Privacy policy

Updated October 2011

Who we are

This website is provided by UCAS Progress. UCAS Progress is a division of UCAS Media. UCAS Media is a wholly-owned subsidiary of UCAS, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. Company registered in England 2737300. Registered office: Portwall Place, Portwall Lane, Bristol BS1 6NA. VAT registration number GB 618 2306 57

Introduction

Here is the privacy policy for this website. It tells you what we will do with the personal information that is collected when you use this website and states what is done to provide a safe website for everyone.

You have certain rights over the things you tell us about yourself when using our websites. These rights are given to you under the Data Protection Act 1998 more information.

UCAS Progress is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy.

Why information is obtained from this website

When using this website you may be asked to submit personal information about yourself (e.g. name, date of birth) in order to log in and use our websites. You may also provide personal information about yourself in making use of this website. The service you will receive in return aims to support you as a learner and provide guidance regarding your learning and career progression.

By entering your details in the fields requested, you enable us to supply you with the service and any information you request. Whenever you give such personal information, it will be treated in accordance with this privacy policy. When using your personal information we will act in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.

Use, sharing and storage of your personal information

When you give us any personal information (e.g. to log in) we have legal obligations towards you in the way we use this data. We must collect the information fairly, that is, we must explain how we will use it and tell you if we want to pass the information on to anyone else.

Any information you provide on this website will be used only to provide the website and to support you in using it and its service. Your information may be used for the following purposes:

1. As content you may complete using this website
2. To provide you with information and support
3. Assisting you in the operation and use of the website
4. Assisting your school/college, teachers, Connexions advisers and the providers to which you apply in supporting you in relation to the website and your use of it.
5. To notify you of developments in this website or changes in how to use this website
6. To assess and evaluate the use that is being made of the website
7. To map to a unique learner number, for example those provided by the Department for Education and the Learner Record Service.
8. We may share personal information we have collected, or which you supply to us, with the staff of the provider you currently attend or are considering attending as a student.
9. Where you use our website to save favourite courses, we may invite you to participate in surveys intended to help us in the development of our websites and services. Whilst your views will be welcome to us, there is no obligation for you to respond.

Combined statistics about visitors, traffic patterns, answers to questions, content entered and related site information may be provided to reputable and reliable third parties. The information used for these purposes is aggregated (i.e. combined with other user data) and anonymised and will include no personal information. We may retain data for historical, statistical and research purposes. Where data is retained for these purposes, it is stored and processed appropriately in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.

Otherwise your information will only be disclosed to a third party where we are obliged or permitted by law. Authorities, such as the Police, may ask for personal information to assist investigations and we will provide this where reasonable to do so. We will only hold your personal information on this system for as long as is necessary for the purpose for which it is provided and remove it in the event that the purpose has been met, or, you no longer wish to continue your registration as a user of one of our websites.

Mailings and marketing information

From time to time we would like to use your personal information to send you general information (‘mailings’) by email such as newsletters containing information from carefully selected organisations and businesses which we think would be useful to you.

In addition, and from time to time, we would like to make use of your personal information to send you marketing or promotional information about products and services which may be of interest to you; or specific funding and sponsorship opportunities. Mailings and marketing information may include information sent by the UCAS group of companies on behalf of carefully selected third parties we consider trustworthy. 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.

We will not contact you with this information unless you specifically agree. For us to contact you for these purposes, we need your permission. You should tick the appropriate boxes on the registration page if you wish to receive our mailings and/or marketing information. We do encourage you to tick the box as it helps us to help you.

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

Communicating with you

The information we collect about you may include your name and email address. If these details change, it is important that you tell us straight away so that we can continue to communicate with you.

We will normally communicate with you by email.

Security

This site uses industry standard security measures to safeguard your data and ensure that all personal information supplied is stored securely against unauthorised access in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.

We require that you keep any passwords or usernames confidential and agree not to disclose your password to anyone else.

Also, if you post or send offensive, inappropriate or objectionable content anywhere on or to any of our websites or otherwise engage in any disruptive behaviour on this website, the local authority, its partners or service provider may use whatever information is available about you to stop such behaviour. This may involve informing relevant third parties such as your school, employer, school email/internet service provider and law enforcement agencies about the content and your behaviour.

We are not responsible for the content or security of any sites linked to or from this website such as links to provider websites available through the area prospectus and application systems.

Use of Cookies

A cookie is a small amount of data which is placed on your computer by websites that you visit. They are widely used in order to make websites work, or work more efficiently, as well as to track user visits to a website. Cookies often include a unique identifier that is sent to your computer or mobile phone browser from a website's computer and is stored on your device.

UCAS does not use cookies to collect additional information about you. UCAS uses cookies only to make it easier to identify you when using the network. You can configure your web browser not to accept cookies (the Help function within your browser should tell you how). Please be aware that restricting cookies may affect the functionality of the UCAS websites for you.

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.

List of cookies we use:
Cookie name: .ASPXAUTH Purpose: This cookie is essential as it allows users to log in to UCAS Progress. The web server will first send a cookie containing a unique session identifier. Users then submit their credentials and UCAS Progress authenticates the session and allows the user access to services.
Cookie names: __utma, __utmb, __utmc, __utmv and __utmz) Purpose: Google analytics tracking cookies evaluate your usage on the site and allows UCAS Progress to report on activity. This is used for system administration and to monitor and report aggregate information. This is statistical data about our users' browsing actions and patterns, and does not identify you as an individual. A description of each of these cookies can be found here at http://code.google.com/apis/analytics/docs/concepts/gaConceptsCookies.html#cookiesSet

Third party cookies and links:

Please note that during your visits to UCAS Progress websites you may notice some cookies that are not related to UCAS Progress or UCAS’ contractors. When you visit a page with content embedded from, for example, YouTube or Flickr, you may be presented with cookies from these websites. UCAS Progress does not control these cookies. You should check the third party websites for more information about these.

Your consent

By providing personal information, you consent to the use of this information as described in this Privacy Policy or as stated at the time that such information is obtained.

This Privacy Policy may be changed, modified or amended from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page of this website so please check it from time to time. Your continued use of this website following the posting of any changes to the Privacy Policy shall mean that you have accepted those changes.

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

You have the right to request a copy of the personal information we hold about you and to have any inaccuracies corrected. An administration charge of £10 may be made for this service. Please address requests to UCAS Progress as the service provider. UCAS Progress may forward your request direct to the Data Protection Officer at your local authority.

Please contact: Data Protection Officer, UCAS Progress, Rosehill, New Barn Lane, Cheltenham GL52 3LZ.