Who we are
This notice explains how Thames British Open University (“TBOU”, “we”, “us”) collects and uses personal data through this website, in particular through the application form and the contact form. TBOU is responsible for the personal data described in this notice.
What personal data we collect
When you submit the application form, we collect:
- your identity details: full name, gender, marital status, date of birth and nationality;
- your national passport number and its dates of issue and expiry;
- your contact details: postal address, telephone number, email address and any other contact method you provide;
- your academic choices: proposed degree, mode of enrolment, faculty, proposed title, research field and language of instruction;
- your educational and professional background;
- the documents you upload, such as a copy of your passport or identity card, educational certificates, experience and employment certificates, and the front pages of your research;
- your declaration and the name you type as your signature.
When you submit the contact form, we collect your first and last name, email address, telephone number (if provided) and your message.
Please do not send us information beyond what the forms ask for.
Why we collect it
- to assess your application and decide on your admission to a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral programme, which at TBOU is based on a study of each applicant’s personal file;
- to verify your identity and your qualifications;
- to contact you about your application or to reply to your enquiry;
- to keep accurate records of applications and to protect the website against misuse.
We use this data because you ask us to consider your application or to reply to your enquiry, and because we have a legitimate interest in running a fair and secure admissions process. We do not use your data for marketing and we do not make automated decisions about you.
How we store and protect it
- Information you submit is sent to us over an encrypted connection (HTTPS).
- Your passport number is encrypted before it is stored in our database, so it cannot be read without the university’s secret key.
- Uploaded documents are stored privately, outside the public part of the website and under randomly generated file names. They have no public web address and can only be opened by authorised members of the admissions team after signing in.
- Access to applications and messages is limited to authorised administrators with individual accounts and strong passwords.
- The content of your application is not written to our system logs.
How long we keep it
- Applications and their documents are kept while your application is being considered. If you are not admitted, or if you withdraw, they are deleted no later than 12 months after the decision.
- If you are admitted, your application becomes part of your student record and is kept for the duration of your studies and for six years afterwards, so that we can confirm your qualifications.
- Contact form messages are deleted no later than 24 months after we receive them.
Who we share it with
We do not sell your personal data. It is accessed only by authorised TBOU staff involved in admissions. We may share necessary information with accreditation and verification bodies (such as IBIU) as required to issue accredited certificates. Otherwise, we do not share your personal data with third parties. The website and its database are hosted by a hosting provider that stores the data on our behalf and may not use it for any other purpose. We also use Cloudflare Turnstile to protect our forms from automated abuse; when you submit the Application or Contact form, Cloudflare may process limited technical information from your browser for this purpose. We will disclose personal data to a public authority only where the law requires us to do so.
Your rights
You may ask us at any time to:
- tell you what personal data we hold about you and give you a copy;
- correct any information that is inaccurate or incomplete;
- delete your application, documents or messages (a deleted application can no longer be considered);
- restrict or stop the use of your data in certain circumstances.
To make a request, please write to us through the Contact Us page. State that your message concerns your personal data and, for an application, include your application reference (for example TBOU-000123) and the email address you used. We may ask you to confirm your identity before acting on your request, and we will reply within one month.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to complain to the data protection authority in your country.
Cookies
This website uses only the cookies it needs to work: a session cookie that remembers your chosen language and a security cookie that protects the forms against forgery. We do not use advertising or tracking cookies.
Changes to this notice
We may update this notice from time to time. The date of the latest update is shown at the top of this page.