Privacy Policy

We may update our Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes to our personal information practices. The most current version of our Privacy Policy will always be that posted on our website.

OCAS is committed to protecting your privacy. This policy sets out, in general terms, how OCAS collects, uses and discloses personal information.

Please read this policy carefully. By using our services OCAS deems you to have consented to the collection, use and disclosure of your personal information for the purposes set out below.

OCAS’ authority for processing personal information

OCAS provides application-related information and services for and on behalf of Ontario’s public colleges, who are authorized to collect personal information by the Ontario Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology Act and authorized to collect Ontario Education Numbers under the Education Act.

OCAS also processes applications to select programs at the University of Guelph (authorized to collect personal information by the University of Guelph Act) and the Michener Institute (authorized to collect personal information by the University Health Network Act).

What personal information OCAS collects

OCAS collects and uses information about you that includes your name, address, phone number, educational history and grades as well as information about your application and enrollment choices.

Why and how OCAS collects personal information

OCAS collects your personal information for the following primary purposes:

  • To identify you and provide you with service
  • To process your application
  • To communicate with you and allow the colleges to which you have applied to make admission decisions and communicate with you

OCAS collects application information directly from you, collects information about Ontario high school students from schools and school boards and (at your specific request) may collect transcript and related information from post-secondary educational institutions that you have attended and from credential granting agencies from whom you have sought a credential evaluation. OCAS also links data generated by Web Analytics (subject to individuals’ browser settings) to individual accounts in order to provide better customer service.

Disclosures of personal information

OCAS discloses your personal information to the institutions to which you have applied for the purposes described above. When you enroll in a college program, your information will become part of your college’s student record.

OCAS discloses personal information to Ontario school boards to support application administration and advisory support as well as for school board analytical purposes.

OCAS discloses personal information to Ontario school boards to retrieve high school transcripts as part of its transcript retrieval service. If you have applied through the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (the OUAC), OCAS provides the OUAC with a copy of your transcript.

OCAS discloses personal information to OSAP to facilitate the OSAP application process if you use its application to apply for OSAP.

OCAS uses Ontario Education Number as identifiers, and obtains and validates Ontario Education Numbers with the Ontario Ministry of Education and Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities.

The Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities may collect personal information from OCAS for planning and other purposes set out in section 15 of the Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities Act. Similarly, OCAS may provide Ontario school boards information about their former students’ application and enrollment choices to support school board planning and related purposes.

OCAS’ research and analysis

OCAS collects and uses personal information to conduct research and analysis that supports the Ministry and the colleges. This may involve combining personal information held by OCAS with information provided to OCAS by the colleges for research and analysis purposes.

OCAS stores such information securely and only discloses it after removing any information that identifies individuals or for which it is reasonably foreseeable in the circumstances that it could be utilized, either alone or with other information, to identify individuals.

OCAS’ use of service providers

OCAS may retain service providers who it authorizes to handle your personal information. For example, OCAS uses service providers for credit card processing and to offer a live chat service.

OCAS may also retain service providers to whom it gives access to systems that store personal information – organizations review and audit its systems for security and accreditation purposes, for example.

OCAS employs due diligence in retaining and working with its service providers.

OCAS’ use of cookies

Cookies are small files that are placed on your computer by websites that you visit or certain emails you open. For more information about our use of cookies, please consult our Cookie Notice.

Where OCAS keeps personal information

Your personal information will be retained at OCAS offices and / or secure offsite facilities in Ontario.

Your responsibilities

It is your responsibility to make sure that the information you provide to OCAS is truthful, complete and correct, failing which your application may be delayed or invalidated. You must also take appropriate measures to safeguard login information and any printed copies of your completed application.

Where to learn more

To learn more about the collection, use, disclosure and protection of your personal information by OCAS you may:

OCAS does not keep student records for colleges. If you have been accepted and have enrolled at a college, your best source of information is your college’s freedom of information and privacy office.