Via Academica Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Company Information

Welcome to Via Academica Ltd ("Company", "we", "our", "us"). At Via Academica, we guide students to choose the right university that fits their needs, skills, and desires, helping them jumpstart their careers into their dream jobs. We operate as a marketing agency assisting prospective students in enrolling at universities, primarily in the UK.

Our primary domain is via-academica.co.uk.

This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information when you visit our websites and use our services. We are committed to safeguarding your privacy and ensuring that your personal information is protected.

2. Information Collection

Types of Information Collected

Personal Information:

We collect the following personal information from users through forms on our website to help determine if they meet the requirements for our services:

- Name

- Email address

- Phone number

- City of residence

- Residential Status in the UK

- Preferences for studying (level of study, study domain)

Data collection agreement

Non-Personal Information:

While we do not directly collect non-personal information, we use Google Tag Manager to implement Google Analytics 4 and Facebook Pixel on our website. These tools collect non-personal information such as:

- IP address

- Browser type

- Device type

- Website usage data

Methods of Collection

We collect information through the following methods:

Website Forms: Users provide personal information by filling out forms on our websites.

Ads: Information may be collected when users interact with our ads and are directed to our website.

3. Use of Information

Purpose of Use

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

Providing Services: To contact users who have expressed an interest in studying and to assist with the enrolment process at various universities.

Customer Service: To provide customer service and support, including responding to inquiries and addressing any concerns.

Marketing: To send users relevant information about educational opportunities, programs, and promotional offers, provided they have consented to receive such communications.

Website Improvement: To improve our website and user experience based on the information and feedback we receive from users.

Legal Basis for Processing

We process personal information based on the following legal grounds:

Consent: Users provide explicit consent by agreeing to our Terms of Use and Cookie & Privacy Policy when submitting their information through our website forms.

Consent is obtained through:

A cookie banner that links to this privacy policy and requires users to accept the terms.

A checkbox on each form where users must explicitly agree to the statement: "I agree to Via Academica Terms of Use and Cookie & Privacy Policy."

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

Internal Use

We do not share your personal information with any third parties. The information collected is used solely by our internal team to contact users who have expressed an interest in studying and to assist with the enrolment process.

Legal Requirements

We do not disclose personal information for legal reasons, except where required by law or to protect our rights.

5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Use of Cookies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience on our website. Cookies are small data files that are placed on your device when you visit a website.

Types of Cookies

We use the following types of cookies:

Essential Cookies: These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems.

Functional, Marketing and Analytics Cookies: We use Google Analytics 4 to collect information about how visitors use our website. This helps us improve the website and user experience.

Cookie Consent

We obtain your consent for the use of cookies through a cookie banner that appears when you first visit our website. This banner provides a link to our Cookie & Privacy Policy and allows you to accept the terms.

Managing Cookies

You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings. Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings preferences. However, if you limit the ability of websites to set cookies, you may worsen your overall user experience.

6. Data Security

We implement standard security measures to protect your personal information and ensure it is handled securely. These measures include:

Database Security: User data is stored in a secure database with restricted access, limited to authorized users only.

Access Controls: Only authorized personnel who need access to the data to perform their job functions can access your personal information.

SSL Protection: Our websites are SSL (Secure Socket Layer) protected, ensuring that any data transmitted between your browser and our server is encrypted and secure.

While we strive to protect your personal information, please be aware that no security measures are perfect or impenetrable. We cannot guarantee the absolute security of your data, but we are committed to doing our best to keep it safe.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for the following periods:

Duration of Collaboration: If you enroll in a university with our assistance, we retain your data for the duration of your academic journey to provide ongoing support and assistance.

Non-Enrollment or Opt-Out: If you do not enroll or do not meet university requirements and do not wish to continue, you can request deletion of your information. Alternatively, we will delete your information within 1 year from the date of collection if you do not continue with our services.

Criteria for Retention

The retention periods mentioned above are based on the following criteria:

Legal Requirements: We may retain certain information as required by law or as necessary to comply with our legal obligations.

Business Needs: We retain information for as long as necessary for the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, including providing services, resolving disputes, and enforcing our agreements.

Upon expiration of the applicable retention period, we securely delete or anonymize your personal information in a manner designed to ensure it cannot be reconstructed or read.

8. User Rights

Access and Correction

If you have successfully applied to a university through Via Academica, you can ask your dedicated consultant about the data that we store & process.

Deletion and Restriction

You have the right to request the deletion of your personal information at any time. If you wish to delete your information, please contact us via e-mail at maya@via-academica.co.uk. We will process your request promptly, and your data will be deleted as requested.

Data Portability

We share data such as e-mail address, name, and telephone number with Klaviyo, our e-mail & SMS marketing system. Your personal information is used solely for the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy.

9. Children's Privacy

Our services are intended for use by individuals who are 18 years of age or older. We do not knowingly collect, use, or disclose personal information from children under 18. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under the age of 18, we will take steps to delete such information from our records.

If you believe that we might have any information from or about a child under 18, please contact us immediately using the contact details provided in this Privacy Policy.

10. International Data Transfers

We store your personal information on cloud servers, which may not necessarily be located in the UK. Klavyio is committed to maintaining robust privacy and security measures in compliance with applicable data protection laws.

Compliance with Data Protection Laws

We comply with relevant data protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), to ensure that your personal information is protected and handled appropriately. This includes implementing necessary safeguards such as data encryption and access controls to protect your data and respecting your rights as outlined in this Privacy Policy.

11. Changes to the Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable laws. When we make changes to this policy, we will notify you by updating the date at the top of this Privacy Policy and, where appropriate, provide additional notice (such as adding a statement to our website's homepage or sending you a notification).

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information.

12. Contact Information

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

E-mail: maya@via-academica.co.uk

Date of enforcement: 06/11/2024

13. Jurisdiction and Governing Law

This Privacy Policy and any disputes related to it are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United Kingdom. By using our services, you consent to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the courts in the United Kingdom for any legal proceedings arising out of or relating to this Privacy Policy.

Your data protection rights

Under data protection law, you have rights including:

Your right of access - You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal information.

Your right to rectification - You have the right to ask us to rectify personal information you think is inaccurate. You also have the right to ask us to complete information you think is incomplete.

Your right to erasure - You have the right to ask us to erase your personal information in certain circumstances.

Your right to restriction of processing - You have the right to ask us to restrict the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.

Your right to object to processing - You have the the right to object to the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.

Your right to data portability - You have the right to ask that we transfer the personal information you gave us to another organisation, or to you, in certain circumstances.

You are not required to pay any charge for exercising your rights. If you make a request, we have one month to respond to you.

Please contact us at maya@via-academica.co.uk if you wish to make a request.

Detailed information regarding your rights under UK GDPR is available at ico.org.uk.

Want to complain?

If you have any concerns about our use of your personal information, you can make a complaint to us by referencing the contact details here.

You can also complain to the ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office) if you are unhappy with how we have used your data.

Address: Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF

Website: ico.org.uk

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Service Agreement

1. Introduction

The scope of this document is to outline the services that VIA ACADEMICA LTD is providing to the applicants that decide to use the company services during their university application and enrolment process. This document will also define the specific terms used during the application and enrolment process, the responsibilities of VIA ACADEMICA LTD as well as the GDPR provisions.

2. Definition of terms

Applicant – any person who enters in contact with C2S, on any of the communication channels available, and express their interest in applying and enrolling to any of the partner universities.

Partner – any third-party recruitment agency that VIA ACADEMICA has a signed partnership agreement.

Communication channels can be: company website, company Facebook/Instagram/Twitter/TikTok page, company emails, company phone numbers including the office staff and field representatives.

Entry requirements are those specified by each partner student recruitment agency and VIA ACADEMICA has no influence on any of them.

Admission tests are established by each university and VIA ACEDEMICA has no implication in the way they are organised and marked.

Passing grades are established by each university, some can use the fail and pass system and the other could use the grading system from 1 to 10 or 1 to 100.

Application form – the form that needed to be filled in by VIA ACADEMICA (or partners) in order to start the application process. Each partner university has its own application form with its own information requirements.

ID – the official identification document that proves the applicant’s citizenship.

Diploma/qualification/certificate – any official document that proves the applicant’s previous level of qualification.

Residency evidence/visa/student visa – any document that proves the right of the applicant to live, work and study in the country where they choose to study.

Resume – the applicant’s resume describing the last 3 years of working experience.

Personal statement - a written description of the applicant’s personal details, interests, achievements, hobbies.

Contact person – any person mentioned by the applicant as point of contact or references.

Conditional offer – the offer issued by any of the universities describing the conditions that the applicant needs to fulfil in order to be admitted at the respective university.

Unconditional offer – the final offer issued by the university offering the applicant their place to study also mentioning the details about the course, duration, tuition fee, mode of study and campus.

Finance application – the forms that needed to be filled in for obtaining the finance in the countries where this is available.

3. VIA ACADEMICA RESPONSIBILITIES

To contact the applicant once they have expressed in the interest in the company’s services.

To describe in the most accurate way the entry requirements for the chosen university.

To gather all the necessary documentation for the application.

To submit the application to the applicant’s chosen university.

To ensure the applicant receives the conditional offer letter and support them in fulfilling the conditions.

To schedule the applicant for the entry test where necessary.

To communicate the applicant the test results. In case the applicant fails, and rescheduling the test is necessary, VIA ACADEMICA will do this.

To communicate the applicant when the unconditional offer is issued and obtain the signed acceptance form.

To support the applicant in filling in the finance application.

VIA ACADEMICA Ltd cannot be held responsible for any decision taken by the partner university and has no influence on the admission criteria established by them. Also, VIA ACADEMICA Ltd  has no decision power and influence in regard to the finance application process. VIA ACADEMICA Ltd  will assist the applicant in filling in the form and will present the list of required documents, while the approval decision lies entirely with the finance authority.

4. GDPR

VIA ACADEMICA Ltd is registered with the Commissioner’s Office (ICO). The provision of this clause 4 is applicable to all agents and collaborators of SEP.

4.1 The Principles of Data Protection

VIA ACADEMICA Ltd  must comply with the following principles, which are legally enforceable:

• To handle personal and sensitive (about ethnic origin, political opinion, faith, disability, sexual preference, criminal convictions etc.) data fairly and lawfully.
• To be obtained and processed fairly and lawfully and shall not be processed unless certain conditions are met.
• To use personal and sensitive data for specified and lawful purposes and shall not be further processed in any manner incompatible with those purposes.
• To use the personal and sensitive data, which are reasonable, relevant and not Data Protection Act: V.2 (Reviewed on 14 July 2020. Next Review: July 2021) excessive to that particular purpose.
• Use personal and sensitive data accurately and where necessary, update it
• Keep and protect these personal and sensitive data with an appropriate degree of security.
• Store personal and sensitive data for longer than is necessary for that purpose.
• Any personal and sensitive data would not be transferred outside the UK, unless the recipient authorities ensure an adequate level of data protection.
• These personal and sensitive data will be released either with the person's consent, or for purpose of the national security.
• Adequate, relevant and not excessive ‐ Data collected must be enough to complete the required task and no more.
• Not kept longer than is necessary ‐ personal information should only be retained by the College for as long as is required to fulfil the purposes for which it was originally provided or required by law to be held. Beyond this point it should be securely destroyed.

4.2 Data Security

VIA ACADEMICA Ltd  and applicants are responsible for ensuring that:

Any personal data, which they process, is kept securely in accordance with the this policy.

Personal information is not disclosed accidentally or otherwise to any unauthorised third party.

VIA ACADEMICA Ltd  should note that unauthorised disclosure will usually be a disciplinary matter, and may be considered gross misconduct in some cases. Personal information should be kept in a locked filing cabinet, drawer, or safe. If it is computerised, it should be coded, encrypted or password protected both on a local hard drive and on a network drive that is regularly backed up. If a copy is kept on removable storage media, that media must itself be kept in a locked filing cabinet, drawer, or safe.