The federal government gave cover to UMass Dartmouth officials who are refusing to release information on taxpayer subsidies given to the accused Boston Marathon bombing suspect and three other former students charged with covering up his crime — in a move that one legislator called “outrageous.”

Officials at the U.S. Department of Education said yesterday that University of Massachusetts Dartmouth could only share “directory information” on alleged bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and his college buddies — Dias Kadyrbayev, Azamat Tazhayakov and Robel Phillipos — who face conspiracy and obstruction of justice charges.

While state community colleges have already released financial aid information on bombing mastermind Tamerlan Tsarnaev, UMass Dartmouth Chancellor Divina Grossman has repeatedly refused and, under pressure, finally wrote to the federal government seeking an exemption to privacy rules for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.

“It’s just absolutely outrageous that the average person in this country has very little privacy remaining yet the taxpayers have no right to know whether someone is receiving taxpayer money to attend a public college. It just doesn’t make sense,” said state Sen. ?Robert Hedlund (R-Weymouth). “It is my understanding that UMass folks are taking a very conservative view of the law and a very strict interpretation of the law to avoid disclosing information that is going to greatly anger taxpayers in Massachusetts.”

UMass Dartmouth yesterday would only release information showing none of the four 19-year-old former students earned any awards or honors while enrolled at the school. Kadyrbayev had been enrolled in a non-degree program and the other three former students had undeclared majors, according to school officials.

The Herald and other media outlets have repeatedly requested records of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s financial aid and GPA from the university, including details of the $20,000 he reportedly still owes UMass.

Tsarnaev was a sophomore at UMass Dartmouth where he had failed some courses, the Herald has learned. He is charged with using a weapon of mass destruction in the April 15 bombing that killed three and injured more than 260.