In short: to see the full directory you create a free account with your name and email (or Google). We use that only to run your account. We use no advertising cookies, no tracking and no analytics. If you contact us for counselling, we use your details only to reply and help you, and we never sell them.
1. Who we are
This website, University Finder, is run by YCC (Your Certified Consultant), an education consultancy operated by Zahed Hossain in London, United Kingdom. For your personal data, YCC is the data controller under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
Contact for any privacy question or request: zaslinks@gmail.com
2. Your account
The homepage is open to everyone. To explore the full directory you need a free account. When you register we collect:
- your name and email address
- a password, which is stored only in scrambled (hashed) form; we can never see it
- if you choose Continue with Google: the name and email address on your Google account (we do not get your Google password)
- the date you joined
To keep you signed in, your browser stores a login token. This is strictly necessary for the account to work, so it does not need a cookie banner. We do not use analytics or advertising trackers, and we do not save your searches.
Like every website, our hosts keep short technical logs (such as IP address, browser type and the page requested) to deliver the site securely. See section 6.
3. When you contact us
The “Connect with us” form does not store anything on this website. When you press WhatsApp us or Email us, it opens WhatsApp or your email app with your message ready, and you choose whether to send it. If you send it, we receive:
- your name
- your phone or WhatsApp number (if you give it)
- your message, for example the course, country or university you are interested in
- anything else you choose to tell us in later conversations, such as your qualifications or documents, if you go on to use our counselling service
Please do not send sensitive information (such as health details or passport numbers) through this form.
4. Why we use your data and our lawful basis
| Purpose | Lawful basis (UK GDPR Article 6) |
|---|---|
| Creating and running your account, and keeping it secure | Performance of a contract with you: providing the service you signed up for (6(1)(b)) |
| Replying to your enquiry and giving counselling advice | Steps you asked for before entering into a service with us (6(1)(b)), and our legitimate interest in answering enquiries (6(1)(f)) |
| Helping you apply to universities, if you choose to use our services | Performance of a contract with you (6(1)(b)) |
| Keeping basic records of enquiries and advice given | Legitimate interests (6(1)(f)) and legal obligations (6(1)(c)) |
| Sending you news or offers | Only with your consent (6(1)(a)), which you can withdraw at any time. We do not do this unless you ask. |
5. Who we share it with
We do not sell or rent your personal data. We share it only:
- with universities or colleges you ask us to apply to on your behalf, and only with your agreement
- with the service providers we use to communicate and run this site (below)
- where the law requires us to
6. Service providers
- Netlify hosts this website and keeps technical server logs.
- Supabase stores accounts and the university directory, in the European Union (Ireland).
- Google handles sign-in if you choose Continue with Google.
- WhatsApp (Meta) carries messages you send us by WhatsApp.
- Google (Gmail) carries messages you send us by email.
- Google Fonts supplies the page fonts; your browser requests them from Google, which receives your IP address.
Some of these providers process data outside the UK, mainly in the United States. Where they do, the transfer is protected by recognised safeguards such as the UK–US Data Bridge or the ICO’s International Data Transfer Addendum.
Links on this site to university websites, maps, Wikipedia and search engines take you to other sites that have their own privacy policies.
7. How long we keep it
We keep your account until you ask us to delete it. Accounts with no sign-in for 24 months may be deleted. We keep enquiry messages for up to 24 months after our last contact with you, then delete them. If you become a client, we keep your records for as long as needed to provide the service and for up to 6 years afterwards to meet legal and accounting requirements.
8. Your rights
Under UK GDPR you have the right to:
- ask for a copy of the personal data we hold about you
- ask us to correct data that is wrong or incomplete
- ask us to delete your data, including your account
- ask us to restrict or stop using your data, or object to how we use it
- ask for your data in a portable format
- withdraw consent at any time, where we rely on consent
To use any of these rights, email zaslinks@gmail.com. We will reply within one month. There is normally no charge.
9. Complaints
If you are unhappy with how we handle your data, please tell us first so we can put it right. You also have the right to complain to the UK regulator, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO): ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint or helpline 0303 123 1113.
10. About the university data
The university information on this site comes from open public datasets about institutions, not about people. It is provided for reference only; please confirm details directly with each university.
11. Changes to this notice
We may update this notice from time to time. The date at the top shows when it last changed.