Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

Studoli is an online language coaching platform ("we", "us", or "our"). We are the data controller responsible for the personal data collected through our website and application at studoli.com.

2. Information We Collect

We collect the following categories of personal data:

• Account Information: your name, email address, phone number, and password when you register.
• Profile Information: your profile photo, bio, spoken languages, teaching experience, and availability (for Teachers).
• Identity Verification: for Teacher applicants, government-issued ID documents submitted during the approval process.
• Payment Information: billing details, payment method, and transaction history. Full card numbers are processed by our secure payment providers and not stored on our servers.
• Lesson Data: lesson history, recordings (where consent is given), feedback, and ratings.
• Communications: messages exchanged through the Platform's chat feature.
• Usage Data: IP address, browser type, pages visited, and interaction logs, collected automatically when you use the Platform.
• Referral Data: referral codes and the accounts associated with referral relationships.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal data to:

• Create and manage your account and provide our services.
• Match learners with suitable Teachers.
• Process payments and manage wallet balances.
• Verify Teacher identities and process applications.
• Send transactional communications (booking confirmations, receipts, OTP codes).
• Send service updates and, where you have opted in, marketing communications.
• Improve and personalise your experience on the Platform.
• Comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms of Service.
• Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, or security incidents.

4. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal data on the following legal bases:

• Contract: processing necessary to perform our services and fulfil our agreement with you.
• Legitimate Interests: improving our Platform, preventing fraud, and ensuring security.
• Consent: for marketing emails and optional data uses — you may withdraw consent at any time.
• Legal Obligation: where required by applicable law or regulation.

5. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell your personal data. We may share it with:

• Teachers / Learners: profile information is visible to other users as part of the matching and booking process.
• Payment Processors: secure third-party providers to handle transactions (e.g., PawaPay, Flutterwave).
• Service Providers: trusted partners who assist with hosting, analytics, email delivery, and customer support, bound by data processing agreements.
• Legal Authorities: when required by law, court order, or to protect the rights and safety of our users.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide our services. After account deletion, we may retain certain data for up to 3 years for legal, tax, or dispute-resolution purposes. Anonymised and aggregated data may be retained indefinitely for analytics.

7. Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies and similar technologies to keep you logged in, remember your preferences, and analyse Platform usage. You can control cookie settings through your browser. Disabling certain cookies may affect Platform functionality.

8. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you.
• Correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Delete your account and associated data ("right to be forgotten").
• Restrict or object to certain types of processing.
• Data Portability — receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
• Withdraw Consent at any time for processing based on consent.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at [email protected]. We will respond within 30 days.

9. Children's Privacy

Our Platform is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such data, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

10. International Data Transfers

Studoli operates globally. Your data may be processed in countries outside your own. Where we transfer data internationally, we apply appropriate safeguards such as standard contractual clauses to ensure your data receives equivalent protection.

11. Security

We implement industry-standard security measures including HTTPS encryption, hashed passwords, and access controls to protect your data. However, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. We will notify you of material changes via email or a prominent notice on the Platform. Your continued use after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.