This policy explains how Vayas Abroad ("we", "us", "Vayas") collects, uses and protects your personal data when you use our website and consultancy services.
Who we are
We are a study-abroad consultancy helping students apply to universities in Germany and other countries. Our contact details are in the Impressum. For any privacy question, email hello@vayasabroad.com.
What data we collect
- Enquiry details — when you use our consultation form or message us, we collect your name, email, intended destination and study level, and anything you tell us.
- Messages via WhatsApp — our forms can open WhatsApp to start a chat. Those messages are handled by WhatsApp under its own privacy policy; we receive what you choose to send.
- Account data — if you create an account, we store your email and authentication details through our provider (Supabase).
- Application data — to advise you, we may process academic records, documents and other information you share with us.
- Website analytics — we use a privacy-friendly, cookieless analytics tool (Cloudflare Web Analytics) that records aggregate visits, pages and approximate country. It does not identify you individually.
How and why we use it
- To respond to your enquiry and provide our consultancy services.
- To prepare and support university applications on your behalf, where you ask us to.
- To improve our website using aggregate analytics.
- To meet legal and record-keeping obligations.
Legal bases (GDPR)
We rely on: your consent (e.g. when you contact us or opt in); performance of a contract (delivering services you engage us for); and our legitimate interests (running and improving our service), balanced against your rights.
Who we share it with
We do not sell your data. We share it only with:
- Service providers (processors) who run our infrastructure — e.g. Supabase (accounts/data) and Cloudflare (analytics).
- Universities and institutions, only where you ask us to submit an application on your behalf.
- Authorities, where required by law.
International transfers
We operate from Germany and India, so your data may be transferred between the EU and India and stored with service providers inside and outside the EU (for example our hosting, email and database providers). Where data leaves the EU, we rely on appropriate safeguards such as the EU standard contractual clauses.
How long we keep it
We keep enquiry and client data only as long as needed for the purpose collected or as required by law, then delete or anonymise it. As a rule, enquiry data is deleted no later than 24 months after our last contact; client records are kept for the duration of the engagement plus any statutory retention periods.
Your rights
Under the GDPR you can request access to your data, correction, deletion, restriction, portability, and you can object to certain processing or withdraw consent at any time. To exercise these, email hello@vayasabroad.com. You also have the right to complain to a data protection supervisory authority.
Children
Our services are aimed at prospective university students. We do not knowingly collect data from children under 16 without appropriate consent.
Changes
We may update this policy; the "last updated" date will change. Material changes will be highlighted on this page.
Contact
Vayas Abroad · Düsseldorf, Germany · Hyderabad, India · hello@vayasabroad.com