Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

GPhore is a student platform that helps you manage graduate admissions, connect with mentors, study in groups, and discover grants. GPhore services are available via our Android app and web portal at gphore.com.

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, you can contact us at app@gphore.com.

2. Information We Collect

Information you provide directly

• Account information — your name, email address, and password when you register
• Profile information — full name, date of birth, nationality, gender, phone, address, academic background, extra-curricular activities
• Application data — institutions you apply to, courses selected, application status
• Grant applications — grant names, amounts, purposes, and descriptions you submit
• Group study sessions — topics, session members, study history
• Documents — files you choose to upload such as certificates and transcripts

Information collected automatically

• Authentication data — sign-in method (email/password or Google), login timestamps
• Usage data — pages visited, features used, session duration (collected anonymously)
• Device information — device type, operating system, browser type for compatibility

Information from third parties

• Google Sign-In — if you sign in with Google, we receive your name and email address from Google

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Create and manage your GPhore account
• Provide core features — admissions tracking, guidance, group study, and grants
• Calculate and display your profile completion score
• Match you with relevant grants and scholarships based on your profile
• Send transactional emails — account verification, deletion confirmation, and service updates
• Improve and maintain our platform
• Comply with legal obligations

We do not use your information for advertising, marketing profiling, or sell it to any third party under any circumstances.

4. Data Storage and Security

All GPhore data is stored securely using Google Firebase — Firestore database and Firebase Storage — which provides industry-standard encryption at rest and in transit. Firebase is hosted on Google Cloud infrastructure with SOC 2 Type II compliance.

Access to your data is controlled by Firebase Security Rules — only you can read and write your own profile, applications, and documents. Our admin team can access data only to review applications and manage platform content, and is bound by strict confidentiality.

Uploaded documents are stored in Firebase Storage with access restricted to your account only. Document URLs are signed and not publicly accessible.

5. Data Sharing

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We share data only in the following limited circumstances:

• Service providers — Google Firebase for database and storage, Google Auth for authentication. These providers process data solely to deliver their services and are bound by data processing agreements.
• Legal requirements — we may disclose data if required by law, court order, or to protect the rights and safety of users or the public.
• Business transfers — if GPhore is acquired or merged, user data may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify users before this occurs.

6. Your Rights and Choices

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Access — you can view all your data in your profile at any time
• Correction — you can update your information directly in the app or web portal
• Deletion — you can permanently delete your account and all associated data at any time via gphore.com/delete-account
• Data portability — contact us at app@gphore.com to request a copy of your data
• Objection — you can object to certain processing activities by contacting us

7. Children's Privacy

GPhore is designed for students aged 18 and above. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a minor, please contact us at app@gphore.com and we will delete it promptly.

8. Cookies and Tracking

GPhore uses essential cookies only — these are required for authentication and to keep you signed in. We do not use advertising cookies, tracking pixels, or third-party analytics that identify you personally.

Firebase may use cookies as part of its authentication mechanism. These are strictly functional and do not track your browsing across other websites.

9. Third-Party Links

Our platform may contain links to external websites such as university portals, grant provider pages, and the Google Play Store. These external sites have their own privacy policies and we are not responsible for their content or practices. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of any external site you visit.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. When we make significant changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page and notify users via email or an in-app notice.

Continued use of GPhore after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact us:

• Website: gphore.com

We aim to respond to all privacy-related inquiries within 5 business days.