NextApply is built for students, and that includes protecting the small amount of data we handle. This policy explains, in plain language, what we collect when you use the platform, why we collect it, and the control you have over it.
1. The short version
- We don't require an account and we don't build profiles about you.
- Your saved opportunities and application tracker stay on your own device — we never see them.
- We only store an email address if you send us a message.
- Analytics and advertising cookies only run if you explicitly consent, and you can withdraw that consent at any time.
2. Information we collect
Depending on how you use NextApply, we may process the following:
- Contact form messages. When you contact us, we store your email address, message, and (for listing reports) the affected listing, so we can investigate and reply.
- Abuse protection. Your IP address is recorded at contact time for rate-limiting and spam prevention.
- Usage analytics. With your consent, anonymised page views and ad interactions may be measured to monitor site performance.
- Local device data. Saved opportunities, tracker entries, checklist progress, and theme preference are stored only in your browser (localStorage) and are never transmitted to us.
3. How we use your information
We use the data above solely to respond to your messages, keep the platform free of abuse, and understand aggregate usage of the site. We do not sell your data, rent it, or share it with advertisers for their own targeting.
4. Cookies and consent
Cookies and similar technologies fall into two groups on NextApply: strictly necessary cookies that keep the site secure and remember your consent choice, and optional advertising/analytics cookies that only load after you accept them in the consent banner. Details of each category, and how to change your choice, are set out in our Cookie Policy.
5. Third-party services
Listings link to external scholarship provider websites and university application portals. We do not control, and are not responsible for, the privacy practices of those sites — please read their own privacy statements before submitting personal details. Where we use third-party infrastructure (hosting, email delivery, spam protection), those providers process data only on our instructions and under comparable safeguards.
6. How long we keep data
- Contact messages: retained only as long as needed to resolve your enquiry, then deleted.
- Rate-limit records: short-lived, used purely for abuse prevention.
- Saved items & tracker data: stored in your browser until you clear them or delete them yourself.
7. Your rights
You have the right to access, correct, or delete the personal data we hold about you, to object to or restrict certain processing, and to withdraw consent at any time. Your cookie consent can be changed instantly via “Cookie Preferences” in the footer. For anything else — including a data access or deletion request — send us a message through the contact form and we will respond within a reasonable timeframe.
8. Children
NextApply is intended for students of typical application age and is not directed at young children. We do not knowingly collect data from children, and we remove any such data if it comes to our attention.
9. Security
We apply industry-standard safeguards — encrypted connections (HTTPS), access controls, and minimal data retention — to protect the limited personal data we hold. No internet service can be guaranteed 100% secure, but we design our systems to keep exposure as small as possible.
10. Changes to this policy
If we make material changes to this policy, we will update the date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, announce it on the site. Continued use of NextApply after a change takes effect means you accept the updated policy.