Privacy & data protection

This page is a friendly guide, not a privacy policy. The organisation running your exam controls your data, so their privacy policy is the definitive source of information about your exam — check their instructions or website, and contact them with any questions.

Who's responsible for my data?

The organisation that registered you for your exam (your university, awarding body or training provider) is the "controller" of your data: they decide what's collected, why, and how long it's kept. Synap provides the exam software and processes your data securely on their behalf.

What information does Synap hold about me?

• Account basics — your name, email address and password, so you can log in.
• Technical information — your IP address and simple details about your browser and operating system, which help with security and troubleshooting.
• Your exam activity — your answers, results and attempt history, which belong to your exam programme.

What about proctored exams?

If — and only if — your exam is proctored, more may be collected depending on the settings your exam provider chooses. That can include a recording of your screen, webcam and microphone during the exam, a photo of an identification document, a passport-style photo of your face, and technical details like your connection speed. You'll always be told what applies, and asked for the relevant permissions, before your exam starts.

Recordings exist to keep exams fair — to prevent and detect cheating. Review uses a "human in the loop" approach: software may flag moments for attention, but people — appointed by your exam provider — make any actual decisions, never the AI on its own.

Where is my data stored, and for how long?

Synap's data centres are located in Ireland (EU), on Amazon Web Services. If your exam uses our proctoring partner Rosalyn, they operate from the United States. How long your data is kept is decided by your exam provider — contact them for specifics.

Why you can trust Synap

Synap is ISO 27001 certified and GDPR compliant, and delivers millions of high-stakes exams worldwide. You can read more about the safeguards behind every Synap-delivered exam.

Questions or requests about your data

Contact the organisation that is responsible for organising your exam — they control your data and can act on requests. If you want the formal legal version of how Synap handles candidate data, see our candidate privacy policy.