UCAS surveys privacy notice

Surveys at UCAS

We think listening to student experiences is important – it helps us to understand your perspectives and to identify where we, and those who also engage with students, can improve what we do. For this reason you will receive different types of survey requests from UCAS, tailored to what we know about you. We may share aggregated and anonymised results from our surveys with third parties – including commercial partners – to help them improve what they do. We may also use survey software packages which use artificial intelligence (AI) in the analysis of survey responses. No matter the type of survey request, we aim to make our research projects enjoyable to take part in, incentivised, and give you an opportunity to share your views on topics that could make a positive difference to students like you.  

We have a rigorous approach to safeguarding, all research projects we will undertake will need to be complaint with our ethical framework which states which topics are appropriate.

Your data

We use personal data that you provide to us to work out what surveys will be most relevant to send you. This includes the biographical information you provide during your Hub sign-up and from your application (if applicable), as well as certain socio-economic indicators – using nationally recognised statistical metrics and indicators – relating to your home postcode and educational background.  

We process certain 'special categories' of personal data (as categorised under the UK GDPR) as part of our surveys, in limited circumstances. The relevant categories are: ethnicity data, religion data and disability data. These data points will allow us to ensure all views are represented and all surveys champion diversity and inclusivity where applicable. 

Our survey analysis may involve some individual-level data matching activity to support our analysis and how we report results: for example we may link your responses with your application if you have applied to UCAS. With this data we also apply ‘weighting’ to our results, a statistical technique, to bring results in line with the population being studied.    

Any information we share with partner organisations or publish will be anonymised – most commonly, presented in statistical form – to ensure that individual respondents cannot be identified. Please review the privacy information for each survey individually for further data processing information. 

Types of surveys we send

UCAS market research (internal enhancement) 

We may send you details of opportunities to support our market research or user research activity. If you decide to engage with these activities, your responses will be used to inform and improve UCAS products and services that we offer to our range of customers. Market research may be delivered by third parties under contract, who will ensure  your anonymised and aggregated information and responses are appropriately secured and managed in accordance with data protection legislation. 

UK GDPR lawful basis for processing – Article 6 1 (f) Legitimate Interest 

Market research 

We may send you details of opportunities to support market research or user research activity. If you decide to engage with these activities, your responses will be used to inform and improve products and services for our range of customers. Market research may be delivered by third parties under contract, who will ensure your anonymised and aggregated information and responses are appropriately secured and managed in accordance with data protection legislation.  

UK GDPR lawful basis for processing – Article 6 1 (a) Consent 

Student sentiment (applicants) 

These surveys are broader than UCAS market research surveys and may include questions around day-to-day life, hopes and aspirations, behaviours, motivations and what media channels you use. We will send you these surveys once you have made an application through UCAS. These surveys are helpful to gain an understanding of student experiences in and outside the classroom, including how brands can help students and how providers can support students more effectively through their decision-making processes.  

UK GDPR lawful basis for processing – Article 6 1 (f) Legitimate Interest 

Student sentiment (pre-applicants) 

These surveys are the same as above, but where you have not yet made an application through UCAS we will ask consent for these surveys rather than relying on the more engaged relationship we have with applicants.   

UK GDPR lawful basis for processing – Article 6 1 (a) Consent  

Third party surveys 

These surveys are hosted by UCAS, but commissioned by companies or providers as a paid-for service. These surveys may seek to understand how a university or brand is perceived amongst students or understanding student perception of issues within a certain segment, e.g. accommodation or a particular career. 

We may also send you surveys hosted by a company or provider as a paid-for service. Some examples of these surveys include educational research by academics or companies who want to offer further feedback opportunities.  

We send you these surveys where you have agreed to participate.

UK GDPR lawful basis for processing – Article 6 1 (a) Consent

UCAS Student Panel

UCAS also conducts surveys via its online research panel – UCAS Student Panel. The panel is available to students throughout their further and higher education journey, and throughout the various stages at which they may interact with UCAS. 

Students who sign up to the UCAS panel and accept the terms will be offered the opportunity to complete surveys and other research projects, some of which will (subject to meeting the Prize Criteria) be offered in exchange for points or prize draw entries. Points earned on the panel can later be exchanged for rewards, such as gift cards via our rewards partner. 

Surveys offered on the panel will be a mix of those mentioned above, including UCAS market research surveys, third party surveys, and student sentiment surveys. Panel members may also be offered the opportunity to participate in other tasks, such as focus groups, polls, and forum discussions. 

If a panelist’s account remains inactive for twelve months or more, (an account is inactive if there has been no participation in surveys, assignments, discussions, or polls within the last twelve months) any unclaimed rewards may be reclaimed by UCAS and the panelist’s account, including any information held on it, will be deleted. 

UK GDPR lawful basis for processing – Article 6 1 (a) Consent 

For further information about how UCAS processes personal data, please see our privacy policy.