Please follow the link below to read the full The Alpha Student privacy notice, explaining how we use and protect your personal data and how to exercise your rights.
This applies to anyone who provides their personal data to Vita Student, for example by joining a mailing list, making an accommodation enquiry, living at any The Alpha Student residence, using our App, registering for an event, or entering a competition.
At The Alpha Student we take privacy seriously and we are committed to protecting it.
This policy explains when and why we collect personal information about individuals who are customers, prospective future customers, previous customers, users of our website, social media channels, and The Alpha Student app and other individuals who may be connected to them, how this information is used, the conditions under which it may be disclosed to others and broadly how it is kept secure.
This policy may change from time to time so please check this page periodically to ensure that you’re aware of any changes.
This policy was last updated in February 2026.
The Alpha Student and contact data included in the section “contact us” below, referred to throughout this document as “The Alpha Student”, is the data controller in relation to the processing activities described below. This means that The Alpha Student decides why and how your personal information is processed.
This policy also covers certain other affiliated companies or service partners where The Alpha Student acts as the data controller. Whenever dealing with one of these partners, The Alpha Student will be the ‘controller’ of your personal information. Where this policy refers to “we”, “our” or “us” below, unless it mentions otherwise, it’s referring to The Alpha Student or the particular partner that is the controller of your personal information. A “controller” is an organisation that decides why and how your personal information is processed.
We provide student accommodation services at certain buildings as a processor on behalf of the owner of those buildings (“Relevant Buildings”). The Relevant Buildings owner and controller in respect of processing of your personal data for the purposes of providing student accommodation services for the Relevant Buildings and their full privacy policy explaining how they process your personal data, and other important information such as who to contact to exercise your rights, can be found at the bottom of this page.
We collect personal information from you in the following ways:
This is information about you that you give to us by, for example:
Visiting our Website
Using our Web or mobile applications (including online chat)
Viewing or following our channels on any social media platforms
Posting your own content on any social media platforms and tagging our account
Corresponding with us by phone, email, direct message via social media, or otherwise
Attending one of our organised or sponsored events
Making an expression of interest at a campus fair or accommodation event run by your university or college
and is provided by you voluntarily. This includes information provided at the time of registering to use our site, expressing an interest in making a booking, subscribing to the services we provide through our websites and other channels, requesting further information, material or associated services, managing your personal details (including accessing documentation and engaging in correspondence with us by phone, email or otherwise). If you complete any surveys that we request you complete for research purposes, we will collect information in such circumstances as well. The information you give us will typically include your name, address, email address and phone number(s), age and date of birth, your specific enquiry details, details of your course of study, and may include records of any correspondence and responses to marketing campaigns.
We may collect the following information, either by request or automatically: your contact details, geographic and demographic information, preferences and interests and other information you provide through, amongst other things, your attendance at events, responses given in surveys, and visits to our Website and app, including data about the information and resources you access. We may also automatically collect technical information, including anonymous data collected by the hosting server, the Internet Protocol (IP) address used to connect your computer or device to the Internet, browser type and version, time zone setting, browser plug-in types and versions, operating system and platform. Please see our Cookies Policy for further information. We may also collect any personal information which you allow to be shared that is part of your public profile(s) on third party social networks, including but not limited to time zone setting, browser plug-in types and versions, operating system and platform, and your preferences, interests and other behaviours.
We may also obtain certain personal information about you from sources outside of our business which may include both our affiliated companies (where you have previously provided details to them) or other third party companies where you have previously provided your consent to personal information being shared, in accordance with those third parties’ own privacy policies. The personal information we receive from third party sources is typically your contact details, certain demographic information, and may also include details about information you have previously requested and/or preferences you have previously expressed concerning specific areas of interest.
We may process a range of personal information about you. To make it easier to understand the information that we use about you, we have divided this information into categories in the list below and provided a short explanation of the type of information each category typically covers.
Basic contact and identification details, such as name, address, phone number, email address and date of birth
Behavioural — such as your activities, actions and behaviours
Biographical — such as your academic background and course(s) of study
Geo-location information — which contains or reveals the location of your electronic devices
Access detection information — which allows us to determine periods of occupancy and non-occupancy in your accommodation
Health & Safety information — such as next-of-kin details to contact in case of an emergency
Identification information — contained in a formal identification document such as your passport or ID
Images — for example your likeness captured in CCTV images or photography carried out in our buildings or at events you attend
Banking/Billing information — used to collect payments from you or return money owed to you
Fraud information — relating to the occurrence, investigation or prevention of fraud
Legal information — relating to legal claims made by you or against you or the claims process
Booking Transactions information — relating to accommodation bookings and ancillary services provided to you
Correspondence information — contained in our correspondence or other communications with you about our products, services or business
The purposes for which we use your information and the legal basis under South African data protection laws (POPIA) on which we rely to do this are explained below.
We will use your personal information to comply with our legal obligations, such as: to assist any public authority, industry regulator, or investigation body; to correctly identify you when you contact us and/or to verify the accuracy of data we hold about you. We will also use your personal information in complying with the law and any relevant regulation, including responding to regulators.
We may use and process your personal information where we have supplied you with accommodation or related services, where we act as an appointed agent, or where you are in detailed discussions with us about a service. We will use this information to ensure that the terms of the relevant agreement are carried out.
We may (where POPIA permits) use and process your personal information where it is necessary for us to pursue our legitimate interests or those of an affiliated company or partner, for purposes including:
Corresponding or communicating with you generally
Marketing activities (other than where we rely on your consent to contact you)
Enhancing your accommodation experience (e.g., promotions, competitions)
Analysing usage to inform marketing strategy and improve services
Verifying accuracy of data to improve understanding of you as a customer
Building security and performance monitoring (including CCTV in communal spaces)
Network and information security
Preventing fraud and other criminal activities
Complying with a request from you in connection with your rights
Managing queries, complaints, or claims
Running our business, maintaining appropriate websites, records, and service administration
Conducting corporate transactions related to our buildings or business
Establishing and defending our legal rights
We may use and process your personal information based on your consent for purposes including:
Contacting you via email or SMS with marketing information about relevant accommodation and services
Enabling participation in The Alpha Student experience, including events or app features
Sharing your data with certain affiliated companies or partners to contact you with marketing information about similar products and services
You may withdraw your consent at any time. See Withdrawing your consent below.
We may disclose your information to third-party service providers who act on our behalf, including hosting, data storage, app development, digital and marketing agencies, and administrative service providers. We only disclose what’s necessary for them to provide their services and require contracts ensuring they protect your information.
Where relevant, credit or debit card transactions may be processed by third-party payment agents. We do not store your card details in our systems.
We may disclose your personal data to comply with legal obligations, detect fraud, enforce contracts, or protect rights.
We may transfer personal information in connection with the sale or restructuring of our business, always taking steps to ensure protection of your privacy.
Your information may be transferred to service providers outside South Africa. We take steps to ensure appropriate security measures and that privacy rights are upheld.
We retain your personal information only as long as necessary for the purposes collected or required by law.
Call recordings are retained for up to 90 days
Data required for contracts or legal obligations may be retained for 7 years
Data collected under consent or legitimate interests may be retained in line with POPIA and the duration of your accommodation
We implement reasonable technical and managerial safeguards to protect your information. Transmission over the internet is at your own risk. We are not responsible for privacy practices of other websites linked from ours.
We use cookies to improve your experience. See our separate Cookies Policy for details.
We may use your personal data to provide marketing via email, SMS, social media, or online ads. You may opt-out at any time.
Under POPIA, you may:
Access your personal information
Correct or update information
Withdraw consent
Object to processing
Request deletion
Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator
Privacy Officer — The Alpha Student
Email: privacy@thealphastudent.co.za
Phone: +27 (insert number)
Address: (insert physical address)