London College of Advanced Studies ("LCAS", "we", "us", or "our") is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website, apply for courses, or use our services.

This policy applies to all personal data we process about you, whether you are a prospective student, current student, graduate, website visitor, or other individual whose personal data we process in connection with our educational services.

We are registered as a data controller with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) and comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

Educational Services

• Processing applications and enrollment
• Delivering courses and educational content
• Assessing and recording academic progress
• Providing student support services
• Issuing certificates and qualifications

Communication

• Responding to inquiries and providing information
• Sending course updates and important notices
• Marketing communications (with your consent)
• Alumni relations and networking

Legal and Regulatory

• Complying with legal obligations
• Reporting to regulatory bodies (e.g., Highfield Qualifications)
• Maintaining records for audit purposes
• Protecting our rights and interests

Website and Technology

• Improving website functionality and user experience
• Analytics and performance monitoring
• Security and fraud prevention
• Technical support and troubleshooting

We process your personal data based on the following legal grounds:

We may share your personal information with the following parties:

Educational Partners

• Highfield Qualifications: For course registration, assessment, and certification
• External Assessors: For qualification verification and quality assurance
• Placement Providers: For work-based learning opportunities

Service Providers

• IT Service Providers: For website hosting, email services, and technical support
• Payment Processors: For secure payment processing
• Communication Services: For email marketing and SMS notifications

Legal and Regulatory

• Government Agencies: When required by law or regulation
• Legal Advisors: For legal advice and representation
• Law Enforcement: When legally required or to protect rights and safety

We ensure that all third parties we share data with have appropriate security measures in place and are contractually bound to protect your personal information.

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

• Encryption of data in transit and at rest
• Regular security assessments and updates
• Access controls and user authentication
• Staff training on data protection
• Incident response procedures
• Regular backups and disaster recovery plans

While we strive to protect your personal information, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but are committed to protecting your data using industry-standard practices.

We retain your personal data for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy:

• Student Records: Retained for 6 years after course completion for regulatory compliance
• Application Data: Retained for 2 years for unsuccessful applications
• Marketing Data: Retained until you withdraw consent or for 3 years of inactivity
• Website Analytics: Retained for 26 months
• Financial Records: Retained for 7 years for tax and accounting purposes

After the retention period expires, we will securely delete or anonymize your personal data unless we are required to retain it for legal reasons.

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience and analyze website usage. For detailed information about our use of cookies, please see our Cookie Policy.

You can control cookie settings through your browser preferences:

• Accept or reject cookies
• Delete existing cookies
• Set preferences for specific websites
• Receive notifications when cookies are set

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. We will notify you of any material changes by:

• Posting the updated policy on our website
• Updating the "Last Updated" date
• Sending email notifications for significant changes
• Providing prominent notice on our website

We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your personal information.