardian Activates Account

Once access is granted, the parent/guardian will receive an email with instructions to activate their account and set a password.

1. Check your email (the one provided by the student) for an activation link.
2. Click the link in the activation email and follow the instructions in the email to set up your password.
3. Once your account is activated, you’ll receive a confirmation email.
4. Log in to Howdy using the Guest Login option. You will use the username and password you created in the previous steps.

Important: Parents/guardians should always log in with their own credentials. Using a student’s NetID and password may trigger security measures and lock the account.

Trouble Logging In

1. Make sure you are logging into howdy.tamu.edu using the Guest Login option.
2. Make sure you are logging in with the username and password you created after receiving the account creation email.
3. If you are not sure of your password, you can change it by clicking the Forgot Password link below the username and password boxes.
4. If you are getting an error message, try clearing your cache and cookies.

How to Edit Parent Access

1. Log in to howdy.tamu.edu.
2. Search for “Parent” or “Guardian” in the search box. Select the Parent/Guardian Access Control suggestion.
3. Add or remove check marks from the boxes next to the resource permission you want your parent/guardian to have. Changes are immediate.

NOTE: Under NO circumstance should the parent be logging into the student's account. It is up to the student's discretion what entitlements they would like to make available to the parent.

Student Billing

A parent/guardian needing billing and payment information must visit Texas A&M University’s Bill Payment Suite - this requires parents/guardians to create an account separate from Howdy.

Accessing 1098-T Tax Form

If granted access by the students, a parent/guardian can access the student’s 1098-T tax forms by following the steps below:

1. Log into howdy.tamu.edu using the Guest Login option.
2. Enter the username and password you configured when your student set up parent/guardian access.
3. Search for 1098-T and click on the 1098-T Tax Form result or click Finances from the menu on the left and then select 1098-T Tax Forms.

If you are not able to find the form, contact your student to make sure that they have granted you access to this information. A student can check this by following the steps below:

1. Log in to howdy.tamu.edu.
2. Search for “Parent” or “Guardian” in the search box. Select the Parent/Guardian Access Control suggestion.
3. Add a check mark to the box next to the TaxForms. The change will automatically be saved.

Meal Plan Information

To access your student's meal plan information, follow the steps below:

1. Log into howdy.tamu.edu using the Guest Login option.
2. Enter the username and password you configured when your student set up parent/guardian access.

The Dining Services department can be reached via phone at (979) 845-3005, or via email at dining@tamu.edu.