Information that we collect and use about you
The University collects and uses the following personal information about registered students in accordance with the requirements of the UK General Data Protection Regulations and the Data Protection Act 2018.
The University will also seek to protect your personal information in accordance with the applicable Data Protection legislation of your own country should it be applicable.
(Please note that we do not hold all categories of personal information for all students, and the list may not be exhaustive).
- Your personal details: your title, name, gender, date of birth, nationality, country of residence and image
- Equalities information: your ethnic origin, religious belief, sexual orientation
- Your personal contact details: postal addresses, email addresses, telephone numbers
- Your next-of-kin and family details (if applicable)
- Your education and qualifications
- Your immigration status, visa documentation (if applicable).
- Your application for admission and references
- Information about any disabilities and your health and welfare
- Your academic record: your programme of study, (online) attendance, progress, academic conduct, examinations and submissions, examiners' reports and graduation
- Your research interests and publications
- Your fee status, funding arrangements and payments
- Your survey responses
- Your non-academic conduct, non-academic activities and career interests (as you choose to disclose)
We collect this information from you during the admission, registration and graduation processes and during your period of study at the University.
We also receive the following personal information about you from these sources:
- Information about you, your background and your application for admission from the Universities & Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS)
- Information about you, your background and your academic record from the University's online and overseas academic delivery partners
- Information about your health, disability and educational needs from medical practitioners and educational psychologists
Why we process this information, and our lawful basis
We collect and use your personal information for the purposes of recruitment and admission of students; registration and maintenance of student records; academic assessment, managing progress, certification and graduation; administering fees; student communications; providing student support services and IT services; to deliver teaching and promote research; and to administer the University.
There are several lawful bases on which the University routinely processes your personal information. These are:
- to fulfil the University's contractual relationship with you
- to comply with our legal obligations under equalities, health and safety, immigration, safeguarding and higher education governance legislation
- for the University's statutory powers to provide teaching, promote research and administer the University
- the legitimate interests of the University to provide you with the best student experience
- your consent for use of optional support services
We will also rely on equivalent lawful bases in other countries where we process your personal data.
Disclosing your information
The University routines shares your personal information in the following ways:
- to comply with our legal obligation to provide information to the Higher Education Statistics Authority on behalf of the Scottish Funding Council. The ways in which HESA handles your personal information is described in their privacy notice.
- to comply with our legal obligations as a licensed sponsor of employment visas (if applicable) to provide information to the UK Government.
- To enable your participation in the National Student Survey by passing your contact details to Ipsos MORI on behalf of the Office for Students. The way in which your personal information is handled for the Survey is described in their privacy notice.
- to confirm your (online) attendance and academic progress to your sponsor, such as the institution through which you are studying.
- to notify Aberdeen University Students Association of your status as a registered student under our obligation to ensure there is an effective student union.
- to publicise your award at graduation via media organisations, and promote the University's teaching, research and publication activities on the University website.
- to confirm your (online) attendance and/or academic progress and/or academic conduct to your sponsor, such as the partner institution through which you are studying.
The third party suppliers we use for IT support also have access to your personal information in order to provide these services to the University.
We may disclose personal information to other recipients in exceptional circumstances or when required to do so by law.
Where your data is processed abroad, this will occur only where proportionate and necessary to satisfy an obligation or requirement.
How long your information is kept
The University retains a core record of students in perpetuity.
We retain your other personal information,
- whilst the information is relevant to your studies at the University, and
- for a period that allows for the exercise or defence of legal claims, and
- in accordance with codes of practice for the University's role as a licensed sponsor of employment visas (if applicable), and to supply information to professional regulatory bodies.
Last updated: 25 May 2022