Privacy Policy

(Applicable to Students, Instructors, and Visitors)

1. General Introduction

Welcome to Welcome English ("we", "us", "our"). We understand that your privacy is an invaluable asset.

As a United States Limited Liability Company (US LLC) providing global educational services, including to the Vietnamese market, we are committed to complying with applicable laws, including but not limited to Decree 13/2023/ND-CP of the Government of Vietnam on Personal Data Protection.

This policy transparently explains how we (acting as both the Data Controller and Data Processor) collect, use, store, and protect your personal data. Our Cookies Policy and tracking technologies are outlined in a separate document.

2. Types of Data We Collect

To operate our Live Classes and Self-Paced courses, we are required to collect and process the following types of data:

2.1. Basic Personal Data:

• Identity Information: Full name, gender, date of birth.
• Contact Information: Email address, phone number, physical address (if hard-copy materials need to be shipped).
• Account Information: Username, password (encrypted).

2.2. Learning and Payment Data:

• Academic Profile: Entry-level English proficiency, learning goals, class attendance history, test results.
• Payment Data: Transaction history, payment methods. Note: We do not directly store your credit/debit card numbers. This data is processed by PCI-DSS compliant payment gateway partners (such as Stripe, PayPal).

2.3. Audio and Visual Data (Important):

• During Live Classes, your webcam imagery and voice may be recorded for the purposes of teaching quality assurance, lesson review, or dispute resolution.
• Voice recording assignments submitted within Self-Paced courses.

3. Purpose of Data Processing

We only process your data for the following lawful purposes:

1. Service Provision: To create accounts, schedule classes, grant access to materials, and connect you with Instructors.
2. Payment Processing: To process tuition fees and refunds (if applicable).
3. Communication: To send class reminders, schedule changes, supplementary materials, or technical support.
4. Quality Improvement: To analyze learning data to optimize training pathways and upgrade our system.
5. Marketing: To send information about new courses or promotions (only when you have consented/Opted-in).
6. Legal Compliance: To fulfill tax and accounting obligations and cooperate with government authorities upon request.

4. Data Sharing and Cross-Border Transfer

Since Welcome English is a US company, your data may be stored and processed on servers located outside the territory of Vietnam. By agreeing to this Policy, you consent to this cross-border data transfer. We commit to protecting data according to international standards when sharing with:

• Instructors: Are only granted access to the Student's Name and Proficiency Level for teaching purposes. Instructors are bound by strict Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDA).
• Third-Party Service Providers:
  • Virtual Classroom Platforms (e.g., Zoom, Google Meet).
  • Payment Gateways and Email Marketing Services.
• Government Authorities: Upon receipt of a valid legal request.

We commit not to sell your data to any third party for commercial purposes.

5. Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as you maintain an account with Welcome English.

• If you request account deletion, we will delete or anonymize your data within 30 days, except for financial transaction data which must be retained for a longer period in accordance with accounting/tax laws.

6. Your Rights and Obligations (Under Decree 13)

As a Data Subject, you have the following rights:

1. Right to be Informed: To know about our data processing activities (via this policy).
2. Right to Consent/Withdraw Consent: You may withdraw your consent at any time (e.g., unsubscribe from email marketing), unless otherwise provided by law.
3. Right to Access and Rectification: To request that we provide or correct inaccurate information.
4. Right to Data Deletion: To request data deletion when there is no longer a need for use ("Right to be Forgotten").
5. Right to Restriction/Objection: To restrict or object to data processing in specific cases.
6. Right to Complain: To lodge a complaint with the Department of Cybersecurity and High-Tech Crime Prevention if a violation is detected.

To exercise these rights, please send an email to our Legal Department.

7. Data Security

We implement technical measures (SSL encryption, firewalls) and organizational measures (internal regulations, staff training) to protect data. However, you are also responsible for self-protecting your account password and not sharing it with others.

8. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to children under the age of 13. For students aged 13 to under 16, we require verifiable consent from a parent or legal guardian before collecting data.

9. Contact Information

If you have any questions regarding this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your rights, please contact our Data Protection Department: