Privacy Policy

1. Who this policy applies to

This Privacy Policy applies to visitors, prospective students, students, parents or guardians, clients and other people who interact with IQ ConsultUS through our website, Journey Hub, forms, consultations, messaging channels and education-consulting services.

IQ ConsultUS is a Pakistan-based education consultancy. Where a separate signed proposal, service agreement or institutional agreement contains additional privacy terms, those terms may also apply.

2. Information we may collect

• Identity and contact information, such as name, email address, phone or WhatsApp number and preferred contact method.
• Academic and admissions information, including education history, grades, transcripts, test information, intended degree, intake, university preferences and application materials.
• Financial-planning information relevant to admissions, including affordability, funding preferences, sponsor information, invoices and payment records. We do not ask you to send full payment-card credentials through ordinary forms or chat.
• Consultation and communication records, including messages, notes, submitted forms, meeting details and follow-up history.
• Documents you or your authorized representative provide, such as transcripts, CVs, identity or visa-related documents, where needed for the service.
• Technical information needed to operate and secure our services, such as browser/device information, server logs and security events.
• Optional first-party analytics information, including a randomly generated visitor identifier used for the live visitor counter, only after you allow optional analytics.

3. Why we use information

• To respond to inquiries and provide consultations.
• To assess an applicant profile and deliver admissions, application, visa-preparation, transition and related education-consulting services.
• To create and manage Journey Hub records, tasks, documents, communications, invoices and service milestones.
• To communicate about a current inquiry or client engagement through the contact method you provide.
• To maintain security, prevent misuse, troubleshoot issues and improve service quality.
• To meet legal, accounting, recordkeeping and dispute-resolution requirements.
• To send marketing communications only where permitted and appropriate. Marketing preferences are separate from service communications, and you may opt out of promotional messages.

4. Legal and fair-use basis

Pakistan does not currently have an enacted comprehensive personal-data law equivalent to the GDPR; the federal Personal Data Protection Bill remains in draft form as of this policy date. IQ ConsultUS nevertheless follows principles of transparency, purpose limitation, reasonable security, data minimization and user choice as business standards.

We process information where it is needed to take steps at your request, perform an agreed service, operate and secure our systems, comply with law, or where you have given a relevant choice or consent.

5. Children and applicants under 18

Students under 18 may use our services only with the involvement of a parent or legal guardian where appropriate. We may ask for parent or guardian contact or confirmation before entering a paid engagement, collecting sensitive application documents, or taking consequential actions on behalf of a minor.

Parents and guardians should not submit a minor's information unless they are authorized to do so.

6. How information may be shared

IQ ConsultUS does not sell personal information to advertisers.

• With IQ ConsultUS team members and authorized contractors who need the information to perform the service.
• With service providers that host or support our website, Journey Hub, databases, email, scheduling, document storage, analytics or other operational systems.
• With universities, application platforms, credential evaluators, testing organizations, government portals or other third parties only when necessary for the student's process and where the client has instructed or authorized the relevant step.
• With professional advisers, regulators, courts or law-enforcement bodies where legally required or reasonably necessary to protect rights, safety or the integrity of our services.
• In connection with a genuine restructuring, merger or transfer of the business, subject to appropriate confidentiality and legal safeguards.

7. International and cloud processing

Our work involves US education and may require information to be stored or processed using cloud services or shared with organizations outside Pakistan. Those locations may have different privacy rules. We take reasonable steps to use reputable providers and limit access to what is needed for the relevant purpose.

8. Retention

We keep information only for as long as reasonably needed for the inquiry, client engagement, academic application cycle, account administration, legal or accounting records, security, dispute handling and legitimate continuity of service. Retention periods differ by record type.

When information is no longer reasonably needed, we may delete, anonymize or securely archive it, subject to legal, contractual and operational requirements.

9. Security

We use reasonable administrative and technical safeguards designed to protect personal information. No online system can be guaranteed completely secure. Users are responsible for protecting their own passwords, devices and account access and should contact us promptly if they suspect unauthorized access.

10. Your choices and requests

To make a privacy request, contact IQ ConsultUS through the official contact channels published on iqconsultus.com or through your Journey Hub/client communication channel. We may need to verify your identity before acting on a request.

• Ask what personal information we hold about you.
• Request correction of inaccurate information.
• Request deletion of information where we no longer need to retain it, subject to legal and operational exceptions.
• Withdraw optional analytics consent through your browser storage settings or by clearing the saved site consent and choosing again.
• Opt out of promotional communications while continuing to receive necessary service communications.

11. Third-party links and services

Our website may link to scheduling services, WhatsApp, social platforms, university websites and other third-party services. Their privacy practices are controlled by them, not IQ ConsultUS. Review their policies before submitting information to those services.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy as our services, technology or legal obligations change. The effective date at the top of this page shows the current version. Material changes may also be communicated through the website, Journey Hub or direct client channels where appropriate.