Data Protection Information

Immigration Advice: Privacy Statement in line with GDPR

The Immigration Advice Service at Aberystwyth University is committed to protecting your privacy through compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Data Protection Act, other related legislation and best practice.

This page is your guide to how we record, safeguard and use the information we hold on you. If you have any queries, please contact immigrationadvice@aber.ac.uk or 01970 621548.

For further information on the University’s Data Protection Policy and guidance, together with the contact details of the University’s Data Protection and Copyright Manager, please see the link below:

https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/infocompliance/dp/

How we collect information

We have access to student names, degree scheme, modules, exam results, date of birth, immigration data, emergency and GP contact details and personal contact details via the University’s student records system (AStRA).  In addition, we may collect these details from information you give us direct when you use or register for our service.

We may also receive information about you from third parties, for example from the UKVI, Home Office, member of University staff or external agency (such as your funding body) who may be delivering a service or support to you.

What information we collect

The personal information we will collect will include name, date of birth, gender, contact details (including email address and mobile number) and we will also have access to your student record, attendance monitoring record and to certain information contained in records of contact with your personal tutor.

The information we collect might also include details of your immigration history, current visa details, documents related to visa applications such as financial evidence.  Some of this information may fall within the ‘special categories’ as defined by the GDPR.  This information may be provided direct by you when you use our services or may be given to us from third parties as referred to above.

How we use your information

We will use your personal information:

  • to provide you with any services/support you have requested;
  • for administration purposes;
  • to facilitate compliance with statutory duties such as the UKVI, Home Office, OISC

We may also analyse the personal information we collect to create a profile of our service users so that we can develop our services in the most appropriate way and with the most relevant information.

Further details about data sharing are given below, including how information is stored and the systems we use to store it.  Information may be stored both in paper format (e.g. Consent to share forms) or stored electronically using the University’s share drive.

How long we keep your information

The Immigration Advice Service will retain information and case notes for a student up to 6 years as required by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner.  Information will then be destroyed confidentially.

Legal basis on which we collect your data

It is essential for records of our engagement with students and third parties to be held as we have:

  • A contractual duty for student information to be held to ensure appropriate high quality support is provided and data held will help to provide information in the vital and public interest.
  • To ensure that the legitimate interest of students and third parties are considered through the information disclosed.
  • Where possible, and in line with GDPR, consent to collect, store and use information will be sought.

Disclosure of your information to outside parties

We may need to internally share your data with:

  • other relevant administrative or support staff (e.g. AU UKVI Compliance Office, Academic Registry)
  • University departments such as your Academic Department or the Accommodation Office

Where appropriate we may pass on your information, securely, to external service providers such as:

  • UKVI, Home Office
  • UKVI, Home Office

Data we may receive from outside parties

For the purposes of providing you with support and for compliance with our statutory duties we may receive information about you from the following:

This information will be for specific and relevant purposes and kept securely in a format which ensures against unlawful or unauthorised processing and against loss, destruction or damage.

Security of your personal data

Your data is stored in secure central databases, managed by the Student Support and Careers Services Department in accordance with the University’s data protection and information security policies. Our main database is hosted by an external supplier (JISoftware) under an agreement with the University. Appropriate security measures are employed and the data is held on servers in the UK.  Particularly sensitive information is available only to senior staff who have been granted specific permission to access the information.

We take appropriate measures to ensure that the personal information disclosed to us is kept secure, accurate and up to date and kept only for so long as is necessary for the purposes for which it is used and is thereafter securely destroyed or permanently deleted.

Right of access and other rights

All data collected through the Immigration Advice service is stored and processed securely in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act. You have the right to ask for a copy of the information we hold about you and to have any inaccuracies in your information corrected. You can request a copy of your information from student-support@aber.ac.uk. You will be asked to formally prove your ID before your data can be released/removed.  Other data subject rights are detailed here: https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/infocompliance/policies/dp/data-subject-rights/