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UKPASS privacy policy

UKPASS is a service provided and operated by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

UCAS and our Group of Companies, which means UCAS and its subsidiaries from time to time and their subsidiaries, ("we", "us", "our" or "UCAS" as the context requires) are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy.

This policy (together with the terms of use of our website and any other documents referred to in it) sets out the basis on which any personal data we collect from you, or that you provide to us, will be processed by us. Please read the following carefully to understand our policy regarding your personal data and how we will treat it.

For the purpose of the Data Protection Act 1998 (the Act) and this privacy policy:

  • "data controller" is UCAS, UCAS Media Limited and/or any of UCAS Group of Companies from time to time.
  • "personal information" is any information about you, which you provide to us from time to time as set out in this privacy policy.
  • "application" is the process of applying for student entry to courses offered by institutions of further and higher education as listed in the service. The application is updated with any revisions, including decisions from the higher education establishments and examination results received so long as the application is live.
  • "Declaration" is the declaration which you will be asked to confirm when finalising your application.
  • "website" is www.ucas.com or any other website, RSS feed or phone application operated by us from time to time.

1. Information which we collect about you

We may collect and process the following information about you:

a. Information which you provide to us from any of the input areas within the website.

b. Information which you provide to us by any other means including (without limitation) telephone, fax or post.

c. Information which you provide to us in connection with your application, which will be handled in accordance with this privacy policy and our Data Protection statement, which forms part of the declaration.

d. If you contact us, we may keep a record of that correspondence.

2. How we use your personal information

a. We use personal information held about you in the following ways:

  • To process your application.
  • To allow you to participate in any interactive features of our service, when you choose to do so.
  • To notify you about changes to our service.
  • To ensure that content from our website is presented in the most effective manner for you and for your computer.
  • To keep you informed (with your consent) by electronic means, or other means of information, about specific funding, sponsorship opportunities or services and products that we think may be of interest to you.
  • To provide you (unless you object) with general information relevant to students.

b. We may share personal information included in your application, or which you subsequently supply to us, with the staff of the institutions which (i) you have previously or currently attend as a student or (ii) you are making application to attend for further or higher education as indicated in your application. More details of the parties with whom some or all of your information will be shared is set out in our data protection statement which forms part of the declaration.

c. After you register to use our Apply product you will receive a welcome letter or email, which will contain your Personal ID and your user name for tracking your application in Apply. You must take care not to disclose them to anyone other than your nominated representative. We will not be liable to you for any loss or damage suffered by you as a result of an unauthorised third party having accessed your application.

d. Where you use our website to submit an application, we may invite you to participate in surveys intended to assist us in the development of our services or for enhancement of areas of study in which you have expressed interest. Whilst your views will be welcome to us, there is no obligation for you to respond. You will be given details of the purpose of the survey and the parties who will undertake it.

e. We may, on occasion, be required to undertake a check of your identity. This will be conducted in confidence. We will normally discuss this with you prior to carrying out any identity checks except as set out in our data protection statement.

f. UCAS will co-operate, where it is required to do so, with enquiries from authorities which demonstrate a legal requirement for access to information about you. These include, but are not limited to, the Police, the UK Visas and Immigration and investigators on behalf of other agencies.

3. Communicating with you

a. The information we collect from you in connection with your application will include (without limitation) your name, postal and email address, and telephone numbers, both home and mobile. If any of these details change, it is important that you tell us straight away so that we can communicate with you about your application.

b. We will normally communicate with you by electronic means in respect of any applications made by you.

c. You may contact us by any of the methods set out on our Contact us page of the website. If you have any questions about our use of your personal data, please write to the Company Secretary at UCAS, Rosehill, New Barn Lane, Cheltenham, Glos GL52 3LZ.

d. Where you wish for us to do so we will communicate with you in the Welsh language. Please tick the appropriate checkbox in the Apply product or on the application form to request this.

4. Mailings and sales information

a. From time to time we may use your personal information to send you general information ("Mailings") by post, email or SMS, such as (without limitation), information relating to health issues, or career information which is relevant to your chosen subjects.

b. In addition, and from time to time, we would like to make use of your personal information to send you marketing or promotional information ("Sales information") about (without limitation) products and services which may be of interest to you, or specific funding and sponsorship opportunities. Mailings and sales information may include information sent by the UCAS Group of Companies on behalf of carefully selected and trustworthy third parties. Please note that except as set out in this privacy policy or data protection statement, your details will not be released to any third party.

c. If you do not wish your personal information to be used for us to send you sales information by post you must ensure that you tick the appropriate box on the registration page.

d. You should tick the appropriate boxes on the registration page if you wish to receive marketing Information by text, email or both.

e. You may, at any time, withdraw your permission for UCAS to use your personal information for the purposes of sending mailings or sales information by ticking the appropriate boxes in Apply, or by writing to the Company Secretary, UCAS, Rosehill, New Barn Lane, Cheltenham, Glos. GL52 3LZ.

5. IP addresses, cookies and links

a. We may collect information about your computer, including where available your IP address, operating systems and browser type, for system administration and to report aggregate information to our advertisers. This is statistical data about our users' browsing actions and patterns, and does not identify you as an individual.

b. UCAS may use cookies. A cookie is a small amount of data which is stored on your computer and which is revealed to UCAS when you use this network. UCAS uses cookies only to make it easier to identify you when using the network. UCAS does not use cookies to collect additional infomation about you. You can configure your web browser not to accept cookies, although this may hinder the functionality of the network for you.

c. Please note that our advertisers may also use cookies, over which we have no control.

d. The website may contain links that make it easy for you to visit other websites. UCAS does not have any control over these websites. Therefore, if you use these links to leave UCAS and visit websites operated by third parties, UCAS cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information that you provide whilst visiting these websites.

6. Your right to ask to see the information we hold about you

a. Under the Data Protection Act 1998 you may request us to provide you with details of personal information that we hold about you. If you want to make a request for this information you should write to our Company Secretary at the adddress given in section 3c above. There will be a fee of £10 payable to UCAS. A cheque for this amount should be sent to UCAS with your request for information.

b. If you request us to do so we will consider making changes to the information that we hold about you. We will change certain limited information that we hold about you where you tell us it is incorrect. We cannot make any changes to information contained in your application such as (without limitation) your qualifications, personal statement or reference. If you believe any such information is incorrect or contains any errors or mistakes, you must contact your selected higher education institutions directly to discuss these.