Smart Qualify Privacy Policy

Last Updated: May 18, 2025

At Smart Qualify, we are committed to helping job seekers and students achieve their educational and professional goals through services like CV preparation, checking eligibility for universities, APS/AS score determination, and career advice. Your privacy is most valued with us, and we treat it with seriousness. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and disclose your personal information, in a transparent and reliable fashion. In event of enquiries, please e-mail steeroy10@gmail.com.

1. Information We Collect

We collect information directly from you and data generated through your use of the Smart Qualify application.

Information You Provide

• Personal Information: Name, email address, phone number, address, and other information filled when creating CVs or user profiles.

• Academic Information: Grades, qualifications, and APS/AS scores entered for university eligibility checks.

• Career Information: Skills, work experience, career preferences, and CV content entered while searching for careers or job applications.

• User Content: Any other information (e.g., documents, preferences) you upload or input into the app.

Automatically Collected Information

• Device Information: Operating system, device type, and device identifiers to enable app functionality.

• Usage Data: How you interact with the app (e.g., features used, pages viewed) to improve performance and user experience.

• Log Data: IP address, timestamps, and error logs for security and debugging.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to provide and enhance Smart Qualify's services, always in your best interest.

• Service Delivery:

  • Create and tailor professional CVs from your input.

  • Decide on university qualification from your academic information.

  • Calculate APS/AS scores to aid your academic planning.

  • Provide career and career exploration information tailored to your skill set and interests.

• Opportunity Matching:

  • With your explicit consent, we can release your academic record (e.g., grades, APS/AS scores) to bursary benefactors in order to make you a scholarship or funding candidate.

  • With your explicit consent, we can release your CV to prospective employers or recruiters in order to connect you with employment or internship opportunities.

• Development and Assistance:

  • Analyze usage patterns to optimize app functionality and integrate features (e.g., based on user input, such as our CV portal).

  • Answering your questions or technical support inquiries.

• Security: 

  • Detect and prevent fraud, unauthorized access, or other misuse of the application.

3. How We Share Your Information

We share your information only with your permission or as required to provide our services.

• Bursary Donors: If you decide to opt in, we transmit your academic record (e.g., grades, APS/AS scores) to legitimate bursary providers to help you secure funding. You decide what information is transmitted and can withdraw consent at any time.

• Recruiters and Employers: If you opt in, we transmit your CV to recruiters or employers for you to be put forward for job or internship opportunities. You can manage which CVs are sent and cancel permission at any time.

• Service Providers: We employ third-party providers (e.g., AWS for storing data, AWS RDS for managing users) to operate the app. These providers only access the data needed to deliver their services and are subject to strict confidentiality contracts.

• Legal Requirements: We will provide your information if we are legally bound to do so, for instance, in accordance with a court order or to follow laws such as POPIA.

• Aggregated Data: We may provide anonymized, aggregated data (e.g., usage patterns) to our partners for the purpose of improving our services, but this will not be traced back to you.

4. Your Choices and Rights

You have data rights and rights in accordance with applicable laws, e.g., POPIA.

• Consent to Share: You must actively choose to share your educational record with sponsors of bursaries, or CVs with employers. You can manage these decisions in the app settings and withdraw consent at any moment.

• Access and Correction: Ask for access to your personal data or to correct mistakes by contacting us at steeroy10@gmail.com.

• Deletion: Request us to erase your information, and we will do so other than where we have a legal requirement to retain it (e.g., for audit).

• Opt-Out: Disable usage data tracking in app preferences, although this may limit some features.

• Complaints: If concerned about your data, get in touch or report to the South African Information Regulator.

5. Data Security

We have robust steps to protect your data.

• Encryption: Data is encrypted when transmitted and stored (e.g., with AWS S3's secure protocols).

• Access Controls: Authorized staff only access your data, strictly in confidentiality.

• Regular Audits: We audit our systems to identify and resolve security threats.

• Even with these precautions, no system is 100% secure. We do everything we can to secure your data but can make no absolute assurances.

6. Data Retention

We retain your data only for as long as needed.

• Active Users: Your data is saved when you use the app to provide services like CV creation and eligibility check.

• Shared Data: Shared data with bursary recruiters or donors is retained by them in accordance with their policies. You can be removed directly from them.

7. International Data Transfers

Smart Qualify is established in South Africa, but our service providers (e.g., AWS) may be storing data elsewhere. We make such transfers POPIA-compliant and, where applicable, GDPR-compliant using contractual safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses.

8. Children's Privacy

Smart Qualify is not designed for users under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect information from children under the age of 13. If we learn that such information has been collected, we will immediately delete it.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We might add this Privacy Policy to incorporate new features or legal obligations. The newest version will be published on this page, with the "Last Updated" date updated. Important changes will be disclosed through in-app notices or email.

10. Contact Us

For inquiries, requests, or issues regarding your data, please contact us at:

• Email: steeroy10@gmail.com

• Address: 45 Hani Street, Motherwell, Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, 6211, South Africa

Thank you for entrusting your path to academic and professional success to Smart Qualify!