Privacy Policy

Summary of key points

This summary provides key points from our privacy notice, but you can find out more details about any of these topics by using our table of contents below to find the section you are looking for.

What personal information do we process? When you contact us, book an assessment or use our Services, we process information about the student and, where relevant, their parents or guardians, such as contact details, age, education history, study goals, budget, and the documents needed for university and visa applications. Learn more in What information do we collect?.

Do we process any sensitive personal information? We only process sensitive personal information where it is strictly necessary for a university, scholarship or visa application, with your consent or as otherwise permitted by applicable law.

Do we receive any information from third parties? We may receive information from universities, scholarship providers, embassies, visa application centers and other parties involved in your application, and from people who refer you to us. Learn more in What information do we collect?.

How do we process your information? We process your information to provide our advisory, application and visa preparation Services, to communicate with you, to manage payments, for security and fraud prevention, and to comply with law. We may also process your information for other purposes with your consent. Learn more in How do we process your information?.

In what situations and with which types of parties do we share personal information? We do not sell or share your personal information, except with our website hosting provider and, on your instructions, with the universities and authorities handling your applications. Learn more in When and with whom do we share your personal information?.

Is my information sent abroad? Yes. Because our Services involve applying to universities and for visas in other countries, your information is sent to recipients outside Morocco. Learn more in Is your information transferred internationally?.

How do we keep your information safe? We have organizational and technical processes and procedures in place to protect your personal information. However, no electronic transmission over the internet or information storage technology can be guaranteed to be 100% secure. Learn more in How do we keep your information safe?.

What are your rights? Under Moroccan Law No. 09-08 and, where applicable, other privacy laws, you have rights to access, correct and object to the processing of your personal information. Learn more in What are your privacy rights?.

How do I exercise my rights? The easiest way to exercise your rights is by emailing us at info@atlas-scholars.com or contacting us at our Agadir office. We will consider and act upon any request in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

01What information do we collect?

Personal information you disclose to us

In Short: We collect personal information that you provide to us.

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you express an interest in obtaining information about us or our Services, submit our enquiry or booking forms, attend a consultation, use our Services, or otherwise contact us.

Personal Information Provided by You. The personal information we collect depends on the context of your interactions with us and the Services you select. We only collect and keep the information that is necessary to respond to your enquiry and to deliver the Services you have chosen.

Sensitive Information. We only process sensitive information where it is strictly necessary for a university, scholarship or visa application, with your consent or as otherwise permitted by applicable law.

Information about other people. If you provide information about another person (for example, a parent providing information about their child, or a student providing information about a sponsor), you confirm that you are entitled to do so and that the person has been informed of this privacy notice.

Payment Data. We only keep the payment information necessary to record your payments and meet our accounting obligations.

All personal information that you provide to us must be true, complete, and accurate, and you must notify us of any changes to such personal information.

Information automatically collected

In Short: Some information — such as your Internet Protocol (IP) address and/or browser and device characteristics — is collected automatically when you visit our website.

We automatically collect certain information when you visit, use, or navigate our website. This information does not reveal your specific identity (like your name or contact information) but may include device and usage information, such as your IP address, browser and device characteristics, operating system, language preferences, referring URLs, country, approximate location, information about how and when you use our website, and other technical information. This information is primarily needed to maintain the security and operation of our website, and for our internal analytics and reporting purposes.

Like many businesses, we also collect information through cookies and similar technologies, including Google Tag Manager. You can find out more about this in Do we use cookies and other tracking technologies?.

The information we collect includes:

• Log and Usage Data. Service-related, diagnostic, usage, and performance information our servers automatically collect when you access our website, such as your IP address, device information, browser type and settings, the pages you view, the forms you start or submit, and the date and time of your visit.
• Device Data. Information about the computer, phone, tablet, or other device you use to access our website, such as your IP address, browser type, hardware model, Internet service provider and/or mobile carrier, and operating system.
• Location Data. Approximate location information based on your IP address. We do not collect precise GPS location through our website.

Information collected from other sources

In Short: We may collect limited data from parties involved in your application and from referrals.

In order to provide our Services, we may receive information about you from universities and schools (such as admission decisions and offers), scholarship providers, embassies, consulates and visa application centers (such as appointment confirmations and decisions), accommodation providers, translators, and people who refer you to us. If you contact us through a social media platform or WhatsApp, we receive the information you share with us there, such as your name, profile name, phone number and messages.

02How do we process your information?

In Short: We process your information to provide our Services, communicate with you, manage payments, for security and fraud prevention, and to comply with law. We may also process your information for other purposes with your consent.

We process your personal information for a variety of reasons, depending on how you interact with our Services, including:

• To respond to enquiries and book consultations. We may process your information to answer your questions, schedule your Initial Assessment or family consultation, and send reminders.
• To deliver our Services. We may process your information to assess the student’s profile, recommend destinations and universities, prepare the Student Pathway Report, and prepare and manage university, scholarship and visa applications.
• To communicate with universities and authorities on your behalf. We may process your information to submit applications, follow up on their status, and prepare visa files, as agreed in your Service Agreement.
• To provide pre-departure and transition support. We may process your information to help with travel planning, accommodation guidance and first-year support, where included in your Service.
• To manage contracts, invoices and payments. We may process your information to prepare your Service Agreement, issue invoices, and record payments.
• To send administrative information to you. We may process your information to send you details about your Services, deadlines, and changes to our terms and policies.
• To request feedback and testimonials. We may contact you about your experience with our Services. We only publish testimonials with your consent (and, for students under 18, the consent of a parent or guardian).
• To protect our Services. We may process your information to keep our website and systems secure and to detect and prevent fraud, including forged documents.
• To identify usage trends. We may process information about how you use our website so we can improve it.
• To comply with our legal obligations. We may process your information to keep accounting and tax records and to respond to lawful requests from authorities.
• To save or protect an individual’s vital interest. We may process your information when necessary to protect the safety of a student, for example in an emergency abroad.

03What legal bases do we rely on to process your personal information?

In Short: We only process your personal information when we have a valid legal reason to do so under applicable law, such as your consent, the performance of our contract with you, compliance with law, or our legitimate interests.

Under Moroccan law. We process personal information in accordance with Law No. 09-08 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and its implementing decree. We process your information with your consent, or without consent where the processing is necessary to perform a contract with you or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract, to comply with a legal obligation, to protect your vital interests, or for our legitimate interests where these do not override your interests and fundamental rights.

If you are located in the EU or UK, this section also applies to you. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and UK GDPR require us to explain the valid legal bases we rely on in order to process your personal information. As such, we may rely on the following legal bases:

• Consent. We may process your information if you have given us permission (i.e., consent) to use your personal information for a specific purpose, such as publishing a testimonial. You can withdraw your consent at any time. Learn more in What are your privacy rights?.
• Performance of a Contract. We may process your personal information when it is necessary to provide the Services you selected, or at your request before entering into a Service Agreement with you.
• Legitimate Interests. We may process your information when it is reasonably necessary to achieve our legitimate business interests and those interests do not outweigh your interests and fundamental rights and freedoms, for example to analyze how our website is used so we can improve it, to support our marketing activities, and to diagnose problems and/or prevent fraudulent activities.
• Legal Obligations. We may process your information where it is necessary for compliance with our legal obligations, such as accounting and tax requirements, cooperating with a law enforcement body or regulatory agency, or exercising or defending our legal rights.
• Vital Interests. We may process your information where it is necessary to protect your vital interests or the vital interests of a third party, such as situations involving potential threats to the safety of any person.

We are the "data controller" (responsable du traitement) of the personal information described in this privacy notice, since we determine the means and purposes of the processing we perform. Universities, embassies and other organizations that receive your information from us are responsible for their own processing under their own privacy notices.

04When and with whom do we share your personal information?

In Short: We do not sell or share your personal information, except with our website hosting provider and, on your instructions, with the institutions handling your applications.

We do not share your personal information with third parties, except in the following cases:

• Website hosting. The information you submit through our website is stored with our website hosting provider, SiteGround.
• Your applications. When you instruct us to submit an application on your behalf, we send the information and documents required to the relevant university, scholarship provider, embassy, consulate or visa application centre.
• Legal requirements. We may disclose your information where required to comply with the law, a court order, or a lawful request from a public authority.
• Parents and guardians. For students under 18, we share information about the Services with the parent or guardian who signed the Service Agreement. For students aged 18 or over, we only share information with family members as the student agrees.

05What is our stance on third-party websites?

In Short: We are not responsible for the safety of any information that you share with third parties that we may link to, but are not affiliated with, our Services.

Our website links to third-party websites and services, such as Instagram, WhatsApp, university websites and application portals, and embassy and visa application centre websites. We do not make any guarantee regarding any such third parties, and we will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by the use of such third-party websites, services, or applications. The inclusion of a link towards a third-party website, service, or application does not imply an endorsement by us. Any data collected by third parties is not covered by this privacy notice. You should review the policies of such third parties and contact them directly to respond to your questions.

06Do we use cookies and other tracking technologies?

In Short: We may use cookies and other tracking technologies to collect and store your information.

We may use cookies and similar tracking technologies (like web beacons and pixels) to access or store information. Our website uses Google Tag Manager, which may load analytics and other tags provided by Google or other providers. These tools may collect information such as your IP address, device and browser information, and the pages you visit.

Where required by law, we will ask for your consent before placing non-essential cookies. You can refuse or delete cookies through your browser settings. To opt out of being tracked by Google Analytics, visit https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout. For more information on the privacy practices of Google, please visit https://policies.google.com/privacy.

07How do we handle WhatsApp and social media?

In Short: If you contact us through WhatsApp or social media, the platform will also process your information.

We offer consultations and support by WhatsApp, and we share content on Instagram. When you message us on WhatsApp, we receive your phone number, profile name and the messages and documents you send. These platforms are operated by third parties (such as Meta Platforms) that process your information under their own privacy notices. We do not control, and are not responsible for, their use of your information. We recommend that you avoid sending highly sensitive documents (such as passport scans or bank statements) by WhatsApp where we have offered you a more secure method.

08Is your information transferred internationally?

In Short: We transfer your information to countries outside Morocco where this is needed to deliver your Services.

We are based in Morocco. Our website is hosted by SiteGround, a third-party hosting provider, on servers located in the United States. Because our Services involve applying to universities and for visas abroad, your information will be transferred to recipients in the destination countries you choose, including Turkey, Poland, Germany, France, Canada, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, and China, and to our website hosting provider in the United States.

Under Law No. 09-08, we transfer personal information outside Morocco only where the destination country provides an adequate level of protection, where the CNDP has authorized the transfer, or where an exception applies, such as your express consent or where the transfer is necessary to perform the Services you have requested. Some of these countries may not have data protection laws as comprehensive as those in your country. However, we will take all necessary measures to protect your personal information in accordance with this privacy notice and applicable law.

09How long do we keep your information?

In Short: We keep your information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this privacy notice unless otherwise required by law.

We will only keep your personal information for as long as it is necessary for the purposes set out in this privacy notice, in accordance with Law No. 09-08, unless a longer retention period is required by law. In particular:

• Contracts, invoices, payment and accounting records: 10 years, as required by Moroccan commercial and accounting law
• Enquiries, client files, applications, visa documents, and copies of identity, financial and sensitive documents: only for as long as needed to provide the Service and to handle any related dispute or legal obligation, after which they are deleted or returned

When we have no ongoing legitimate business need to process your personal information, we will either delete or anonymize such information, or, if this is not possible (for example, because your personal information has been stored in backup archives), then we will securely store your personal information and isolate it from any further processing until deletion is possible. Original documents you give us are returned to you.

10How do we keep your information safe?

In Short: We aim to protect your personal information through a system of organizational and technical security measures.

We have implemented appropriate and reasonable technical and organizational security measures designed to protect the security of any personal information we process, including limiting access to client files to staff who need it, and keeping physical documents at our office secure. However, despite our safeguards and efforts to secure your information, no electronic transmission over the Internet or information storage technology can be guaranteed to be 100% secure, so we cannot promise or guarantee that hackers, cybercriminals, or other unauthorized third parties will not be able to defeat our security and improperly collect, access, steal, or modify your information. Although we will do our best to protect your personal information, transmission of personal information to and from our Services is at your own risk.

11Do we collect information from minors?

In Short: Where a student is under 18, we process their information only with the knowledge and consent of a parent or legal guardian.

Where a student is under 18, we process their personal information only with the consent of a parent or legal guardian, who must sign the Service Agreement and may exercise the student’s privacy rights on their behalf. We may ask for proof of parental consent before providing any Service. If we learn that we have collected information from a student under 18 without parental consent, we will take reasonable measures to obtain consent or delete the data. If you become aware of any such data, please contact us at info@atlas-scholars.com.

12What are your privacy rights?

In Short: Under Moroccan law and, where applicable, other privacy laws, you have rights that allow you access to and control over your personal information.

Under Law No. 09-08, you have the right (i) to be informed about the processing of your personal information, (ii) to access your personal information and obtain a copy of it, (iii) to request the rectification, updating, blocking or deletion of inaccurate, incomplete or unlawfully processed information, and (iv) to object, on legitimate grounds, to the processing of your personal information, and to object free of charge to its use for marketing. You can make such a request by contacting us using the details in How can you contact us about this notice?.

We will consider and act upon any request in accordance with applicable data protection laws. We may need to verify your identity before responding. If you believe we are unlawfully processing your personal information, you also have the right to complain to the Moroccan data protection authority, the CNDP (https://www.cndp.ma).

Withdrawing your consent: If we are relying on your consent to process your personal information, you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us using the details provided in How can you contact us about this notice?. However, please note that this will not affect the lawfulness of the processing before its withdrawal, nor will it affect processing based on other lawful grounds. If you withdraw consent to sharing information needed for an application, we may not be able to continue that part of the Service.

Cookies and similar technologies: Most web browsers are set to accept cookies by default. If you prefer, you can usually choose to set your browser to remove cookies and to reject cookies. If you choose to remove cookies or reject cookies, this could affect certain features of our website.

If you have questions or comments about your privacy rights, you may email us at info@atlas-scholars.com.

13Controls for Do-Not-Track features

Most web browsers and some mobile operating systems and mobile applications include a Do-Not-Track ("DNT") feature or setting you can activate to signal your privacy preference not to have data about your online browsing activities monitored and collected. At this stage no uniform technology standard for recognizing and implementing DNT signals has been finalized. As such, we do not currently respond to DNT browser signals or any other mechanism that automatically communicates your choice not to be tracked online. If a standard for online tracking is adopted that we must follow in the future, we will inform you about that practice in a revised version of this privacy notice.

14Do users outside Morocco have specific privacy rights?

In Short: You may have additional rights based on the country you reside in.

European Economic Area, United Kingdom and Switzerland. If you are located in the EEA, the UK or Switzerland, you may also have the right to restrict the processing of your personal information, to data portability, and not to be subject to automated decision-making. You also have the right to complain to your Member State data protection authority (https://edpb.europa.eu/about-edpb/about-edpb/members_en), the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (https://ico.org.uk), or the Swiss Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (https://www.edoeb.admin.ch), as applicable.

Other countries. If you live in another country, you may have additional rights under the laws of that country. Please contact us and we will respond in accordance with applicable law.

15Do we make updates to this notice?

In Short: Yes, we will update this notice as necessary to stay compliant with relevant laws.

We may update this privacy notice from time to time. The updated version will be indicated by an updated "Last updated" date and the updated version will be effective as soon as it is accessible. If we make material changes to this privacy notice, we may notify you either by prominently posting a notice of such changes or by directly sending you a notification. We encourage you to review this privacy notice frequently to be informed of how we are protecting your information.

16How can you contact us about this notice?

If you have questions or comments about this notice, you may contact us by email at info@atlas-scholars.com, by phone or WhatsApp at +212 662 68 13 93, or by post to:

Atlas Scholars SARL
Avenue Massoude El Wafquaoui, Building No. 1278
Office No. 12, 2nd Floor, Cité Salam
Agadir, Morocco

17How can you review, update, or delete the data we collect from you?

Based on the applicable laws of your country, you have the right to request access to the personal information we collect from you, change that information, or delete it. To request to review, update, or delete your personal information, please email info@atlas-scholars.com with the subject line "Privacy Request", or visit our contact page at https://www.atlas-scholars.com/en/contact. We will respond within 90 days.