Use the links below to quickly navigate to the information you are looking for:

About this Notice

We ask that you read this privacy notice carefully as it contains important information on who we are, how and why we collect, store, use and share personal data, your rights in relation to your personal data and on how to contact us and supervisory authorities in the event that you have a query or complaint.

The University of Warwick (“UoW”) is committed to protecting the privacy and security of personal data. The purpose of this notice is to promote transparency in the use of personal data and to outline how UoW collects and uses your personal data, in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation 2016 (“UK GDPR”) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (“DPA 2018”).

The UoW collects uses and is responsible for certain personal data about you. This is known as “processing”. When we do so we are regulated under the UK GDPR and DPA 2018 which applies across the UK and we are responsible as ‘data controller’ of that personal data for the purposes of those laws.
The purpose of this notice is to explain how the UoW will collect and use (process) your personal data, what rights you have in relation to that data and to provide transparency about the data collected about you.

The UoW is the data controller under the UK GDPR and the DPA 2018 and we will process your personal data in accordance with the UK GDPR and DPA 2018 at all times. You, as a ‘data subject’, therefore have specific rights to the data that we hold, collect and process.

Throughout this notice, “University”, “we”, “our”, and “us” refer to the UoW; “you” and “your” refer to those expressing an interest in becoming a student at the University (both prior to and during the application process), and those who later become enrolled students at the University.

If you would like this notice in another format (for example: audio, large print, braille), please contact us.

The personal data we collect and use

The following are examples of personal data which may be collected, stored and used:

• Name
• Previous name (if applicable)
• Address
• Telephone number
• Date of Birth
• National Insurance Number
• Date of studying
• Nationality
• Country of birth
• Exam results
• Predicted grades
• Final grades
• Employment
• Next of kin
• Email address
• Gender
• Your photo
• Work experience and responsibilities
• Criminal convictions
• Appeals
• Extracurricular activities
• Educational background
• Previous schools, colleges and Universities
• Bank information
• Health records Disabilities
• Educational certificates
• UCAS IDs
• Passport
• Visa details

If you are being considered for a bursary or scholarship then additional information will be collected for qualifying criteria.

How the University of Warwick obtains your personal data

We may collect your data in a number of ways, for example:

• From the application form you complete when requesting a prospectus.
• From any information provided to us by yourself when making enquiries.
• From independent agents, for example, University contracted agents or applicant appointed agents.
• Information you provide through UCAS and other admission procedures.
• Through communication to or from you by telephone, email, or via the website. For example, when you call to make enquiries about the course or when you are raising concerns.
• From your attendance at Open Days, other University of Warwick hosted events, UCAS fairs or other recruitment fairs, or via our offices.
• We may also obtain your personal data from third parties, for example, from references, information from your sponsor and information from your previous educational establishments.
• From your previous your employer, Student Loans Company, local authorities, other relevant parties authorised to provide us with your information including placement providers.

Purpose and associated lawful basis

Personal data will only be processed when the law permits this to happen. Most commonly personal data will be processed in the following circumstances:

• Where you have given us your consent.
• In order to fulfil UoW’s obligations to you as part of a contract or services (for example, certain data need to be processed to facilitate your studies at UoW).
• Where UoW needs to comply with a legal obligation Where it is necessary for UoW’s legitimate interests (or those of a third party) and your interests and fundamental rights do not override those interests. Our interests are the effective and efficient operation of the University.
• To protect the vital interests of the data subject or of another person (for example, in the case of a medical emergency).
• In order to perform a task carried out in the public interest.

Details of how the University of Warwick applies these can be found below.

Special category data

During the enquiry process we may collect and process special category personal data. This is personal data such as that revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, or trade membership, and the processing of genetic data, biometric data for the purpose of uniquely identifying a natural person, data concerning health or data concerning a natural person’s sex life or sexual orientation. We may also collect special category personal data from you when you are completing an application form. We may only process special category personal data in the following circumstances where, in addition to one or more of the lawful bases above there exists one of the following grounds:

• Explicit consent – where you have given us explicit consent.
• Legal obligation -where the processing is necessary for us/ you to carry out/ exercise obligations and rights of a legal nature. Vital interests - The processing is necessary in order to protect the vital interests of you or of another individual where you are physically or legally incapable of giving consent. This is typically limited to processing needed for medical emergencies.
• Not for profit bodies - The processing is carried out in the course of the legitimate activities of a not-for-profit body and only relates to members or related persons and the personal data is not disclosed outside that body without consent.
• Public information - The processing relates to personal data which is manifestly made public by you.
• Legal claims - The processing is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims or whenever courts are acting in their judicial capacity.
• Substantial public interest - The processing is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest, on the basis of law.
• Healthcare - The processing is necessary for healthcare purposes and is subject to suitable safeguards.
• Public health - The processing is necessary for public health purposes and is based on law.
• Archive - The processing is necessary for archiving, scientific or historical research purposes, or statistical purposes and is based on law. Member States can introduce additional conditions in relation to health, genetic, or biometric data.

UoW will only use personal data for the purposes for which it was collected unless it is considered reasonable that it is needed for another purpose and the reason is compatible with the original purpose. If the University needs to use your personal data for an unrelated purpose, it will notify you and will explain the legal basis that permits it to do so. The University may process your personal data without your knowledge or consent, where this is permitted by law.

Where we rely on your consent to process your personal data you have the right to withdraw your consent.

You are not obliged to provide information to us but of you fail to do so we will be unable to deal with your enquiry/ progress your application.

Retention of your personal data

The UK GDPR and DPA 2018 requires that personal data should be kept for no longer than is necessary for the purposes for which the personal data are processed (except in certain specific and limited instances).

The University’s Record Retention Schedule (RRS) is a tool that enables the University to transparently demonstrate how the organisation complies with its data protection obligations by making provision for the time periods for which common classes of record are retained by UOW.

Full details of the retention periods of records can be found by viewing the records management page and selecting the University’s Record Retention Schedule (RRS), which is kept up to date separately.

Transfers outside the United Kingdom

If we have to transfer any of your personal data outside the UK we will let you know if the receiving country or organisation is deemed to have adequate data protection provision. Where a country or organisation does not have adequate protections we will put safeguards in place. Details of these safeguards can be provided to you upon request to Legal and Compliance Services

Data sharing

We may share your personal data with others. Such personal data will be the minimum required for the purpose, only sent when necessary, justifiable and where we have the appropriate legal basis to do so.

Examples of times your data may be shared would include the following:

• Where you are a non-EU student and your independent agent is working as an intermediary.
• Where your placement provider is based outside the EU, we may share your data with them on the grounds that such transfer is necessary for performing our contract with you.
• Where you have enquired or applied through a Warwick authorised official agent, we may share your data with them and send them information on the grounds that such transfer is necessary for performing our contract with you.
• Where you have applied and nominated a designated person or agency on your application form, we may share your data with them and send them information on the grounds that such transfer is necessary for performing our contract with you.

Data subject rights

Under the UK GDPR and DPA 2018 you have a number of important rights free of charge.

You have the right to:

• Be informed of how we collect and use your personal data;
• Access your personal data;
• Require us to correct any mistakes in the data we hold on you;
• Require the erasure of personal data concerning you in certain situations;
• Restrict our processing of your personal data in certain circumstances;
• Receive your personal data, in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format and have the right to transmit those data to a third party in certain situations;
• Object in certain situations to our continued processing of your personal data or at any time to processing of your personal data for direct marketing; and
• Object to decisions being taken by automated means which produce legal effects concerning you or similarly significantly affect you.

To exercise any of these rights please contact infocompliance at warwick dot ac dot uk. If a subject access request is made and the request for access is manifestly unfounded or excessive, the University reserves the right to refuse to comply with the request in these circumstances.

Keeping your personal data secure

The UoW keeps your personal data secure at all times using both physical and technical measures.

Where appropriate, we also take measures such as anonymisation to ensure data cannot be used to identify you and/or encryption to ensure that the data cannot be accessed without the right security accesses and codes.

Where UoW engages a third party to process personal data it will do so on the basis of a written contract which conforms to the security requirement of the UK GDPR and DPA 2018.

UoW takes measures to enable data to be restored and accessed in a timely manner in the event of a physical or technical incident.

UoW also ensures that we have appropriate processes in place to test the effectiveness of our security measures.

How to contact us

We hope that our Data Protection Officer (DPO) can resolve any query, concern or complaint you raise about our use of your personal data on the contact details below:

The DPO can be contacted via e-mail at infocompliance@warwick.ac.uk 

Or write to:

The Data Protection Officer

Information and Data Compliance Team
University of Warwick
University House
Kirby Corner Road
CV4 8UW

The UK GDPR and DPA 2018 also gives you the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner who may be contacted at https://ico.org.uk/concerns/ or telephone: [0303 123 1113].

How we process your personal data

The table below will provide a detailed overview of the information that we collect on you, the purpose for collecting that information and the lawful basis we rely for processing that data.

Specific purposes for use of personal data

Purpose	Lawful Basis
Communicating with you regarding your enquiry.	Legitimate interest / Consent / Necessary for the performance of your contract.
Communicating with you regarding your application.	Necessary for the performance of your contract.
Reviewing your application to assess your eligibility to undertake our academic programmes.	Necessary for the performance of your contract.
Administration and consideration of eligibility and/or applications for bursaries and award, administration of an award/bursary and the publication of those awards and bursaries.	Necessary for the performance of your contract.
For provision of the University accommodation including Warwick Conferences and allocation of rooms.	Necessary for the performance of your contract.
Management of enquiries with prospective students.	Necessary for the performance of your contract. If your enquiry relates to a marketing activity only then we will seek your consent.
Correspondence with offer holders regarding next steps and the enrolment process.	Necessary for the performance of your contract.
Immigration matters.	Comply with our legal obligation and necessary for the performance of your contract.
Reviewing and implementing any reasonable adjustments which may be required to support applicants.	Necessary for the performance of your contract and/or legal obligation.
For equal opportunities monitoring.	Legitimate interest and / or compliance with legal obligation
To prevent or detect fraud.	Legal obligation.
Conducting Internal Audits.	Necessary for our legitimate interests in maintaining internal control, and/or prevention, detection and investigation of fraud.
Pre-sessional English Programme.	Necessary for the performance of your contract.
Correspondence relating to your enquiry or application about any relevant associated events or services e.g. open days, student support, accommodation etc.	Necessary for the performance of your contract.
Research and statistical analysis.	Legitimate interest of the University.
Business management and planning, including accounting and auditing.	Compliance with a legal obligation and/or legitimate interest of sound management of the business of the University.

Who we share your personal data with

Third Parties we contact	Lawful Basis
CAS - Application data, which includes contact details and attainment, work experience, previous institution, contextual data and disability information.	Necessary for the performance of your contract.
Home Office UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI), for non-UK offer-holders and students preparing and/or making and/or having made a visa application which permits study in the UK.	Necessary for the performance of your student contract and/or our Legal obligation.
Home office UK visa & immigration (UKVI), for non-UK students who have temporarily or permanently withdrawn from studies following initial enrolment but hold a visa sponsored or endorsed by the University of Warwick which has not expired.	Legal obligation.
UK Border Force, for non-UK offer-holders, students and graduates preparing and/or making and/or having made a student visa application and/or holding a valid visa which permits them to study at the University of Warwick, for the purpose of assisting them to re-enter the UK to commence or continue studies or to attend Graduation Ceremony.	Necessary for the performance of your student contract and/or Legal Obligation.
The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), on behalf of the Department of Education (DfE) in relation to Degree Apprenticeships.	Legal obligation.
Sponsors and Degree Apprenticeship Partners, where a contract exists with you.	Necessary for the performance of your contract.
Our academic staff.	Necessary for the performance of your contract.
Our administrative and support staff.	Necessary for the performance of your contract.
Funding bodies, scholarship and bursary providers.	Necessary for the performance of your contract.
Referees provided on your applications.	Necessary for the performance of your contract.
To professional and industrial bodies including local authorities and the Department for Work and Pensions and its agencies.	Necessary for the performance of your contract and/or legal obligation.
Relevant Professional Bodies associated with your programme in order to confirm your enrolment on the course.	Necessary for the performance of your contract.
Student Loans Company for the administration of your loan and for the management of associated issues or investigations.	Necessary for the performance of your contract.
Our professional advisors e.g. insurers, auditors, lawyers, etc.	Legitimate interests

Processing with consent

As part of your enquiry or application process, we specifically seek your consent for the following:

• Direct mailing to enquirers and applicants in relation to benefits and opportunities offered by or through us, but that are not related to your enquiry or applications. This includes the following:
• University activities and events organised for students in relation to future opportunities.
• Non-study or associated material we think might be of interest to you, for example information on the Warwick Student Union.
• Surveys, feedback and similar communications.
• Information specific to your academic interest through the completion of enquiry Forms.
• Photographs may be taken at our open days for use in communications and marketing materials, including on our website and on social media channels. Where you are the subject of the photograph, you will be asked to provide your explicit consent to use the image.

Changes to this Privacy Notice

This privacy notice was published on 23rd August 2018 and last updated on 13 July 2023.

We may change this privacy notice from time to time, when we do we will inform you by putting a message on the website and/or e-mail.