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Study Massachusetts

Legal

Privacy Policy

Effective date: September 22, 2026

Study Massachusetts Consortium ("Study Massachusetts," "we," "our," or "us") operates the website at studymassachusetts.org. This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have.

1. Overview

By using our website or creating an account, you agree to the practices described in this policy. If you do not agree, please do not use our services.

2. Information We Collect

Information you provide directly

  • Account registration: name, email address, password, and account type (student, member institution, or agent/partner).
  • Student profile: nationality, intended study level, target start date, language proficiency scores, and preferences — provided voluntarily to personalize your experience.
  • Inquiry and contact forms: name, email, organization, country, and message content.
  • Agent registration: agency name, contact details, country of operation, and annual student volume.

Information collected automatically

  • Log data: IP address, browser type, pages visited, and timestamps.
  • Cookies and similar technologies: session cookies for authentication and preference cookies to remember your settings. We do not use third-party advertising cookies.
  • Usage data: features used, search queries entered, and institutions viewed or saved.

3. How We Use Your Information

  • To create and manage your account and authenticate your identity.
  • To personalize your experience — for example, surfacing institutions that match your study level and region preferences.
  • To respond to inquiries and provide customer support.
  • To send transactional emails such as account confirmations and password resets.
  • To improve our website, tools, and services through aggregated, anonymized analytics.
  • To facilitate connections between students and member institutions, subject to your explicit consent.
  • To comply with legal obligations.

4. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We share information only in the following circumstances:

  • Member institutions and agents: We share student contact information with institutions or agents only when you explicitly request a connection or submit an inquiry to them. We will always ask for your consent before sharing.
  • Service providers: We use trusted third-party providers for hosting, email delivery, and analytics. These providers are contractually bound to protect your data and may not use it for their own purposes.
  • Legal requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or to protect the rights and safety of our users or the public.
  • Business transfers: In the event of a merger or acquisition, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you before your information becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

5. Student Data and Consent

Your profile data — including language scores, study preferences, and contact details — is visible only to you unless you choose to share it.

We will never share your personal information with an institution or agent without your explicit, informed consent. You may withdraw consent at any time by updating your account settings or contacting us.

We do not use your data to rank institutions, infer admission decisions, or make automated decisions that significantly affect you.

6. Data Retention

We retain your account information for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal data within 30 days, except where we are required to retain it for legal or compliance purposes.

Inquiry and form submission data is retained for up to two years to support follow-up communications.

7. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

  • Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
  • Correction: Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
  • Deletion: Request that we delete your personal information, subject to legal retention requirements.
  • Portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
  • Objection: Object to certain uses of your data, including direct marketing.
  • Withdrawal of consent: Withdraw consent for data sharing at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at the address below. We will respond within 30 days.

8. Cookies

We use strictly necessary cookies to keep you logged in and remember your preferences. We do not use tracking or advertising cookies.

You can disable cookies in your browser settings, but this may affect your ability to log in or use certain features of the site.

9. Security

We implement industry-standard security measures including encrypted connections (HTTPS), hashed password storage, and access controls. However, no method of transmission over the internet is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

If you believe your account has been compromised, please contact us immediately.

10. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have collected such information, we will delete it promptly.

Users between 13 and 18 should review this policy with a parent or guardian.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the effective date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, notify you by email.

Your continued use of the site after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your rights, please contact us:

Study Massachusetts Consortium

Email: info@studymassachusetts.org