Introduction

QueryCrest ("we", "our", "us") is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, and your rights under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) of South Africa.

Information We Collect

• Personal details: first name, last name, email address, phone number
• Account credentials: encrypted password (never stored in plain text)
• Academic information: grade results, course preferences
• Address information: physical and postal address (optional)
• Documents: uploaded ID copies and academic certificates (stored securely)
• Usage data: pages visited, features used, session duration

Purpose of Data Collection

We collect your information solely to provide you with our student application and guidance service. Specifically:

• To create and manage your account
• To process and track university applications on your behalf
• To send you notifications about your application status
• To improve our platform based on usage patterns
• To comply with legal obligations

How We Store and Protect Your Information

Your data is stored on Supabase infrastructure hosted on secure, encrypted servers. All passwords are hashed and never stored in plain text. Document uploads are stored in access-controlled storage buckets. We apply industry-standard security practices including TLS encryption for all data in transit.

Sharing of Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. We may share limited information with:

• Universities or colleges you have specifically applied to through our platform
• Service providers that help us operate our platform (e.g. Supabase for database, Google Analytics for usage insights)
• Law enforcement agencies if required by law

Your Rights Under POPIA

As a South African resident, you have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate information
• Request deletion of your account and associated data
• Object to the processing of your personal information
• Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at support@querycrest.com.

Cookies & Third-Party Services

We use cookies for authentication (session management) and analytics (Google Analytics). We also use Google AdSense to display advertisements and Trustpilot for reviews. These third-party services may set their own cookies. You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings.

Updates to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Significant changes will be communicated via email or a notice on our platform. Continued use of QueryCrest after changes are published constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact Us

For any privacy-related queries: support@querycrest.com