UCAS surveys privacy notice

We think listening to student experiences is important – it helps us to understand your perspectives and to identify where we, and those who also engage with students, can improve what we do. For this reason you will receive different types of survey requests from UCAS, and we may share results from our surveys with third parties to help them improve what they do. No matter the type of survey request, we aim to make our research projects enjoyable to take part in, incentivised, and give you an opportunity to share your views on topics that could make a positive difference to students like you.  

Our survey analysis may involve some individual level data matching activity to support our analysis, for example we may link your responses with your application if you have applied to UCAS. With this data we also apply ‘weighting’ to our results, a statistical technique, to bring results in line with the population being studied.  

Any information we share will be anonymised to ensure that individual respondents cannot be identified. Please review the privacy information for each survey individually for further data processing information.  

UCAS market research (internal enhancement) 

We may send you details of opportunities to support our market research or user research activity. If you decide to engage with these activities, your responses will be used to inform and improve UCAS products and services that we offer to our range of customers. Market research may be delivered by third parties under contract, which will assure your information and responses are appropriately secured and managed in accordance with data protection legislation. 

UK GDPR lawful basis for processing – Article 6 1 (f) Legitimate Interest 

Student sentiment (applicants) 

These surveys are broader than UCAS market research surveys and may include questions around day-to-day life, hopes and aspirations, behaviours, motivations and what media channels you use. These surveys are helpful to gain an understanding of student experiences in and outside the classroom, including how brands can help students and how providers can support students more effectively through their decision-making processes.  

UK GDPR lawful basis for processing – Article 6 1 (f) Legitimate Interest 

Student sentiment (pre-applicants) 

These surveys are the same as above, but because the pre-applicant audience haven’t made an application through UCAS they have a slightly different relationship with us and so we always ask consent for these surveys.  

UK GDPR lawful basis for processing – Article 6 1 (a) Consent  

Third party surveys 

These surveys are hosted by UCAS, but commissioned by companies or providers as a paid-for service. These surveys may seek to understand how a university or brand is perceived amongst students or understanding student perception of issues within a certain segment, e.g. accommodation or a particular career. 

We may also send you surveys hosted by a company or provider as a paid-for service. Some examples of these surveys include educational research by academics or companies who want to offer further feedback opportunities.  

UK GDPR lawful basis for processing – Article 6 1 (a) Consent

UCAS also conducts surveys via its online research panel – UCAS Future Voices. The panel is available to students throughout their further and higher education journey, and throughout the various stages at which they may interact with UCAS. 

Students who sign up to the UCAS panel will be offered the opportunity to complete surveys and other research projects, some of which will be offered in exchange for points or prize draw entries. Points earned on the panel can later be exchanged for rewards, such as gift cards via our rewards partner. 

Surveys offered on the panel will be a mix of those mentioned above, including UCAS market research surveys, third party surveys, and student sentiment surveys, for both applicants and pre-applicants. Panel members may also be offered the opportunity to participate in other tasks, such as focus groups, polls, and forum discussions. 

UK GDPR lawful basis for processing – Article 6 1 (a) Consent 

For further information about how UCAS processes personal data, please see our privacy policy.