Student Privacy Notice

This privacy notice applies to all current students (“you” and “your”) of the University of Warwick (“Warwick”, “UoW”, “us”, “we” and “our”) and explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal data in in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK GDPR (“data protection law”).

Please note that this notice is provided for informational purposes only and does not form part of your student agreement or any other contractual relationship with the University.

What personal data do we collect and use?

name, gender and date of birth;
contact details including email address and phone number;
your national Insurance number;
your relationship and emergency information, including marital status, personal relationships and emergency contact details;
your employment history and details of your immigration information;
information about your educational background, achievements and certificates, and involvement in extracurricular activities;
your financial information including bank details;
your health data, including details of any disabilities;
records of equality monitoring data;
electronic data including CCTV footage, as well as photos and swipe/ID card records; and
information regarding any complaints and appeals; and
information about your studies and educational performance, including your course, modules, assessments, marks, grades, academic progress and engagement with your studies.

We may also collect and process more sensitive personal data, where necessary, including (but not limited to) the following:

Ethnic origin and religious beliefs (for diversity, inclusion, and institutional reporting purposes);
membership of student unions;
health-related information (including medical conditions, disabilities, and records of sickness or absences); and
Criminal convictions and offences (where relevant to your studies or university activities).

In certain cases, you may be legally or contractually required to provide specific personal data. Failure to provide this information may prevent us from enrolling you, continuing your studies or fulfilling our legal obligations.

How do we obtain your personal data?

The University of Warwick collects personal data relating to students primarily during the application and admissions process. This information may be provided directly by you or obtained from third parties, such as UCAS, references, your sponsor, or your previous educational establishments.

We may also gather information from academic referees or previous educational institutions as part of our admissions and verification checks.

Additional personal data will be collected throughout the duration of your studies at the University as part of your academic activities and university-related services. Where relevant, we may also obtain personal data from, or share personal data with, overseas partner institutions or organisations in connection with study abroad, exchange, placement or other international study activities.

How do we use your personal data, and which legal bases do we rely on?

We use your personal data for a range of purposes connected with your studies, your experience as a member of the University community, and the effective operation of the University. The table below sets out the main purposes for which we process your personal data and the legal bases we rely on.

Please note that this list is not exhaustive. There may be other circumstances in which we process your personal data where this is necessary to fulfil our contractual obligations to you, comply with legal or regulatory requirements, carry out tasks in the public interest, or pursue our legitimate interests in operating the University.

Purpose	Legal Basis
Admission, offers, enrolment and administration of studies.	Necessary as part of your student contract and/or our legitimate interest.
Where you have applied to the University with the support of an educational or recruitment agent, we may share information relating to your application and enrolment status with that agent, including to confirm whether you have enrolled, where this is necessary to administer arrangements with the agent, including the payment of commission.	Necessary for the performance of your student contract and/or legitimate interests. Where consent is specifically obtained for this purpose, consent.
Bursaries and awards – administration and consideration of eligibility/applications, administration of award and the publication of those awards.	Necessary for the performance of your student contract and/or our legitimate interest.
Creation of University email addresses and the production of student identification cards; and the inclusion of photographic images on the UoW cards.	Necessary for the performance of your student contract and/or our legitimate interest of maintaining security whilst allowing students access to university areas.
For provision of related support services such as the library, IT use and similar.	Necessary for the performance of your student contract and/or our legitimate interest.
Academic assessment, progression and conferral of awards.	Necessary for the performance of your student contract.
Administration of University policy which includes appeals, complaints, and disciplinary matters.	Necessary for the performance of your student contract and/or our legitimate interest.
Administration of induction events, including the registration of students on courses and the transfer of students to a different course.	Necessary for the performance of your student contract.
Monitoring student attendance.	Necessary for the performance of your student contract.
Timetabling, room allocation and management of teaching space capacity.	Necessary for the performance of your student contract and/or task carried out in the public interest.
Management of student societies, sports clubs and Students’ Union engagement (where activities are administered by or jointly with the University).	Legitimate interests and/or performance of your student contract.
Health and wellbeing support services (including counselling, disability support, and mental health support).	Necessary for the performance of your student contract and/or compliance with a legal obligation.
Fitness to practise assessments for programmes leading to professional registration.	Necessary for the performance of your student contract and/or compliance with a legal obligation.
Administration of graduation ceremonies and alumni transition processes.	Necessary for the performance of your student contract and/or legitimate interests.
Emergency contact and next-of-kin communication in cases involving serious welfare or safety concerns.	Vital interests and/or legitimate interests.
Management of intellectual property arising from student research, projects, or collaborations.	Legitimate interests and/or performance of your student contract.
Administration of hardship funds and financial support schemes.	Necessary for the performance of your student contract and/or legitimate interests.
IT account lifecycle management (including suspension, deletion, and archiving following withdrawal or completion).	Legitimate interests and/or performance of your student contract.
Business continuity planning and crisis management (including pandemic response planning).	Legitimate interests and/or compliance with a legal obligation.
Prevention and detection of money laundering or financial crime (where applicable).	Compliance with a legal obligation.
Careers and skills services, to provide you with information to support you in developing your employability, academic and transferable skills whilst a student and a graduate.	Legitimate interest of the student and the University.
Sending non-marketing communications to students about benefits, services and activities within the university community.	Legitimate interest of the student and the University.
Directory of student email addresses open to all students to enable collaboration and communication within the student and University community.	Legitimate interest of the student and the University.
The recording of online teaching sessions for the purpose of improving student experience of teaching sessions.	Necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest (provision of higher education).
Monitoring your entry in to and movement within university buildings to ensure compliance with university regulations, policies/ procedures and relevant legislation. For example, Health and Safety, wellbeing, preventing crime and disorder and individual or group compliance with reasonable directions given by Community Safety, your department, University regulations and policies/procedures and the law. Sharing information internally, where appropriate, to identify individuals suspected of or failing to follow University regulations, policies/procedure regarding access to buildings. Issuing warnings and/or instigating (and progressing) disciplinary action and where appropriate sharing information with regulatory authorities such as the Police.	Compliance with a legal obligation (Health and Safety) Legitimate interest of maintaining safety and security of the University community and enabling the University and relevant regulatory authorities, including the Police, to consider and take further action including disciplinary action, where appropriate.
To investigate suspected breaches of university policies, academic misconduct, or compliance with legal or regulatory obligations. This may include accessing and reviewing student email accounts when necessary and proportionate.	Legitimate Interests and/or necessary for the performance of your student contract
Research and statistical analysis.	As part of the University’s legitimate interest
To enable the University to deal with requests (from you or others) under Freedom of Information and other transparency legislation or Data subject rights requests under the UK General Data Protection Regulation.	Compliance with a legal obligation.
Processing and recovery of accounts.	Necessary for the performance of your student contract
To monitor use of information and communication systems to ensure compliance with university regulations, policies, and procedures	Necessary for the performance of the student contract and/or legitimate interests (ensuring adherence to policies and procedures, safeguarding against misuse of systems)
Use of CCTV and Body-Worn Cameras to ensure the safety and security of individuals on campus, prevent crime and disorder, and assist with compliance with reasonable directions given by Campus Security, university regulations, and the law.	Legitimate Interests (safety and security of the Warwick community, compliance with laws, and enabling regulatory authorities such as the Police to take further action if necessary)
Your personal data may be shared with relevant university departments and external organisations for the purposes of providing career support, skills development, and job placement services. This is to support your career development, skills enhancement, and facilitate connections with employers and industry partners through university-led career and employability services.	Legitimate interest of the student and the University.
To investigate allegations of academic misconduct, inappropriate behaviour, or breaches of institutional policies by students. This includes the use of system logs (such as Moodle activity logs) to verify timelines of access, submission records, and user activity relevant to ongoing investigations	Processing is carried out in the public interest and in accordance with our contractual obligations with students. This includes using Moodle activity logs to investigate suspected breaches of academic regulations or misconduct, as part of our responsibilities to maintain academic integrity and ensure compliance with institutional policies
AI-generated content will be subject to human oversight and validation prior to use, except in specific, pre-approved use cases which will be explicitly referenced at the point of use.	Legitimate Interests
To record the contents of calls and voice interactions when contacting helpdesk facilities, for training and monitoring purposes.	Legitimate Interests
To carry out DBS and other background checks where required as part of the admissions, student or research process	Public task
To safeguard vulnerable individuals (e.g. children and vulnerable adults)	Recognised Legitimate Interests
To protect public/national security and defence (e.g. measures to help prevent harm and support safety)	Recognised Legitimate Interests
Emergency response (e.g. where there is a need to act in relation to events or situations that pose a threat or risk to human welfare and/or the environment)	Recognised Legitimate Interests
To detect, investigate or prevent crime, or apprehend or prosecute offenders	Recognised Legitimate Interests
To assist public bodies and bodies carrying out public tasks	Recognised Legitimate Interests

As part of the enrolment process, the UoW may seek your consent to share your personal data with and to receive electronic communication from a number of other areas that will enhance your student journey. If this occurs, UoW will provide you with comprehensive details regarding the information required and the reasons for its sharing, allowing you to make an informed decision about whether or not to grant your consent. The areas with which your data may be shared include:

Students' Union
Alumni and Fundraising
Warwick Sport
Warwick Arts Centre

Should you choose to provide consent for the sharing of your personal data with these areas, you retain the right to withdraw that consent at any time. To do so, simply contact us at infocompliance@warwick.ac.ukLink opens in a new window.

Once UoW is notified of your decision to withdraw consent, we will immediately cease sharing your data with the specified areas for the purpose(s) you initially approved. However, if there is another lawful basis for continuing to process your data, we will notify you of this legitimate reason.

Which third parties may we share your personal data with and what legal bases do we rely on?

The UoW may share your personal data with third parties when required by law, when necessary to manage our relationship with you as a student, or when there is a legitimate interest in doing so. This includes, but is not limited to, sharing data for apprenticeships with external organisations. The third parties with whom we may share your data include:

Third parties	Legal Basis
UCAS to administer the applications and clearing process.	Necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest (provision of higher education).
Educational and recruitment agents who have supported your application to the University, including for the purposes of confirming application and enrolment information and administering commission arrangements.	Necessary for the performance of your student contract and/or legitimate interests. Where consent is specifically obtained for this purpose, consent.
To professional and industrial bodies, such as the Law Society, General Medical Council, the Solicitors Regulation Authority and others.	Necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest.
The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) and/or an organisation acting on its behalf for the purposes of carrying out surveys on the activities and perspectives of graduates. Further information can be found in the HESA privacy notice.	Necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest.
The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), on behalf of the Department of Education (DfE) in relation to Degree Apprenticeships only.	Legal obligation (Further information can be found in the ESFA privacy notice).
Sponsors (including employers and partner institutions in or outside of the UK) and Degree Apprenticeship Partners.	Necessary for the performance of your student contract, legitimate interests and/or Consent of the student.
Student loan providers e.g. Lendwise, etc..	Legitimate interests of the University relating to the payment of your tuition fees.
External professional accrediting bodies	Necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest.
Higher Education Rankings	Legitimate interests of the University/necessary for the performance of contract
To UK based educational institutions and or third-party placement providers for the purposes of placements/joint courses	Necessary for the performance of your student contract.
To direct mail and marketing and events agencies who may assist the University in the administration.	Necessary for the performance of your student contract.
Administration of induction events, including the registration of students on courses and the transfer of students to a different course.	Processing is necessary in the legitimate interest of communicating with students about benefits, services and activities.
Tribal Education Limited – for institution student records data and Gradintellence services provided to facilitate registration and participation in the Warwick Award, and for allowing access to the Higher Education Achievement Record (HEAR) and/or the Digital Degree Certificate.	Necessary for the performance of your student contract.
To nominated emergency contact	Processing necessary to protect vital interest of our students and/or another and our legal obligations to provide a duty of care/safeguard.
The police or other regulatory bodies	Legitimate interests and our legal obligations
DBS – Disclosure and Barring service	Legal obligation.
If you are an overseas student, on a student visa that has registered for temporary employment with Unitemps, then your personal data will be processed in respect of your enrolment status for any job applications you make.	Legal obligation.
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.
Local authorities for the purposes of assessing whether you are liable for Council Tax (or other similar taxes in the UK and overseas).	Necessary in order to comply with legal obligations
Potential employers and careers advisers.	Public task
Our professional advisors e.g. insurers, auditors, lawyers, etc.	Legitimate interests.
IT Support, Helpdesk Providers and Software Providers	Performance of a contract / Legitimate interest
Cloud and Data Storage Providers	Performance of a contract / Legitimate interest
Analytics and Performance Tracking Platforms	Performance of a contract / Legitimate interest
Email and Communication Service Providers	Performance of a contract / Legitimate interest
Third-party service providers and organisations that support the University with DBS and other background checks, admissions testing and related checks	Public task
Emergency services	Recognised Legitimate Interests
Law enforcement bodies/agencies	Recognised Legitimate Interests
Local authorities	Recognised Legitimate Interests
Healthcare providers	Recognised Legitimate Interests
Environmental protection and regulatory bodies	Recognised Legitimate Interests
Specialist safeguarding, welfare, security, or crisis management service providers	Recognised Legitimate Interests
Government departments, public bodies and other bodies carrying out legally authorised public tasks.	Recognised Legitimate Interests

We will only share your personal data with third parties where there is a lawful basis for doing so and appropriate safeguards are in place. We will never sell your personal data or share it with third parties for their own marketing purposes. Please note that, where we rely on your consent, you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time. If we need to transfer your personal data outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are put in place where required by data protection law. Further details of these safeguards can be provided upon request to Legal and Compliance Services.

How long do we keep your personal data?

The University retains personal data in accordance with its Records Retention Schedule.

Personal data will be kept only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including meeting legal, regulatory, accounting or reporting requirements.

Further information on retention periods can be found in the University Records Retention Schedule.

What rights do I have in relation to my personal data?

Data protection law gives you specific rights over your personal data, as follows:

the right to access personal data held about you;
the right to be informed about how and why your data is used;
the right to have your data rectified, erased or restricted;
the right to object to the processing of your data;
the right to portability of your data; and
the right not to be subject to a decision based solely on automated processing.

If you have concerns about how we use your personal data, you have the right to make a data protection complaint directly to us.

If you would like to make a data protection complaint directly to us, please complete and submit the form below providing as much information as possible:

https://warwick.ac.uk/services/legalandcomplianceservices/dataprotection/complaints/complaintform/

Once we have received your complaint, we will:

acknowledge receipt of your complaint;
review the matters raised and make appropriate enquiries; and
keep you informed (where appropriate) and, without undue delay, report the outcome of your complaint to you.

If you are dissatisfied with the University’s response to your complaint, you have the right to escalate your complaint to the Information Commission's Office (the ICO). You can contact the ICO at www.ico.org.uk.

How can you obtain more information about this privacy notice?

If you have any questions about this privacy notice, please do not hesitate to contact our Data Protection team and/or Data Protection Officer at: infocompliance@warwick.ac.uk

This privacy notice was last updated on 9 October 2026. We reserve the right to update or modify this notice at any time to reflect changes in legal requirements, operational needs, or best practices. Any significant changes will be communicated to relevant individuals through appropriate channels (e.g. on our website). The most recent version of the notice will always be available for your reference.