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Version 0.1 - Last Updated: 31 Jan 2023

Data retention

Targeted bulk erasure of data

To comply with the Data Protection Act 2018, we delete some information from our systems that we no longer have reason to keep.

This currently includes deleting applications and customer information where:

  • no payment has ever been made
  • agreed retention triggers and periods have passed

Once the retention period is over, these applications are removed from the system.

There are some exceptions where we'll keep the data for longer, such as cases of fraud.

Retention triggers and periods

Undergraduate loans and grants (excluding DSAs) and Northern Irish Postgraduate Master's and Doctoral Loans

Application approved? Retention trigger Retention period
No 12 months from the start date of the academic year 6 months
No (ineligible) 12 months from the start date of the academic year 6 months
Yes 24 months from the start date of the academic year and no payment made 12 months

Undergraduate and postgraduate DSAs

Application approved? Retention trigger Retention period
No 12 months from the start date of the last year of the course 6 months
No (ineligible) 12 months from the start date of the academic year 12 months
Yes 12 months from the start date of the last year of the course and no payment made 12 months

Student Finance England and Student Finance Wales Postgraduate Master's and Doctoral Loans

Application approved? Retention trigger Retention period
No 12 months from the start date of the last year of the course 6 months
No (ineligible) 12 months from the start date of the academic year 12 months
Yes 12 months from the start date of the last year of the course and no payment made 12 months
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