At HillPad.com, Inc. safeguarding your data and privacy is of utmost importance to us, and we want you to understand how it impacts you as a user of our website(s). In this Privacy Policy (‘Policy’), you’ll find details on how, when, and why we collect and utilize your personal information across all of our HillPad platforms. These platforms include but are not limited to, Hillpad.com, hillpad.com/explore/bachelors, hillpad.com/explore/masters, hillpad.com/explore/doctorates,hillpad.com/explore/countries, and hillpad.com/explore/discipline. This Policy covers the gathering of any personal information when you use our services, browse our website, or engage with us in any other way. We’ve organized this Policy into various sections for easy navigation. Please refer to the relevant section below for more details. Rest assured that the processing of your data complies with the General Data Protection Regulation,(EU) 2016/679) (‘GDPR’)
General
We gather and handle various categories of personal information, whether independently or on behalf of educational institutions.
1. Name, Email Address, and Identifying Information
We may collect your name, email address, gender, date of birth, nationality, country of residence, educational background, accomplishments, and language proficiency.
2. Contact Details
Your contact details may include your address, phone number, and email address. When you register for a personal account or any of our services, we may also store your login credentials and other details provided during registration.
3. Communication Records
Any communication you have with us via email, online chat, or social media platforms is retained by us.
4. Newsletter Engagement
If you subscribe to our newsletter, we may receive automatic notifications when you open or interact with the newsletter.
5. Website Usage Information
When you visit our website or utilize our services, we may collect data such as your IP address, browser type, operating system, referring website, and browsing behaviour.
6. Social Media Information
Depending on your social media settings, we may obtain information from your social network provider. This includes publicly available information from your social media profile when you sign in to our services using a social network account.
7. Voluntarily Shared Information
You may choose to share additional information with us, such as leaving comments on our social media pages, participating in surveys, submitting contact forms, and providing reviews.
Cookies and Comparable Technologies
When you first visit our website, you’ll see a notification about cookies. HillPad utilizes the data gathered from cookies solely for the purposes outlined in our Cookie Statement, which can be found below.
Methods of Data Collection
At present, we solely gather the user’s first name, last name, and email address, storing this data securely on our private server. Users are not automatically enrolled in any subscriptions, although we anticipate providing this option in the future.
1. Providing Services
We process personal information to offer tailored services.
This includes:
Data processed: name, contact details, interests, educational background, work experience.
2. Communication
We process contact details to communicate with you, address queries, and handle complaints.
Data processed: communication history, name, contact details, and messages.
3. Allowing Reviews
We process personal information for users who leave reviews about educational institutions or programs.
Data processed: program, institution, personal experiences, ratings.
For each purpose, we ensure compliance with relevant regulations and prioritize the interests of both users and educational institutions.
General
We may release personal information without consent when necessary to comply with legal obligations, enforce terms and conditions, safeguard website security, or prevent fraud.
Other Institutions or Businesses
When contacting educational institutes through our platform, inquiry details are shared with the respective institute. We may share personally identifiable information with selected educational institutions to verify application status, manage business agreements, or for marketing purposes. However, we inform these institutions that your data should only be used for specified purposes. Nonetheless, how institutions use this data is beyond our control, and users should refer to the respective institution’s privacy policy for further information.
Third-Party Websites
Links to third-party websites on our platform lead users away from our site, and our privacy policy does not extend to these external sites. Users visit third-party websites at their own risk, and we cannot be held liable for how these sites handle personal data. Users are advised to review the privacy policies of such third-party websites for more information on data usage.
Other Countries
We may share personal data with countries outside the user’s country of residence, particularly when collaborating with educational institutions or subsidiaries. Agreements outlining data usage are typically in the form of written and signed Data Processing Agreements. Some countries may not offer the same level of data protection as the user’s country.
Security and Retention
At Hillpad, we prioritize the protection of your information. We employ appropriate technical and organizational measures to safeguard your data against loss or unauthorized use. These measures encompass secure facilities, encrypted devices, version tracking, and restricted access to our databases, limited to authorized personnel and specific IP addresses. Additionally, personally identifiable information and account activity are safeguarded through user names and passwords. To maintain the security of your data, it’s crucial to keep your username and password confidential.
Your data will be retained for the duration necessary for the purposes outlined in this policy, or as required by contractual or statutory obligations, and to resolve any disputes.
Modifications to this Policy
This Policy became effective on 14th March 2024, replacing our previous privacy policy. We retain the right to amend or revise this Policy. Any changes will be communicated by posting the updated policy on our Website and through notification banners or, for significant changes, via email. Amendments become effective immediately upon posting.
Questions or Complaints
If you have inquiries or complaints regarding the processing of your data, please reach out to us via email at support@hillpad.com. We are here to assist you.
These statements may require periodic adjustments, such as in response to changes in our website or cookie regulations. We reserve the right to modify the content of these statements and the cookies listed at any time and without prior notice. For the latest version, please refer to this webpage.
Should you have any questions or feedback, please reach out to us at support@hillpad.com.
