Privacy Policy | SideScholar

SideScholar ("we", "us", "our") is an independent education-focused publication bringing you curated content in education, career, and scholar development. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and share information, and how we work to safeguard the data you provide to us.

How to contact us

If you have questions regarding data protection or your rights, contact us at privacy@sidescholar.com.

Information we collect

Through your use of our site and services, we may collect personally identifiable information from you, including information you provide directly (such as your email address when you subscribe to our newsletter or submit an inquiry) and information collected automatically as you browse.

Cookies and tracking technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies (such as pixels and web beacons) to collect information as you navigate our site. Cookies are small files stored by your browser on your device. We use them to:

Estimate audience size and usage patterns
Understand and remember your preferences for future visits
Advertise content, events, and opportunities relevant to your interests
Compile aggregate site-traffic data to improve our services
Recognize you when you return to the site

Some cookies are set by us directly, and others by service providers who help us improve our services, run advertising, and analyze site performance. You can block cookies through your browser settings, though this may prevent access to some parts of the site. Learn more about managing cookies at aboutcookies.org, or find opt-out options via the Network Advertising Initiative or the Digital Advertising Alliance.

How we use your information

To send newsletter updates about scholarships, jobs, and opportunities, if you've subscribed
To provide, maintain, and improve the site's content, layout, and functionality
To respond to inquiries sent to us directly
To protect our legal rights and comply with applicable law

We do not rent, sell, or disclose your personal information to third parties for their own marketing use without your consent.

Information we share with third parties

We may use generally available third-party services on our site, such as analytics and advertising providers, and we may include links or integrations with social media platforms. Each third party has its own privacy practices, and we encourage you to review them separately. We do not sell your information to third parties for their own independent marketing purposes.

Your choices

You may decline to provide certain information, though this may limit your ability to use some features of the site - for example, requesting information from a specific institution, or participating in scholarship programs that require certain details to administer.

Review or correct your information - contact us at privacy@sidescholar.com to access, correct, or request a copy of information we hold about you.
Request deletion - you may request that we delete your information by contacting us at the same address.
Unsubscribe from marketing - click the unsubscribe link in any email we send, or contact us directly.

How your information is protected

We use reasonable security measures designed to keep your information confidential, including secure operating environments with access limited to authorized SideScholar staff and contractors on a need-to-know basis, and identity verification for account access. No method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. We encourage you to use a strong, unique password, avoid saving login details on shared or public devices, and log out after each session.

Data retention

We retain your information for as long as you use the site, as our provision of services requires, and as long as legal or regulatory obligations require - including retaining transaction records for up to seven years where applicable.

Accessibility

We're committed to ensuring this policy is accessible to individuals with disabilities. If you'd like this policy in an alternate format, or wish to report an accessibility issue, email privacy@sidescholar.com.

Notice to California residents

This section supplements our Privacy Policy for California residents under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). We collect personal information from the sources described above - directly from you, from other people acting on your behalf, from your devices, and from partners and service providers who assist us in providing our services.

Under the CCPA, California residents have the right to:

Know what personal information we've collected, its sources, and how it's been used or disclosed
Request deletion of personal information we've collected (processed within 60 days; backups may be retained up to 12 months per our retention policy)
Opt out of any sale of personal information
Non-discrimination for exercising any of these rights

Notice to EEA residents

We do not operate in, or target our services to, the European Economic Area. To the extent the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) applies to you, we only process personal information where we have a legitimate interest, your consent, or another lawful basis, and we will not use sensitive categories of data (such as racial or ethnic origin, health data, or religious beliefs) without your consent, except where the law permits.

Exercising your rights (California and EEA residents)

To exercise any of the rights above, email privacy@sidescholar.com. We may need additional information to verify your identity before processing a request, and we'll respond within the timeframe required by applicable law. You may designate an authorized agent to submit a request on your behalf; we may require written proof of your permission and verification of the agent's identity.

Third-party links

Our site links to external scholarship providers, institutions, and employers. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of external websites, and we encourage you to review their policies separately.

Disclaimer

Unless otherwise specified, SideScholar is not affiliated with any scholarship provider, institution, or employer, and does not handle application procedures for opportunities featured on this site. Content is provided for informational purposes, and opportunities are selected from sources we consider reliable - but we encourage you to independently verify details by visiting the original source linked in each listing. Any organization names, logos, or materials shown on this site are used solely for identification purposes and do not imply endorsement.

Children's privacy

SideScholar is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.

Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect our current practices. Material changes will be reflected by an updated "Last updated" date at the top of this page, and where appropriate, we may notify you directly. Continuing to use our site or services after changes take effect indicates your agreement to the updated policy.

Contact us

Questions about this policy can be sent to privacy@sidescholar.com.