Privacy Policy

Last updated: 2026-05-21

This Privacy Policy explains how Kunming College of Eastern Language ("KCEL", "we", "us") collects, uses, shares, and protects personal data when you visit our website at learnchineseinkunming.com, submit our application form, or otherwise communicate with us. It applies to prospective and enrolled students worldwide, including residents of the European Economic Area (EEA) and the United Kingdom, for whom the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the UK GDPR apply.

1. Who we are

KCEL is a Chinese language school based in Kunming, Yunnan Province, China. We are the data controller for the personal data described in this policy.

Address: 5th Floor, Tower A, Fuchun Building, 218 Dongfeng West Road, Wuhua District, Kunming, Yunnan 650091, China
Contact for privacy questions: admin@learnchineseinkunming.com

2. What personal data we collect

2.1 Data you give us directly

When you submit our application form at /apply-now, we collect:

  • Full name
  • Email address
  • Nationality / country
  • Current Chinese language level
  • Preferred program type, start date, and study duration
  • Whether you need X2 student visa support
  • Whether you need housing support (optional)
  • How you heard about KCEL (optional)
  • Any additional questions or comments you choose to share (optional)

If you contact us by email or messaging app, we receive whatever information you choose to send, including your name, email address, any attachments, and the content of your message.

If you enroll, we additionally collect information needed to issue an invoice, prepare your School Admission Letter, and (if applicable) support your X2 visa application — for example, passport details and proof of payment. Proof of payment may include screenshots or transaction records you send us via WeChat, Alipay, bank, Wise, or PayPal.

2.2 Data collected automatically

When you visit our website, we and our analytics provider collect:

  • Standard server log information via our hosting provider (Netlify): IP address, browser type, pages visited, referrer, and timestamps. This is used to operate the site, prevent abuse, and diagnose problems.
  • Google Analytics 4 (GA4) usage data: pages viewed, approximate location (derived from IP, then truncated by Google), device type, and engagement events. GA4 sets cookies (_ga and similar) for this purpose.
  • Marketing-attribution parameters if you arrived from an ad or campaign link: gclid, gbraid, wbraid, utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign, utm_content, utm_term, the page you landed on, and the referring URL. These are held in your browser's sessionStorage for the duration of your visit and, if you submit the application form, included with your submission so we can measure which channels lead to inquiries.

For more on cookies and how to disable them, see Section 9 below.

3. Why we use your data and our legal basis

Under GDPR, we rely on the following lawful bases:

  • To respond to your inquiry, prepare a quote, and enroll you — necessary to take steps at your request prior to entering into a contract, and to perform that contract once you enroll (GDPR Art. 6(1)(b)).
  • To issue invoices and keep payment records — necessary to comply with our legal and tax obligations (GDPR Art. 6(1)(c)).
  • To operate, secure, and improve our website, and to understand which marketing channels work — our legitimate interest in running and improving the school (GDPR Art. 6(1)(f)). You may object to this processing at any time (see Section 7).
  • To send you operational communications about your application — performance of the inquiry/contract relationship (Art. 6(1)(b)).

We do not currently send marketing newsletters. If we ever do, we will ask for your consent first (Art. 6(1)(a)) and you will be able to unsubscribe at any time.

4. Who we share your data with

We do not sell your personal data. We share it only with the service providers that help us run the school, and only as needed:

  • Netlify, Inc. — hosts our website and stores submissions made through the application form.
  • Google LLC (Google Workspace, Gmail, Google Drive, Firestore, Google Analytics, Google Ads, Gemini API) — provides our business email, document and file storage, our internal student/invoice database, our website analytics, and an AI tool that helps us draft reply emails. Drafts created by the AI tool are always reviewed by a human before being sent.
  • Payment providers — PayPal, Wise, our bank, WeChat Pay, and Alipay process payments you make to us. They handle your payment information under their own privacy policies.
  • Authorities — we may disclose personal data when required by law, by a court order, or to protect our legal rights.

5. International transfers

KCEL is based in China. Our service providers (Netlify, Google) primarily process data in the United States and other countries. When personal data of EEA or UK residents is transferred outside the EEA or UK, it is protected by the Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission (and the UK equivalent), which are incorporated into our agreements with these providers as part of their standard data processing terms.

6. How long we keep your data

  • Inquiries that do not lead to enrollment: deleted within 24 months of your last contact with us.
  • Enrolled student records and related emails: kept for the duration of your studies plus 24 months, then deleted or anonymized.
  • Invoices and payment records: kept for 7 years to satisfy Chinese tax and accounting requirements.
  • Website analytics: retained according to Google Analytics 4's default retention (currently up to 14 months at the event level).

You can ask us to delete your data sooner — see Section 7.

7. Your rights

If GDPR or UK GDPR applies to you, you have the right to:

  • Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you (access);
  • Have inaccurate or incomplete data corrected (rectification);
  • Have your data deleted (erasure), subject to legal retention obligations such as tax records;
  • Ask us to limit how we use your data (restriction);
  • Receive a portable copy of data you provided to us (portability);
  • Object to processing based on our legitimate interests, including analytics and marketing-attribution tracking;
  • Withdraw consent at any time, where we rely on consent (this does not affect processing already carried out).

To exercise any of these rights, email admin@learnchineseinkunming.com. We will respond within 30 days. We may ask you to verify your identity before we act on a request.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection supervisory authority. In the EU, you can find your authority via the European Data Protection Board. In the UK, the supervisory authority is the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

8. Security

We use reputable cloud providers (Netlify, Google) whose platforms encrypt data in transit and at rest by default. Access to our internal systems requires individual accounts and credentials are kept off our public code repository. No system is completely secure; if a personal data breach occurs that is likely to result in a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will notify the relevant supervisory authority within 72 hours and, where required, inform you.

9. Cookies and tracking

Our website uses the following cookies and similar technologies:

  • Strictly necessary: none beyond what your browser uses to load the site.
  • Analytics: Google Analytics 4 sets cookies (_ga, _ga_*) to measure how visitors use the site. You can opt out by installing the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on, by using your browser's "Do Not Track" or privacy settings, or by blocking third-party cookies.
  • Marketing attribution: when you arrive from an advertising or campaign link, parameters such as gclid and utm_* are stored in your browser's sessionStorage for the length of your visit. sessionStorage is cleared automatically when you close the tab. This information is only sent to us if you choose to submit the application form.

10. Children

Our programs may be attended by students under 18, but applications for minors are submitted by a parent or legal guardian. The website is not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 16 without parental involvement. If you believe a child has submitted information to us without appropriate consent, please contact us and we will delete it.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. Material changes will be reflected by updating the "Last updated" date at the top, and where appropriate we will notify you by email.

12. Contact

Questions about this Privacy Policy, or about how we handle your personal data, can be sent to:

Email: admin@learnchineseinkunming.com
Postal address: 5th Floor, Tower A, Fuchun Building, 218 Dongfeng West Road, Wuhua District, Kunming, Yunnan 650091, China