Who this policy is for
InquireQRC, trading as GradGuide (“GradGuide”, “we”, “us” or “our”), provides a public marketing website for postgraduate researchers, academics, supervisors, institutions and other people interested in its research-support tools. Visitors can browse the website without signing in. GradGuide is responsible for the information collected through this website. For privacy questions, contact info@gradguide.co.za.
The website does not currently provide the GradGuide dashboard and does not process customer payments. Tools that are not yet live may direct visitors to the launch-interest page. A live tool may later link to dashboard.gradguide.co.za.
Information we collect
Information you choose to submit
The launch-interest form may collect your name, email address, optional WhatsApp or mobile number, researcher or audience role, optional institution or organisation, selected tool interests, future-tool interests, originating tool or page, and limited campaign attribution values.
The Contact form may collect your name, email address, enquiry type, optional organisation, message, originating page, and limited campaign attribution values.
Please do not submit thesis text, research data, confidential research material, health information, supervisor feedback, participant information or other sensitive research content through these public website forms.
Technical and analytics information
We use browser storage and consent-aware analytics as described in our Cookie Policy. Where visitors allow analytics, the website may record non-identifying context such as the page or tool viewed, selected-tool count, audience category and CTA location. Form content and form contact details are not sent to Google Analytics.
Why we use information
- To administer launch-list interest and provide updates about selected GradGuide tools.
- To respond to Contact enquiries and route them to the appropriate internal recipient.
- To understand how the public website and its information pages are used when consent allows analytics.
- To protect the website and its forms from misuse, including server-side rate limiting.
A server-side launch-trial status may be recorded for launch administration. It does not automatically create dashboard access, and eligibility is communicated separately where relevant.
Storage, security and service providers
Website form submissions are processed through GradGuide’s separate Firebase and Google Cloud backend and stored server-side. The relevant Firestore service is located in africa-south1. Browsers cannot directly read from or write to those Firestore collections.
We use appropriate service providers to host the website, process website submissions and send authenticated email notifications from info@gradguide.co.za to the relevant internal recipient. We limit access to information to people and providers who need it for the purposes described here.
GradGuide uses server-side rate limiting for website forms. Raw IP addresses are not stored with leads; a hashed identifier may be used temporarily for rate limiting, and related rate-limit records expire automatically.
No internet service can promise absolute security. We take reasonable steps to protect website information, but ask visitors to avoid sending sensitive research content through these public forms.
Retention
We keep website information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, for legal or business obligations, and for legitimate administrative needs, unless a specific approved retention schedule applies. We review information when it is no longer needed.
Your privacy requests
Depending on the circumstances and applicable South African privacy law, you may ask about access to, correction of, deletion of or objection to the handling of your personal information. You may also withdraw optional analytics or advertising consent through .
Send privacy requests to info@gradguide.co.za. We may need to confirm your identity and understand the request before responding. This policy is written with South African privacy principles, including the POPIA context, in mind; it does not make a claim of formal compliance certification.
Changes to this policy
GradGuide may update this policy as the public website, tools or information practices change. The current version will be published on this page. Material changes will be reflected in the wording here before they take effect on the website.