1. What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files that a website stores on your device when you visit. They help the site remember information about your visit — such as your preferred language or whether you are logged in — making your next visit easier and the site more useful to you.
We also use related technologies such as localStorage (browser storage) to remember your cookie consent choice and any universities you have added to your comparison list.
2. Why We Use Cookies
We use cookies to:
- Keep you logged in to your student dashboard account.
- Remember your language preference across pages.
- Protect the security of form submissions (CSRF protection).
- Save your cookie consent choice so we do not ask every visit.
- Understand how visitors use the website (aggregate, anonymised analytics).
3. Types of Cookies We Use
| Category | Name / Technology | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strictly Necessary | PHPSESSID |
Maintains your login session and CSRF protection tokens. Cannot be disabled without breaking the site. | Session |
| Strictly Necessary | lang (cookie) |
Stores your language preference so every page loads in your chosen language. | 1 year |
| Functional | cookie_consent (localStorage) |
Remembers whether you have accepted or declined non-essential cookies. | Persistent |
| Functional | sgw_compare (localStorage) |
Stores universities you have added to your compare list so the list persists across pages. | Persistent |
| Analytics | Google Analytics (_ga, _gid) |
Collects anonymised data about how visitors use the site (pages visited, session duration). Only set if you have consented. | Up to 2 years |
4. Third-Party Cookies
Some pages embed content from third parties (e.g. YouTube videos, Google Maps). These third parties may set their own cookies subject to their own privacy policies. We do not control those cookies.
- Google Analytics — Google Privacy Policy
- YouTube — embedded videos use
youtube-nocookie.comto minimise tracking.
5. Managing Your Cookie Preferences
Through Our Banner
When you first visit the website, the cookie consent banner allows you to Accept or Decline non-essential cookies. To reset your choice, clear your browser's localStorage for this site (see browser instructions below).
Through Your Browser
All major browsers let you control cookies through their settings. Note that disabling all cookies may affect the functionality of our website (e.g. you will be unable to stay logged in).
- Chrome — Settings → Privacy and security → Cookies and other site data
- Firefox — Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data
- Safari — Preferences → Privacy → Manage Website Data
- Edge — Settings → Cookies and site permissions → Manage and delete cookies
Google Analytics Opt-Out
You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
6. Do Not Track
Some browsers offer a "Do Not Track" (DNT) feature. Because there is currently no agreed standard for how websites should respond to DNT signals, we do not alter our data collection practices based on DNT requests. We encourage you to use the cookie management options described above.
7. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in technology or regulation. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page will be revised accordingly. Continued use of the website after changes are posted constitutes acceptance.