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Privacy and Security

ETS recognizes the importance of protecting your privacy. This Privacy Notice describes our practices related to personal information privacy and security.

ETS has a global privacy program to protect all "Personal Information." Personal Information is any information that we can use to identify you (such as your name, username or identification number) or contact you (such as your email address or telephone number). Personal Information includes other types of information (such as test scores or demographic data) when that information is associated with your Personal Information.

 

Privacy Notice

This Privacy Notice describes our practices with respect to Personal Information we collect via ETS websites, platforms and applications that collect Personal Information from you. It also describes our practices with respect to Personal Information collected in other ways, such as when you register for and take ETS tests, or when we receive information from a school or test center administrator. If you are a test taker, additional information about privacy and security is included in many of the ETS Test Bulletins.

By using an ETS platform or otherwise providing us with Personal Information, you agree to our privacy terms. You can contact us at any time with questions or concerns about privacy by sending an email to etsinfo@ets.org or by writing to us at the addresses in the Contact section below.

Please note that this Privacy Notice applies to all Personal Information collected by ETS via its online test registrations system. Our distributors and agents may provide vouchers to facilitate test registration, but test candidates must provide their data to ETS to register for and take tests. We will use and protect all test taker data in accordance with this Privacy Notice. 

Within this Privacy Notice, you will find information about:

 

Information About ETS

This notice is being given by ETS in the United States, for itself, its EU Representative (ETS Global B.V.) and its other EEA affiliates.

U.S. Mail: ETS; 660 Rosedale Road; Princeton, NJ 08541; USA
EU Mail: ETS Global B.V.; Academic & Business Assessments; Strawinskylaan 929; 1077 XX Amsterdam – The Netherlands
Email: etsinfo@ets.org

 

The Purposes and Legal Basis for Processing, Including Legitimate Interests

The Privacy Notice explains the reasons why we process your Personal Information. We only process Personal Information when we have a legal basis for the processing, such as:

  • To fulfill a contract with you, such as to provide you with an ETS test or a test offered by another company through ETS.
  • For closely related purposes, such as payment processing and financial account management, contract management, website administration, business continuity and disaster recovery, security and fraud prevention, corporate governance, reporting and legal compliance.
  • With your consent (or provided you have not objected, as may be applicable), such as to provide you with marketing communications or to send your scores to your designated recipients.

We may also process your Personal Information for the purposes of our legitimate interests, provided that such processing shall not outweigh your rights and freedoms. In particular, we may process your Personal Information as needed to:

  • Protect you, us or others from threats (such as security threats or test fraud)
  • Improve ETS' tests and support ETS Research initiatives
  • Comply with the laws that are applicable to us around the world
  • Enable or administer our business, such as for quality control, consolidated reporting and customer service
  • Manage corporate transactions, such as mergers or acquisitions
  • Understand and improve our business, improve test integrity and for research purposes

Automated Decision Making and Profiling

ETS may use automated processes in connection with scoring tests and for similar purposes as needed to provide the test services that you have requested. All such decisions are subject to human review. We will not make automated decisions about you that may significantly affect you, unless (1) the decision is necessary as part of a contract that we have with you, (2) we have your explicit consent, or (3) we are required by law to use the technology. You can learn more about test scoring by reading the information posted about each of our tests.

In some cases, we use certain elements of personal data for ETS Research. For example, we may consider how certain types of test takers (such as nonnative English speakers) respond to specific test questions. Our research initiatives reflect our commitment to fairness and equity in testing, helping to ensure that our tests are accessible and free from bias. They also seek to improve teaching, learning and assessment. Our research results do not contain any identifiable data and are not used to target or profile individuals. Learn more about ETS Research.

When You Are Required to Provide Personal Information to ETS

In most cases, you are not required by law to provide any Personal Information to ETS. You are required to provide certain Personal Information to enable us to enter into a contract with you so that you can use our products and services. Our registration forms indicate which data elements are required for our contracts. If you do not provide these data elements, we cannot do business with you.

If you request an accommodation from ETS, such as special testing conditions needed because of a health condition or disability, you may be required to submit additional Personal Information (including special categories of data) as needed for us to evaluate and respond to your request.

Your Rights

As stated in the Privacy Notice, you always have the right to object to our marketing communications. To opt out of emails, simply click the link labeled "Unsubscribe" at the bottom of any email we send you. To revoke permissions that you may have given to send text messages, text STOP in response to any message.

ETS also respects the rights of EEA, Swiss and U.K. residents to access, correct and request erasure or restriction of their personal information as required by law. This means:

  • You generally have a right to know whether or not ETS maintains your Personal Information. If we do have your Personal Information, we will provide you with a copy (subject to the rights of others). If your information is incorrect or incomplete, you have the right to ask us to update it.
  • You have the right to object to our processing of your Personal Information.
  • You may also ask us to delete or restrict your Personal Information.

To exercise these rights, please see Your Privacy Rights and Choices Please understand that we may need to verify your identify before we can process your request. Additionally, our ability to delete Personal Information will be limited in those cases where we are required to retain records, such as in connection with score reports and test security processes.

If you believe that we have processed your Personal Information in violation of applicable law, you may file a complaint with the ETS Office of the General Counsel or with a supervisory authority.

International Transfers

As stated in the Privacy Notice, your Personal Information may be transferred to, stored at or processed in the United States and other countries which may not have equivalent privacy or data protection laws.

We generally use approved Standard Contractual Clauses to assure that Personal Information is adequately protected when it is transferred out of the EEA, U.K. or Switzerland, but we may also make transfers to recipients in places that have been declared adequate, with approved Binding Corporate Rules or pursuant to another derogation.

Please contact us via email at etsinfo@ets.org if you would like more information about cross-border transfers or to obtain a copy of the Standard Contractual Clauses.

Data Retention

We will retain your Personal Information for as long as the information is needed for the purposes set forth above and for any additional period that may be required or permitted by law. If you would like us to delete your personal information, please see Your Privacy Rights and Choices for information about how to submit a deletion request. Unless we are required by law or have a legitimate interest to retain your information, we will delete it within 30 days of your request.

How to Contact Us

Please contact us if you have any questions or comments about our privacy practices or this Privacy Notice. You can always reach us via email at etsinfo@ets.org. You can also reach us via mail at the addresses given above.

 

See also:

Last Updated on January 19, 2024.