Admissions Privacy Notice

Introduction

This Privacy Notice informs you about how the University (the data controller) receives and uses personal data that you and/or a third party such as the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) provide to us for the purpose of applying and securing a place in higher education. Your personal information will be processed by the University in accordance with the provisions and principles of the General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act, 2018, as enacted and amended by UK legislation. We will hold your data securely and not make it available to any third party unless permitted or required to do so by law.

Your personal information

The University may receive the following personal data from UCAS: name, age, ethnicity, address, contact details, qualifications, declared disabilities, criminal convictions (the latter in only certain limited situations permissible by law) and any other personal data submitted in your personal statement or as part of the UCAS application process.

Where applicable the University may receive similar details from authorised agents or partner institutions with regards to international students.

Using your personal information

The University requires and uses this information in its admissions processes for the purposes of determining student recruitment to its programmes of study. Failure to process this data will mean you cannot be admitted as a student.

The legal grounds we use to process your data are:

  • The legitimate interests of the University (where those interests do not override your rights and freedoms) and the purpose of entering into an education contract with you
  • The performance of tasks in the public interest; including our obligation to determine suitability for any courses where specific requirements exist such as education & nursing
  • Legal obligations (where applicable)
  • Consent (where applicable)

Including, in relation to the above grounds where appropriate/applicable:

  • processing necessary for reasons of substantial public interest,
  • processing necessary for protecting the public against dishonesty etc. and
  • processing necessary in relation to employment, social security, social protection law and health or social care purposes

Data for non-successful applicants is retained for one year and then securely destroyed. Data for successful applicants where relevant will be added to the student file which is maintained for up to 6 years after graduation (apart from the core student record which is kept for up to 60 years). More detail about data retention periods is available via the UWE retention schedules.

Sharing your personal information

We will only share relevant items of your information where it is necessary to fulfil the lawful purposes listed above. Recipients of your personal data will include:

  • academic and professional services staff at the University involved in admissions processes
  • In some instances data may be shared with external authorised agencies such as the Home Office or police for example to prevent or detect fraud or in fulfilment of another legal obligation such as the University’s obligations as a Tier 4 sponsor
  • If your studies are conducted at another institution in partnership with UWE, we may share your data with the relevant staff at that business involved in Admissions processes
  • If your studies are sponsored by an employer or other organisation we may disclose your data to the extent that it is a contractual requirement of your sponsorship.
  • If you enrol on a degree apprenticeship we may share your data securely with partner employers.
  • Intermediaries authorised to act on behalf of the University in the recruitment of international students (where applicable)
  • Uniquest in order to contact applicants/offer holders at UWE
  • Professional services staff at the University involved in funding and scholarship processes
  • If selection events are required in order to progress your application, such as group interviews, this may require your name to be shared with other applicants

Otherwise we will not share your personal data without your consent.

Any international transfers of your data (outside the EEA) will be protected by appropriate safeguard mechanisms such as an adequacy decision by the European Commission or under an appropriate contractual arrangement and with due regard to your privacy rights and freedoms.

Your rights and choices

In respect of your personal data held by us, UWE is the data controller and you have the following qualified rights to:

  • access it
  • data portability
  • rectify it if it is not accurate or complete
  • erase it, for example by removing your consent
  • restrict its processing
  • object to its processing
  • object to automated decision making and profiling, and
  • complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

To protect your privacy and the privacy of others, we will verify your identity before giving effect to your rights. To exercise any of your rights please contact the Data Protection Officer.

How to contact us

To exercise any of your rights please contact the Data Protection Officer by email at dataprotection@uwe.ac.uk or in writing to the Data Protection Officer, UWE Frenchay Campus, Coldharbour Lane, Bristol, BS16 1QY.

For further information on entry requirements, general advice or the University Admissions Policy contact:

Admissions Office
University of the West of England
Bristol Frenchay Campus
Coldharbour Lane
Bristol
BS16 1QY

Tel: 0117 32 83333
Email: admissions@uwe.ac.uk