Privacy
Welcome to the University of East London USA! Your exciting journey of discovery, learning, and growth begins right here with us.
About this privacy statement
The University of East London (UEL) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information you provide to us.
This privacy statement explains what information we may collect when you use UEL websites and services in the United States, including Florida, how we use and protect that information, and the choices available to you.
Our handling of personal information is subject to applicable United States federal and state laws. Depending on the information and the services involved, these may include the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Florida's data-security and breach-notification requirements, and other applicable federal and state privacy laws.
We may update this privacy statement when our services, practices or legal obligations change.
What information we collect
Website and log information
When you use our website, our systems may automatically collect information including:
- Your Internet Protocol (IP) address
- Your browser and device type
- The date, time and duration of your visit
- Pages and files you request
- Information about how you interact with the website
- General location information
We may use this information to:
- Operate and manage our website
- Identify and repair broken links and technical problems
- Protect our systems and investigate suspected misuse
- Understand how people use our website
- Produce statistics and reports
- Improve our websites and digital services
Access to this information is limited to authorized UEL staff, agents and service providers who need it for these purposes.
We may share relevant information with information-security specialists, system administrators or service providers where necessary to investigate security incidents, technical problems or misuse of our systems.
Information you give us
We collect personal information when you choose to provide it to us, including through online forms.
For example, you may give us information when you:
- Request information about studying at UEL
- Make an enquiry
- Register for an event
- Apply to study
- Provide feedback
- Contact us
- Use another UEL service
The information we request will depend on the service you use. Where appropriate, we will explain why we need the information and how we intend to use it at the point of collection.
We may use information you provide to deliver the service you requested and for related communications and administrative purposes.
Student education records
Student education records may be protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) where the law applies.
FERPA provides eligible students with rights relating to their education records, including rights to inspect and review those records, request amendment of records they believe are inaccurate or misleading, and exercise certain controls over the disclosure of personally identifiable information from their education records.
At a postsecondary institution, FERPA rights generally belong to the eligible student.
Some disclosures of education records are permitted without consent where authorized by FERPA or other applicable law.
Cookies and analytics
Our websites may use cookies and similar technologies. Cookies are small files or pieces of information stored on or associated with your device.
We may use cookies to:
- Make our websites work correctly
- Remember settings and preferences
- Understand how visitors use our websites
- Measure the effectiveness of our communications and advertising
- Improve our websites and services
Some cookies may be provided by third-party services.
We may use services such as Google Analytics (GA4) and Google Ads to understand website activity and measure the effectiveness of our digital services and advertising.
Depending on your choices and the technology used, information processed through these services may include your device type, interactions with the website, conversion information, the time of your visit and general location information.
Where our website provides cookie or tracking choices, you can use these controls to manage optional technologies. You can also manage cookies through your browser settings. Blocking some cookies may affect how parts of the website work.
How we use personal information
Depending on your relationship with UEL and the services you use, we may process personal information to:
- Respond to enquiries and requests
- Process applications and administer admissions
- Provide education and student services
- Manage events and communications
- Operate and improve our websites and digital services
- Maintain the security and integrity of our systems
- Prevent and investigate fraud, misuse and security incidents
- Meet legal, regulatory and contractual requirements
- Produce statistics, research and analysis where permitted by law
We will use personal information for purposes that are consistent with the reason it was collected, unless another use is permitted or required by applicable law.
Sensitive information
Some services may require information that is particularly sensitive, such as information about health, disability, race or ethnicity, biometric information, financial information or other information protected by applicable law.
Where we collect sensitive information, we will use and protect it in accordance with the laws that apply to that information and the service concerned.
Student health records maintained by a postsecondary institution may, depending on the circumstances, be governed by FERPA rather than the HIPAA Privacy Rule. Other health information maintained by a HIPAA-covered part of the University may be subject to HIPAA.
Children's privacy
UEL's main higher education websites and services are not directed to children under 13.
Where an online service is directed to children under 13, or where we have actual knowledge that we are collecting personal information online from a child under 13, we will comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) where it applies.
This may include providing appropriate notices and obtaining verifiable parental consent before collecting certain personal information.
How we share information
We may share personal information with organizations that provide services on our behalf, such as technology, website, communications, analytics or system-support providers.
We may also disclose information where:
- You have asked or authorized us to do so
- It is necessary to provide a service you requested
- Disclosure is permitted under FERPA or another applicable law
- We need to protect the security of our systems or users
- We need to investigate or prevent fraud or unlawful activity
- We are required to comply with a court order, subpoena, legal process or other legal obligation
Service providers that process personal information for UEL are expected to protect that information appropriately and use it only for authorised purposes.
Information security
UEL uses administrative, technical and organisational safeguards designed to protect personal information against unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, loss or misuse.
No method of transmitting or storing information can guarantee complete security. We regularly review our security arrangements and take reasonable steps appropriate to the information we hold.
Florida law requires covered entities to take reasonable measures to protect and secure certain personal information held electronically.
Where a security breach is subject to applicable federal or Florida notification requirements, we will respond and provide notifications as required by law.
Financial information
Where UEL carries out activities covered by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA), relevant customer financial information will be handled in accordance with applicable GLBA privacy and information-security requirements, including the Federal Trade Commission Safeguards Rule where applicable.
Payment-card information may also be processed by third-party payment providers under their own security and privacy requirements.
Your rights and choices
Your rights depend on the type of information involved, your relationship with UEL and the laws that apply.
For example, eligible students may have rights under FERPA to access and request amendment of education records and to exercise certain controls over their disclosure.
You may also be able to:
- Update information you have provided to us
- Change your communications preferences
- Manage optional cookies and tracking technologies
- Ask questions about how your information is being used
- Exercise other rights available under applicable federal or state law
We may need to verify your identity before responding to a request concerning personal information.
How long we keep information
We keep personal information for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected and to meet applicable legal, regulatory, contractual, academic and operational requirements.
Retention periods vary depending on the type of information and the reason we hold it.
When information is no longer required, we will securely delete, destroy or anonymize it in accordance with our applicable retention requirements.
Third-party websites
Our websites may contain links to websites and services operated by other organizations.
UEL is not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party websites. You should read the privacy information provided by those organizations before giving them personal information.
Changes to this privacy statement
We may update this privacy statement to reflect changes to our services, technology, legal requirements or privacy practices.
We will publish the current version on this page and update the effective date when material changes are made.