How we use your data

This Privacy Notice outlines how the University of Kent collects, uses and manages the personal information of individuals expressing an interest in becoming a student at the University, either before or after making a formal application, in accordance with the provisions of data protection law.

The University of Kent is registered as a Data Controller under registration number Z6847902. View the full entry on the register

Throughout the notice, “University”, “we”, “our” and “us” refers to the University of Kent and “you” and “your” refers to those expressing an interest in becoming a student at the University either before or after making a formal application.

How we collect your personal information

Your personal data is obtained:

  • directly from you, through online forms, paper enquiry forms, email or by telephone
  • from UCAS when you name the University of Kent as one of your choices
  • from UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), part of the UK Home Office, if you have given us your consent to request your immigration history
  • from other institutions who deliver programmes in partnership with us, or participate in student exchange agreements
  • from recruitment representatives (agents) who complete forms on your behalf.

Categories of information we collect

Personal data we may collect about you in connection with your enquiry or application includes the following:

  • personal details such as your name, address, date of birth, telephone number, email address
  • education and employment information
  • personal background information collected during the admissions process, such as demographic information
  • special category data such as physical or mental health, racial or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, religious belief or information relating to criminal offences may be required for:
    • compliance monitoring under the Equality Act 2010 and by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)
    • implementing reasonable adjustments to support your studies, ensure your health and safety, organising placements or, in relation to applications, for extenuating circumstances
    • certain degree programmes data relating to Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)/ fitness to practice.

How we use your personal information

We will use your information in the following ways:

If you have made an application

We will process your personal information for the purposes of:

  • processing your application
  • to keep you informed of relevant information about the University
  • forming the basis of your student record if you are successful in obtaining a place.
  • to fulfil and monitor our legal responsibilities, for example, under equalities, immigration and public safety legislation

We may also use the information provided for the following reasons:

  • for equal opportunities monitoring
  • to assess details of criminal offences (where applicable for limited courses)
  • to help us make reasonable adjustments for any disability (primarily through our Student Services department)
  • to allow us to consider any future accommodation requirements (primarily through our Accommodation department)
  • to compile statistics and conduct research for statutory reporting purposes
  • for the University's own research and statistical purposes.

Your information is used by relevant staff involved in admissions and student recruitment across the University, and may also be shared with other University departments to support the admissions process.

We need your data in order that steps can be taken to potentially create a student contract with you and perform our obligations under that contract. We would be unable to process your application to the University without it. It is also required for compliance with legal obligations and for tasks performed in the public interest as part of our role of being a teaching and research institution (such as analysis and research into applications, admissions, underrepresented groups and qualifications).

If you make an enquiry or booking but have not yet made an application

We will process your personal information for the purposes of:

  • processing your enquiry or event booking
  • facilitating your participation in any event you attend
  • where lawful to do so, provide you with further relevant information about courses, events and scholarships offered by the University.

We may also use the information provided for the following reasons:

  • to help us make reasonable adjustments for any disability (primarily by the team arranging the event)
  • for research and statistical purposes such as tracking your student journey
  • we may use Google, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Snapchat to support promotion of our courses and other services you have shown an interest in, if you are a user of these platforms.

Your information is used by relevant staff involved in admissions and student recruitment across the University, and may also be shared with other University departments to support the admissions process.

We need your data in order that we can answer your enquiry or facilitate your event booking, prior to potentially entering into a student contract with you. We would be unable to process your request to the University without it. It is also required for tasks performed in the public interest as part of our role of being a teaching and research institution (such as analysis and research into the enquiries we receive and event bookings made).

Our lawful basis for processing your data

When you provide the University of Kent with your information, we process that information because:

  • doing so is linked to the performance of our contractual obligations to you including preparing for a future contract (eg to manage your student experience, accommodation services and general welfare while you study at the University;
  • processing allows us to comply with our legal obligations
  • processing is linked to the performance of tasks we carry out in the public interest (eg admissions research).

Sometimes we process your data in the pursuit of the legitimate interests of the University or an external organisation (eg to send promotional information relating to studying at the University).

Where processing relates to special category data we will process based on your explicit consent, or because processing is substantially in the public interest.

Who your information will be shared with

The University may pass your data to third party organisations who carry out services under contract. We will ensure that any data transferred is proportionate and relevant. We will ensure that contractual agreements exist to ensure compliance with data protection regulations and that data is used solely under our instruction. In these circumstances personal data shall be deleted after the contract has terminated.

Sometimes it is necessary for your personal information to be shared with third parties for the purpose of providing the service, assessing your application, for research or for statutory reasons.

The University of Kent shares student information with the Electoral Registration Officer at the local council. The local councils use this information to keep the Electoral Register accurate and up to date and as such it has a positive effect on the numbers of  students engaging in democratic participation. For more information please see Canterbury City Council’s Privacy Notice or Medway Council’s Privacy Notice.

When it is necessary for us to transfer your personal information across national boundaries to a third party processor, such as one of our service providers, we will ensure this safeguards your personal information by requiring such transfers are made in compliance with all relevant data protection laws.

Your rights

Please be aware of the following rights, and further information that is necessary to ensure fair and transparent processing. For further guidance regarding your rights please see the ICO website.

1. The period for which the personal data will be stored, or if that is not possible, the criteria used to determine that period:

  • if your application is successful and you are admitted as a student, your application record and associated documents will form the basis of your student record. When enrolling as a student you will be given details of the Student Enrolment Privacy Notice, including how your data will be used and how long it will be kept
  • if your application is unsuccessful, you withdraw or decline any offer made, your application record and associated documents will be retained for a maximum period of six years from the expected date of entry
  • if you make an enquiry, request a prospectus or book to attend an Open Day and do not subsequently apply, your record will be retained for a maximum period of six years from the end of the admissions cycle in which you enquired. If you subsequently make an application the retention periods above will apply
  • where a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) has been issued to support a student visa application, your data and documentation will kept in accordance with our UKVI data retention policy.

2. The existence of the right to request from the controller, access to and rectification or erasure of personal data or restriction of processing concerning the data subject or to object to processing as well as the right to data portability:

  • Please contact us if you would like to make this request.

3. Where the processing is based on point (a) of Article 6(1) or point (a) of Article 9(2), the existence of the right to withdraw consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal:

  • Processing is not based on point (a) of Article 6(1) or point (a) of Article 9(2)

4. The right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority:

5. Whether the provision of personal data is a statutory or contractual requirement, or a requirement necessary to enter into a contract, as well as whether the data subject is obliged to provide the personal data and of the possible consequences of failure to provide such data:

  • Please see ‘How we use your personal information’ above.

6. The existence of automated decision-making, including profiling, referred to in Article 22(1) and (4) and, at least in those cases, meaningful information about the logic involved, as well as the significance and the envisaged consequences of such processing for the data subject:

  • Automated decision-making and profiling is not currently used in any admissions or enquiry processes.

Contacts

If you have any questions or concerns about the way the University has used your data, or wish to exercise any of your rights, please consult our website. For further assistance please contact datapro@kent.ac.uk

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