Uses of your data

Detailed list of personal data items that we collect, their uses, legal basis of use and associated retention period of each.

Please note that "retention period" refers to the number of academic years that your data will be held for after you complete your studies.

Short descriptionSpecific purposeLegal basisRetention period
The University of Edinburgh will use data about you to be able to identify you as an individual when at or interacting with the University.

Your name, title and gender will be accessible to university staff who will be supporting your studies while at university. Your photograph is part of your student record and can be found on your student card. This is used to confirm your identity when interacting with staff at the university.

Some courses may display identity on internal websites or wikis accessible to staff and students on course. Consult your course handbooks for more information.

Task carried out in the public interestIn perpetuity; photographs 2 years
 Reference numbers with external bodies, such as UCAS identification number, HESA, teaching union, nursing union and law society.Task carried out in the public interestIn perpetuity
Contact information will be used to confirm you identity when required and used to contact you.Your home address, term time address, mobile phone number and personal email address are stored will be used to contact you with information relevant your studies throughout your time at university.Performance of contractDuration of study
 After you complete your studies the university will retain your information in order to contact you in the future. More information about how the university will use your contact information can be found under the “Development and Alumni” section aboveLegitimate interestIn perpetuity

Short descriptionSpecific purposeLegal basisRetention period
All Scottish universities are required to determine fee status in accordance with regulations approved by the Scottish Parliament - the Education (Fees) (Scotland) Regulations 2011. Your tuition fee status and the level of tuition fee that you pay is determined by your nationality and the country in which you are ‘ordinarily resident’.

Your country of domicile and nationality are used to calculate your fee status and resulting tuition fees. If the information provided during admissions cannot clearly define your fee status then you may be required to complete a Fee Status Questionnaire, which will ask you to for more information to identify your fee status. You may have to provide evidence of your place of birth, previous schools, copies of your passport and your

parents’ passports.

Legal Obligation (the Education (Fees) (Scotland) Regulations 2011)

7 years

Supporting evidence – 2 years


Short descriptionSpecific purposeLegal basisRetention period
The University, government agencies, research councils, charitable trusts and external bodies offer a number of scholarships, studentships and grants to help you pursue your ambitions.The funding application process will use student nationality, country of domicile and programme of study data to ascertain eligibility for funding. Successful applicants will receive an award letter detailing the terms and conditions of their funding.Performance of contract

Successful applications - 7 years

Unsuccessful applications – 1 year

 Applications for scholarships can be submitted for review, and require a personal statement. Eligibility to scholarships may be limited to specific programmes and student nationalities. The information may be shared with the scholarship provider.Performance of contract

Successful applications - 7 years

Unsuccessful applications – 1 year


Short descriptionSpecific purposeLegal basisRetention period
Your student record includes personal information and details about your academic record. This is used by the University to deliver learning and teaching and the many services provided by the University to support students listed in this document.The University maintains up-to-date records regarding your programme of study, mode of study, method of study, course enrolments, course work assignment submissions, periods of matriculation and absence to administer your teaching and your progression through your programme. This information may be discussed in meetings and recorded in minutes and notes. This information may be used to produce class lists.Task carried out in the public interest.

10 years

Attendance and engagement data – 1 year

Component level marks – 1 year


Short descriptionSpecific purposeLegal basisRetention period
The admissions process collects information submitted by applicants to assess their suitability for a place on the chosen programme of study. After admission onto the programme, this data becomes part of your student record. Upon completion of the studies the application information may be used in the assessment of the admissions standards and practices.

Your application must include information about identity such as name, title, date of birth and gender. It must also provide information regarding your educational background such as previously-attained qualifications, personal statements or research topics, and professional experience where relevant to support the application.

You may be required to provide documents such as transcripts, certificates, evidence of English language proficiency, or research proposals, or other relevant information in support of your application or to demonstrate that you meet offer conditions. 

Undergraduate applications include demographic information which is used to assess your contextual status (see our widening access statement for further information). 

The information contained on the application is used to screen applications to ensure that applicants meet the minimum criteria required for their chosen programme of study, and to select applicants who will receive an offer, or who will progress to the next stage of selection where appropriate, which may involve an invitation to attend an interview, or consideration of a portfolio.

Task carried out in the public interest.

Data submitted in the application – 10 years

Documents submitted in support of an application – 5 years


Short descriptionSpecific purposeLegal basisRetention period

The Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR) will provide a single comprehensive record of your achievements as a student at the University of Edinburgh.

The HEAR builds upon existing information incorporating an expanded academic transcript and the European Diploma Supplement. This will provide you with more detailed information about your learning and achievement than the traditional degree classification system alone, and will serve to support applications for employment and further studies.

Your HEAR will comprise the following sections:

1. Information about you which includes your name, date of birth, and student identification number.

2. Information about your qualification, degree title and subject, and awarding institution(s).

3. Information about the level of your qualification, level of study, duration of study, and entry requirements.

4. Information on the content of your studies and results gained: programme description/requirements (via a link to the degree specification document), and full academic transcript including course results.

5. Information on the function of your qualification: access to further study, professional status.

6.  Additional Information - this is the section that allows the University to confirm information relating to your wider achievements whilst a matriculated student such as academic prizes or Edinburgh University Students' Association elected office. A full list can be found here.

Task carried out in the public interest.In perpetuity

Short descriptionSpecific purposeLegal basisRetention period
Schools are expected to facilitate communication between Student Representatives and the students they represent.

If your choose to become a student representative, Schools share your name and student email address with the students you represent, or they may facilitate alternative ways for you to contact all classmates.

This will be displayed on your Higher Education Achievement Report.

Legitimate interestIn perpetuity
Current students may be invited to take part in voluntary and paid opportunities to support student recruitment and widening participation.Information about your programme of study, identity and widening participation status may be used when identifying potential student ambassadors.Legitimate interest1 year

Short descriptionSpecific purposeLegal basisRetention period
To enable concessions to be permitted against various University regulations to an individual student's benefit.

Any extension, degree transfer, leave of absence or interruption of studies allows a student to extend a prescribed period of study. In most cases concessions will only be granted in exceptional cases and with supporting documentation.

Detailed privacy notice can be found here.

Task carried out in public interest1 year

Short descriptionSpecific purposeLegal basisRetention period

The Student Support Model will provide you with a specific Student Adviser. 

You will work with your Student Adviser to reflect on your academic performance, request wellbeing support and advanced academic support. Then, your Student Adviser may refer you to appropriate support to achieve your academic and personal wellbeing goals aspirations.

 

You will also have access to additional wellbeing support from Wellbeing Advisers in the Student Wellbeing Service, and academic guidance from your Cohort Lead throughout your time at the University giving you both academic guidance, pastoral and wellbeing support.

MyEd has a “Student Support” channel to log meetings with your Student Adviser.  Notes of meeting details, and other University staff notes, may also be added to record the support you need and ensure there is transparency in the support provided. 

By default, all authorised University staff can view your student record notes. Authorised users will treat all recorded information appropriately and will limit disclosures to the minimum necessary.

However, with more confidential or sensitive information, access will be restricted and, in some cases, details are not recorded in the student record system. If you wish, you can mark a particular note as confidential which will restrict its visibility to you, your Student Adviser, Wellbeing Advisers, the School's, the School's Student Support Team, Academic Engagement officers, and the Dean of Students.

When you contact your Student Adviser by email, you may be asked to use a team mailbox, which will be accessible by other trained Student Advisers (and their manager) in that area. This is to ensure that any support needs you have can still be met if your Student Adviser is unavailable.   

 

Performance of Contract5 years

Short descriptionSpecific purposeLegal basisRetention period

Wellbeing Advisers in the Student Wellbeing Service provide specialist wellbeing support to students who are referred (or self-refer) to the Service.

 

Wellbeing Advisers in the Student Wellbeing Service will have access to student records, including any meeting notes, or University staff notes about them. They will also discuss those notes with relevant Student Support staff to ensure you get the support you need

For data about students held by the Student Wellbeing Service, please refer to the Privacy Statement for Student Wellbeing Service | The University of Edinburgh.

 

Performance of Contract5 years

Short descriptionSpecific purposeLegal basisRetention period
The University provides you with a University card for the following purposes: as a method of identification; to administer access to our services and facilities; to compile statistics; to maintain our information systems; to support engagement monitoring; and to support students' studies.

Your University card will allow you to access areas of the University that are not open to the public or only available to specific students and staff.

You are required to supply a photograph which appears on your card and is included as part of your student record to allow staff to confirm your identify when supporting you. Data about your access to buildings is retained and used to support the management of the estate, and analyse student engagement. The University reserves the right to review this data as part of any misconduct investigations.

Performance of contract2 years

Short descriptionSpecific purposeLegal basisRetention period
The progress of postgraduate research students must be reviewed for each year of the programme. Progress is each year until thesis submission. This will form the basis for confirmation of degree registration, or permission to progress.

The University provides an online annual progression monitoring system and requires Schools and supervisors to review students’ progress each year of full-time or part-time study for doctoral or MPhil degrees.

The review process recorded in the student record system may include: information about your previous year’s progress; a programme of work for the coming year including, where appropriate, a target thesis submission date; a review of the supervisory relationship; form the basis for the decision to confirm degree registration.

Task carried out in the public interest7 years

Short descriptionSpecific purposeLegal basisRetention period
Upon achieving an award, students are invited to attend a graduation ceremony. Registering attendance can be done via an online form.Information about your student award and programme of study will be used to schedule graduation events, and this information will be used to ensure you attend the correct ceremony. When registering your attendance at graduation you can declare if you require any special assistance. This data is used to ensure that you receive any support you require during the graduation ceremony, and assist in the generation of the seating plan.Performance of contract1 year

Short descriptionSpecific purposeLegal basisRetention period
Students’ attendance at graduation ceremonies is recorded, and details of all students achieving an award is published in the press.

Details of your name and award are printed in the programme for any ceremony you graduate at; you will also appear in the DVD of the ceremony.

 

Whether you graduate in person or in absentia, details of your name and award will also be passed to the Scotsman for publication unless you opt out of this list when confirming whether you will attend your graduation if you require any special assistance.

Legitimate InterestIn perpetuity

Short descriptionSpecific purposeLegal basisRetention period
Information regarding students’ course enrolments will be used to timetable classes and exams.Your course enrolments and any disability data will be used to timetable your course activities and exams, and provide you with a timetable. This data will also be aggregated and analysed to provide forecasting and modelling to help maximise and enhance the available teaching space in the University estate.Task carried out in the public interest1 year

Short descriptionSpecific purposeLegal basisRetention period
Your information is used by the library service to allow you to make use of the services they provide.

Data about your programme of study and contact information are used in the library to deliver their services.

Data is being used to allow patrons to borrow and request physical items from the library; to contact patrons about their borrowing and requesting transactions (e-mail); to contact graduating students who have lost library books or long overdue items and who have incurred a high amount of fines; to allow patrons to authenticate to ezproxy for download of electronic resources; to search and save local preferences on the library discovery interface (DiscoverEd).

If you have learning adjustments due to disability, the library may have a role in delivering this support, such as equipment for exams, access to study rooms, or special borrowing privileges. In this case, certain library staff will have access to your schedule of adjustments, and the local library system will be updated to record the support requirements, but not details of your disability.

Performance of contract2 years

Short descriptionSpecific purposeLegal basisRetention period
Virtual Learning Environments are online tools that allow staff and students to interact in support of their studies by providing a communications forums, document sharing and submitting assessments.

Information about your identity, course enrolments and marks are shared with Learn for the use of learning and teaching staff to manage the teaching of courses

Your data will be used for the purpose of creating course spaces and user accounts within Learn to allow you to access online materials and teaching tools for your courses.

Task carried out in public interestLive data from student record; data not locally retained.

Short descriptionSpecific purposeLegal basisRetention period
The Student Disability Service (SDS) is a service which supports disabled students. Its main focus is providing advice and support. It supports students with dyslexia, mental health issues and students on the autistic spectrum, as well as those who have physical and sensory impairments. It also works with the rest of the University to improve access in the widest sense.

Details of your disability are collected at admissions and online registration. Collection of these sensitive or special categories of data is necessary for statistical research purposes to help public authority data controllers to meet their public sector equality duties under the Equality Act 2010.

The Student Disability Service will use this information to initially contact you to share information about the service and to invite you to meet and discuss any support requirements you may have.

This data will be included in the student data collection by the Higher Education Statistics Agency, described under the section “Sharing your information”.

Legal Obligation (Equality Act 2010), as this is health data and considered "special category" personal data under the UK Data protection act 2018 the further legal basis of 'Public interest based on law' applies.5 years
 All students are invited to contact the Student Disability Service if they require support. Upon contacting the service a case will be opened to arrange appointments with Service staff and maintain a history of correspondence. This is linked to your student record from which your disability information, programme of study, photograph and identity may be referenced.Performance of contract1 year
 If you do require support a meeting will be arranged with a Disability Advisor, who will use medical evidence to assess the level of support you require and how the University can deliver it. Notes summarising meetings and details about medical evidence may be recorded with your case, and a ‘Schedule of adjustment’ created. This is a document that lists all learning adjustments to your programme of study which the University must reasonably provide. The advisor will create this with you and communicate it to staff in the University you have a relationship with, such as learning and teaching staff, student support officers, coordinators of adjustments in schools, the library and examinations team, and your Student Adviser.Performance of contract1 year
 You may also require a Support Assistant to provide support in classes, tutorials and laboratories and in the library. In this case a further meeting will be arranged with an advisor to create a ‘Needs Assessment’ and an application for funding. Information about your disability will be shared with your support assistants.Performance of contract1 year
 

Support Assistants are employees of the University, and you are required to confirm time sheets submitted by support assistants to allow them to be paid for the time they spend with you. These records are used by our finance department to pay the support assistants, and may contain details of your support needs.

Confirmed timesheets are also used as evidence to recuperate funds from funding bodies and may include details of the support you receive.

Legal Obligation (Tax Legislation table entries 3, 4, 5, 6)7 years

Short descriptionSpecific purposeLegal basisRetention period
An appeal is a request by a student for a decision to be reviewed in relation to course results, progression, degree classification, degree award, decisions of Student Discipline Officers or the Student Discipline Committee, decisions of Fitness to Practise Panels, or exclusion decisions.

If you wish to appeal you must submit an appeal form stating the decision against which you are appealing, the date when you received notification of the decision, the grounds under which you are submitting your appeal, and any supporting documentation. The University will use this information to administer your appeal, and will where appropriate share it with members of the Student Appeal Committee and relevant staff in your School or elsewhere in the University.

Detailed privacy notice can be found here.

Task carried out in Public Interest/Core Functions5 years, up to 10 years for PhD appeals.

Short descriptionSpecific purposeLegal basisRetention period
Where students are alleged to have not complied with the University’s Code of Student Conduct, or with other associated University policies and regulations, the University may deal with the allegations following the procedures of the Code of Student Conduct or other associated procedures (for example, Fitness to Practise, or academic misconduct).

If you are suspected of having committed an offence, the University will gather information relating to the allegations (including information that you provide), and will share it with the relevant members of the University community, in line with the Code of Student Conduct or associated procedure

Detailed privacy notice can be found at here.

Legal Obligation (Universities (Scotland) Act 1966 s.8 (1))

5 years, unless a greater retention period is specified by a relevant professional body.

Student exclusions are recorded in perpetuity.


Short descriptionSpecific purposeLegal basisRetention period
The University of Edinburgh provides Tier 4 visa sponsorship to remain in the UK during your studies. All non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals will require permission to enter or remain in the UK.Your nationality and country of birth are used to ascertain if a student requires a visa to study, and this is communicated to you during the admissions process.Legal Obligation (‘Appendix D: keeping documents – guidance for sponsors’ of Home Office’s ‘Workers, Temporary Workers and Students: guidance for sponsors’)10 years
 

As a sponsor of student visas the University has a number of legal responsibilities, including monitoring your attendance. This involves reporting to the Home Office if you:

  • Suspend your studies, transfer or withdraw from a course, or complete significantly early.
  • Fail to register/enroll at the start of course or at the two additional registration sessions each year without explanation.
  • Are repeatedly absent or absent for an extended period and are excluded from the programme due to non-attendance. The University must maintain a record of your attendance and the Home Office can ask to see this or request information about it at any time.
Legal Obligation (‘Appendix D: keeping documents – guidance for sponsors’ of Home Office’s ‘Workers, Temporary Workers and Students: guidance for sponsors’)1 year
 Tier 4 sponsorship is provided in the form of a Confirmation of Acceptance for Study (CAS). A CAS is an electronic document that confirms to the UK Home Office that the University of Edinburgh wishes to sponsor your migration to the UK for the purpose of study. This document will be created for you, and you can use this as part of your visa application.Legal Obligation (‘Appendix D: keeping documents – guidance for sponsors’ of Home Office’s ‘Workers, Temporary Workers and Students: guidance for sponsors’)2 years
 You need to supply a copy of your visa and passport as the University is responsible for verifying these documents.Legal Obligation (‘Appendix D: keeping documents – guidance for sponsors’ of Home Office’s ‘Workers, Temporary Workers and Students: guidance for sponsors’)2 years
 The Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) is one of the UK government’s measures to prevent the spread of knowledge and skills used to develop weapons of mass destruction and associated technology. Applicants to certain science and technology programmes in the UK require you to have ATAS clearance and this must obtained before making a Tier 4 visa application.Legal Obligation (‘Appendix D: keeping documents – guidance for sponsors’ of Home Office’s ‘Workers, Temporary Workers and Students: guidance for sponsors’)2 years

Short descriptionSpecific purposeLegal basisRetention period
Information about all applicants who have accepted offers is shared with accommodation services to allow them to apply for University-provided accommodation. This information includes your gender, country of domicile, contact information, declared disability, programme of study, and application decision.

Your data is used:

  • To determine if you meet the guarantee for accommodation and to display the range of accommodation that you can choose from.
  • To communicate with you at various stages: during the application, allocation, contracting, arrival, and during your tenancy.
  • To analyse data at various stages and enable us to make decisions about allocation requirements.

Health-related data is used to assist in identifying students who may need adaptations to their accommodation, or specific types of equipment within their accommodation.

The full Accommodation, Catering and Events privacy can be round here.

Performance of contract6 years after leaving accommodation, unsuccessful applicants after 6 months.
 This data is used for profiling, for marketing our accommodation for future years to students currently within our accommodation, and for marketing student-led events being held within our accommodation locations. This data is not used for any fundraising activities.Consent6 years after leaving accommodation, unsuccessful applicants after 6 months.

Short descriptionSpecific purposeLegal basisRetention period
The Careers Service provides a wide range of services to employers including vacancy advertising, talks, events and workshops, as well as information, advice and support on recruiting our students.The Careers Service receives student contact information, information about programme mode and method of study, current student status, and achieved awards.Performance of contract5 years
 Your disability and ethnicity data is also used to produce statistics on the number of students using the service, to ensure Equality and Diversity targets are being achieved.Performance of contract3 years

Short descriptionSpecific purposeLegal basisRetention period
Information about all applicants with unconditional offers and students is shared with Finance to allow academic student fees to be invoiced and payment collected.

Finance also collect data in relation to payment of fees.

Your data is used:

  • To send invoices, statements, reminders and other financial documents to you, your official sponsor, to payment agencies, family, or other third parties to enable them to pay student debts
  • If payment of student fees is not received, to pass on to debt collection agencies or legal bodies. This includes your identity, contact information, passport or national ID, information used to assess the fees charged and any health related data which identifies you as a ‘vulnerable person’ requiring fair treatment.

The full Finance privacy notice can be found here.

Performance of contract7 years or longer if student fees remain unpaid

Short descriptionSpecific purposeLegal basisRetention period
In case of emergency two emergency contacts can be added as part of the student record.You are able to provide two emergency contacts in case of an emergency situation. Your emergency contacts will only be contacted in situations where you are unable to do so, or the university urgently needs to but has been unable to contact you.

The storage of this data is in your ‘legitimate interest’.

Usage of this data is in your ‘vital Interest’.

1 year

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