Privacy Notice
Privacy Notice – Student Funding
Background
This Privacy Notice is designed to explain how and why information about individuals in the following categories is used and managed:
All personal information will be treated in accordance with the terms of the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This means that confidentiality will be respected and that appropriate security measures will be taken to prevent unauthorised disclosure. This notice is intended to meet the transparency requirement of the legislation and to ensure that all individuals in the categories above know how their data will be processed.
Using your personal information
Who will process my information?
Under Data Protection law the University is the “data controller”. This means that the University is responsible for how it uses and processes your information and complies with requests relating to your personal data.
Why do we collect and use your personal information?
The Student Funding Team provides funding advice and information to students, prospective students, parents, graduates and professional colleagues, both within and outwith the University.
The Student Funding Team are responsible for the administration of various funds, namely the Discretionary Fund, GCU Childcare Fund and the Higher Education Childcare Fund. In providing this service the Team manages personal information.
The purpose of collecting information is to assess and process Applicant and Student Applications for funding support, for example, Discretionary Fund, Childcare Fund, Care and Kinship Experience Funding, US Federal Loan and other funding providers.
Keeping information updated
The University strives to ensure that all personal information is accurate and up to date.
Applicants and Student information will be updated during the funding period/course of studies by the Applicant or Student. The Applicant and/or Student is responsible for notifying the Student Funding Team of any incorrect information and updates, as well as, any change in circumstance which may affect their support funding.
The University will notify where appropriate, information updates/change of circumstances to Third Parties.
How long is the information kept?
The University will retain your information only for as long as necessary for the purposes described.
Further information is available in the University Records Retention Schedules.
Where do we obtain information from?
Information is collected directly from Applicants and Students through their Funding Applications, including information processed using GCU Systems.
Information may also be collected by loan providers to support the Funding Application process.
What information is being collected and used?
Data will consist of the information provided by the “data subject” or a company acting on behalf of the University. Information may be in hard copy or electronic format. This includes:
- Data Subjects are Applicants and Students who have requested funding support through Hardship, Childcare, Scholarship, Discretionary Funds, US Federal Loans, Carers and other funding providers
- Personal information collected includes name, student ID, course/year, address, telephone number, date of birth, contact details, bank details, dependant information (children) and childcare providers.
- Where appropriate information and evidence will be collected by the Applicant or Student to support their funding application, for example, Student Loan Company Payment Schedules, earnings/wage slips, benefits (Disability, Housing, Child Benefit, Child and Working Tax Credit, Child Maintenance) and receipts of expenditure for previous Discretionary/Childcare Award. Information will be provided directly by the Applicant or Student to the Student Funding Team for the purpose of processing a support funding application.
- For Childcare Applications, information and evidence will be provided by the Applicant or Student to support their funding application, for example, photocopies of children’s Birth Certificates and registered childcare Carer Registration documents. For unregistered childcare applications, evidence of the Carer’s address is required, for example, a household bill.
- For Discretionary Funding Applications, information will be provided by Applicants and Students regarding their personal circumstances. This information may contain both personal and sensitive information, which is required to process a Discretionary Funding Application.
- Where appropriate, proof of attendance is required to process Funding Applications.
Special category personal information is also processed where it is necessary and lawful for us to do so. In most cases, you have the option of whether to provide this information or not. This refers to data revealing:
- Racial or ethnic origin
- Political opinion
- Religious or philosophical beliefs
- Trade Union membership
- Physical or mental health
- Sex life or sexual orientation
Data relating to criminal convictions and offences is also subject to additional protection.
Who is the information shared with?
Your information will be shared internally only with those individuals who require it in the course of their duties.
The University may be required to share your personal information with external organisations. This may happen due to a statutory or legal obligation.
Information will be shared within GCU and external organisations for the purpose of supporting and processing Funding Applications, for example, Student Loan Company, funders, Benefits Agencies. For scholarship recipients where relevant we may share information to donors to assist with the selection process and/or reporting on spend. For US students who obtain financial support from the US Government or Sallie Mae, GCU will share information with them.
How is the information kept securely?
Information is kept securely on University equipment in line with University Information Security and Data Protection Policies. Access is restricted to only those staff or authorised agents who require it and on a “need to know” basis.
Where personal information is shared with or processed by Third Parties, the University will ensure that information will be managed and protected through appropriate security procedures and policies.
Will the information be used for automated decision-making?
No.
Is the information transferred outside the European Union?
Yes. In some circumstances, personal information may be transferred, for example for the purpose of processing US Federal Loans.
Your rights
You have the right to:
- Find out what personal data we process about you and to request a copy of the data
- Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data
- Withdraw consent to process your personal data, if you were asked for and provided consent
If you think we are acting unfairly or unlawfully you can:
- Object to the way we are using your data
- Complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office
Under certain conditions, you also have the right to ask us to:
- Restrict the use of your data
- Erase your information or tell us to stop using it to make decisions about you
- Provide you with a portable electronic copy of the data you’ve given us
Where consent is the legal basis for processing personal information, the Data Subject (Applicant or Student) has the right to withdraw consent at any time by contacting the Student Funding Team. This means that where consent is withdrawn, the Funding Support Application cannot be processed.
Please contact us if you wish to exercise/enquire about any of these rights.
Contact Details
Data Protection Officer (DPO)
Department of Governance
Britannia Building
Glasgow Caledonian University
Cowcaddens Road
Glasgow G4 0BA
Email: dataprotection@gcu.ac.uk
Legal basis for using your information
The legal condition which enables the University to process personal information is found in Article 6 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). In particular, we rely on:
- Article 6(1)(a) consent
- Article 6(1)(b) performance of a contract
- Article 6(1)(c) compliance with a legal obligation