Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Alifa Edtech Ltd. (“Alifa Edtech,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the responsible collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, store, and safeguard your information when you interact with our website, platform, or any related services (collectively, the “Services”).By accessing or using our Services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and agree to be bound by its terms. If you do not agree, please do not use the Services.This Policy applies globally to all users, including parents, students, educators, schools, and partners, irrespective of location, with applicable terms interpreted in compliance with governing laws, including but not limited to the Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL) of China.

2. Who We Are

Alifa Edtech Ltd. is an education consultancy company headquartered in Beijing, China. Our primary business involves:
  • Facilitating placements into verified international schools in China,
  • Coordinating cross-border study abroad exchange programs, and
  • Providing guardianship services for minor students residing temporarily in China.
If you have questions or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy or how we process your data, you may contact our Privacy Officer at:Email: [email protected]

3. Legal Bases for Data Processing

Our processing of personal information is grounded in one or more of the following legal bases, as required under the PIPL and other applicable international standards:
  • Consent: We collect and process personal data only where clear, informed, and voluntary consent is provided, especially where minors are involved.
  • Contractual Necessity: Data is processed to fulfil our contractual obligations to users, including providing school recommendations, guardianship support, and communications. This may include responding to user inquiries, enabling feedback mechanisms such as surveys, polls, or comments on platform content, and delivering relevant updates or notifications in connection with our services.
  • Legal Compliance: In certain instances, we are required by law to collect and retain personal data.
  • Legitimate Interests: We may process data to improve service quality, maintain platform security, or monitor fraud, provided such processing does not override your rights. You may withdraw your consent at any time, subject to applicable legal conditions, by contacting [email protected].

4. Types of Information We Collect

We collect different categories of information depending on how you engage with our Services. This includes:

a. Information You Provide Directly

This includes, but is not limited to:
  • Full name, email address, and phone number
  • User category (e.g., student, parent/guardian, educator/teacher, school representative)
  • Student academic records and personal preferences, including current grades, academic portfolios, and standardized test results, where applicable
  • Uploaded documentation (e.g., passports, transcripts, Student portfolio, Resume/CV)
  • Guardian-provided financial planning details, such as estimated tuition budgets per year, instalment plans, etc
  • Guardian-provided financial planning details, such as estimated tuition budgets per year, instalment plans, etc

b. Automatically Collected Information

When you interact with our website, we may collect:
  • Device type, operating system, browser information
  • IP address and general geolocation
  • Session data, navigation behavior, and interaction timestamps
Cookies and tracking technologies may be used to support core functionality. While currently limited, use of analytics and cookies may expand in future; such updates will be reflected in this Policy.

c. Sensitive Personal Information

Where necessary to provide certain services (such as guardianship or welfare monitoring), we may collect:
  • Minor student information, including age and guardianship status
  • Emergency contact details and limited health-related information (e.g., allergies or special needs)
Such data is collected only with parental/legal guardian consent and processed strictly for essential purposes.

5. How We Use Personal Information

We use the personal information we collect for the following lawful and operational purposes:
  • To deliver core services such as school matching, guardianship support, student visa support, and facilitation of study abroad exchanges.
  • To communicate with users regarding admission applications, school online interviews, entrance exam guidance, program eligibility, service updates, confirmations, or issues related to participation.
  • To process payments for paid services such as guardianship or third-party programs (in cases where Alifa Edtech facilitates payment on behalf of others, like short-term exchange program providers).
  • To support student welfare during guardianship, including academic updates, emergency response, and well-being checks.
  • To improve platform functionality for user experience, monitor engagement, troubleshoot problems, and maintain security.
  • To comply with legal obligations, including anti-fraud, data protection, and parental consent regulations.
  • To send promotional or informational communications, subject to your preferences and applicable consent laws.
Marketing emails can be opted out of at any time using unsubscribe links provided in communications or by contacting us at [email protected].

6. Parental Consent for Minors

Our services frequently involve users who are minors (under 18). In such cases, we collect and process personal information only under the following conditions:
  • Parental or legal guardian consent is required prior to any data collection or service use.
  • Consent must be informed, explicit, and verifiable, in accordance with the Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL) and related regulations.
  • Guardians may be required to provide documentation to verify their identity and authority to act on behalf of the minor.
  • Data processing for minors is limited strictly to service-related purposes, including academic placement, welfare monitoring, and emergency support.
Parents or guardians may access, review, or withdraw consent for the use of their child’s data at any time by contacting[email protected]. We reserve the right to suspend services if valid consent is not maintained.When you use the "Message This School" feature on any school profile page, we collect the information you submit in the contact form: your full name, email address, mobile number (including country code), WeChat ID (if provided), and the message you write.We use this information for one purpose: to forward your enquiry to the school you selected. Your message is transmitted to that school via two channels — email to the school's registered address, and a notification to the school's WeChat Official Account. We do not use this information for marketing, and we do not forward it to any other school or third party.Your contact details are shared with the school you contacted. They will use those details to reply to you directly, typically via WhatsApp or WeChat. Alifa does not control how the school stores or handles your information after delivery.Because messages are transmitted through WeChat's platform, your data passes through WeChat's infrastructure, which operates under Chinese law. By submitting an enquiry, you acknowledge this transfer.We store your submission record — including the message content and contact details — for 12 months, after which it is deleted. To request early deletion of your submission, contact us at [email protected] with the subject line "Data Deletion Request."One enquiry may be sent to each school per calendar day. This limit exists to protect schools from duplicate messages and to ensure your enquiry receives proper attention.

7. Use of Cookies and Similar Technologies

We may use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience. These may include:
  • Essential Cookies: Enable core functionality such as account login and navigation.
  • Performance Cookies: Monitor how users interact with the site (e.g., session durations, navigation flows). These may be introduced in future with analytics tools.
  • Marketing Cookies: Used in the future for retargeting or tracking campaign performance, subject to user consent where required.
You may manage or disable cookies through your browser settings. Where legally required (e.g., in the EU), non-essential cookies will be deployed only after user consent.We will update this Policy when analytics or marketing technologies are implemented and provide mechanisms for managing preferences at that time.

8. Information Sharing and Third Parties

We share personal information with third parties only where necessary, and in compliance with applicable laws and this Privacy Policy.Categories of recipients may include:
  • Verified international schools in China and sending schools abroad, for admissions and exchange facilitation.
  • Guardianship personnel and local support staff, for monitoring, emergencies, and academic reporting.
  • Payment processors, such as Stripe, PayPal, Airwallex, or authorized bank channels, used to facilitate service payments.
  • Third-party service providers, including educational program operators, when users engage directly or through the platform.
Each recipient is contractually bound to maintain the confidentiality and security of the data provided. Alifa Edtech does not sell, rent, or commercially exploit your personal data.We may disclose your information where required by law or court order, or to defend our legal rights or prevent fraud or misuse of our services.

9. Cross-Border Data Transfers

Alifa Edtech Ltd. operates and maintains its primary systems in the People’s Republic of China. If you are located outside China and use our Services, please be aware that your personal information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in China.By using our Services, you acknowledge and consent to the cross-border transfer of your information, subject to the following safeguards:
  • Transfers are made only where necessary for the performance of our services or compliance with your requests.
  • All transfers comply with the Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL) and relevant Chinese cybersecurity regulations.
  • We implement appropriate administrative, contractual, and technical safeguards to ensure your data remains protected regardless of your location.
Users residing in jurisdictions with specific cross-border data restrictions (e.g., EU or UK) should note that our platform currently operates under Chinese legal jurisdiction, and local adequacy decisions may not apply.

10. Marketing and Communication Preferences

We may send users emails or messages regarding:
  • Service updates and reminders
  • Program information and application timelines
  • Newsletters or promotional offers (where consent is applicable)
You may choose to opt out of marketing communications at any time by:
  • Clicking the “Unsubscribe” link included in promotional emails, or
  • Contacting us directly at [email protected] with your request
Please note that we may still send essential service communications (e.g., payment confirmations or legal updates), even if you opt out of promotional content.Where required by law (e.g., GDPR jurisdictions), we will obtain your explicit consent before sending marketing communications.

11. Data Retention

We retain personal data only as long as necessary to:
  • Provide services to users
  • Fulfill contractual or legal obligations
  • Resolve disputes or enforce our agreements
  • Meet statutory and regulatory requirements
Typical retention periods may include:
  • Student and school matching data – retained until the end of the academic cycle or application process
  • Guardianship records – retained for a reasonable duration following program completion, to support welfare accountability or legal obligations
  • Payment and transaction data – retained for audit and tax compliance, typically 5 - 7 years
Upon expiry of the applicable retention period, data will be securely deleted, anonymized, or archived in accordance with best practices and legal requirements.You may request the deletion of your personal data at any time (subject to verification and any overriding legal obligations) by contacting [email protected].

12. Your Privacy Rights

Subject to applicable laws, including the PIPL and relevant international data protection frameworks, you may have the right to:
  • Access the personal information we hold about you
  • Correct or update inaccurate or outdated data
  • Request deletion of your data (where no longer required)
  • Withdraw consent for processing (e.g., marketing or minor student services)
  • Object to certain processing where based on legitimate interest
  • Receive explanations for automated decisions, if implemented in the future including the basic logic involved and your ability to request human review where applicable.
  • File a complaint with a supervisory authority, if your concerns remain unresolved
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at:Email: [email protected]
Subject Line: “Data Rights Request – [Your Name]”We may request identity verification before fulfilling your request. We aim to respond to all inquiries within 3 - 7 day period.

13. Data Security Measures

We are committed to safeguarding the personal data we collect and maintain. Alifa Edtech Ltd. implements a combination of technical, administrative, and physical safeguards to protect your information from unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure.Our measures include:
  • Encryption of data in transit and at rest (where applicable)
  • Access controls and role-based permission systems to limit internal access
  • Secure payment channels, using verified processors such as Stripe, PayPal, and Airwallex
  • Routine monitoring and security audits of platform infrastructure
  • Incident response protocols, including breach notification procedures in accordance with the Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL) and other applicable standards
While we take all reasonable steps to secure your information, no system or transmission over the Internet can be guaranteed as 100% secure. We encourage users to use strong passwords, avoid sharing account credentials, and report any suspicious activity to [email protected].

14. Third-Party Services and Links

Our Services may contain links to or integrations with third-party platforms, services, or content. These include, but are not limited to:
  • Payment processors
  • Partner schools or program providers
  • Educational tools or platforms used for form submissions or communications
Please note:
  • These third parties operate independently and are governed by their own privacy policies and terms of service.
  • We do not control and are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of such third parties.
  • We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any external services before engaging with them or submitting personal information.
Alifa Edtech does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy, safety, or integrity of any third-party offering or website.

15. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may revise or update this Privacy Policy from time to time in response to legal, regulatory, technical, or operational developments.
  • Material changes will be communicated through our website or by email (where appropriate).
  • The “Effective Date” at the top of this Policy reflects the date of the most recent update.
  • Your continued use of our Services after a Policy update constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.
We encourage users to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect and use your information.

16. Contact Us

If you have any questions, requests, or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, you may contact us at:Email: [email protected]We are committed to resolving any privacy-related issues promptly and transparently.