WJU Admissions Portal — Privacy Policy
Effective Date: 2026-07-06 · admissions-privacy-v1.0
This Privacy Policy explains how Washington Jabez University ("WJU") collects, uses, discloses, stores, and protects information in connection with the Admissions Portal. It applies to account creation, application preparation and review, document submission, application-fee records, and related admissions communications. It does not replace any separate student-record notice that may apply after enrollment.
1. Information We Collect
Account and identity information: name, email address, authentication account identifier, and information received from Google or Microsoft if you choose those sign-in methods. Application information: date of birth, gender, marital status, nationality, legal or visa status, email, telephone numbers, mailing address, intended program and term, language proficiency, prior education, and other answers you provide. Faith and ministry information: church, denomination, pastor, membership, ministry role, organization, experience, and related materials relevant to a religious education program. Contacts and references: emergency and secondary contacts, pastors, recommenders, schools, employers, and ministry organizations you identify. Documents: transcripts, recommendations, identification such as a passport or driver's license, ministry materials, and other files you choose or are required to submit. Admissions and payment records: application status, staff feedback, interview details, decision records, application-fee status, payment method, amount, and transaction reference. WJU does not receive your full bank-account or payment-card number through the Portal when you pay by Zelle.
2. Technical and Activity Information
The Portal uses authentication and language-preference cookies needed to operate the service. While you prepare an application, a copy of the draft and your current step may be stored in your browser's local storage so the draft can be restored on that browser. This browser copy can remain until it is cleared by the Portal or by you, and other people using the same browser profile may be able to access it. Use a trusted device and clear site data when appropriate. For security, accountability, and troubleshooting, WJU and its hosting or authentication providers may process IP addresses, request times, account identifiers, device or browser information, and system events. WJU audit logs may record the user, timestamp, changed fields, and available IP address for certain administrative or application-status actions.
3. Sources of Information
We receive information directly from you; from an authentication provider you choose; from WJU staff and faculty involved in admissions; and, when verification is authorized or otherwise permitted, from schools, churches, ministry organizations, employers, recommenders, and other persons you identify. Payment status or reference information may also be confirmed through the payment method used. If another person provides information about you, we handle it for the admissions and recordkeeping purposes described in this Policy.
4. How We Use Information
WJU uses information to create and secure your account; save, process, and evaluate your application; verify identity, education, recommendations, ministry background, and submitted documents; communicate about requirements and status; process and reconcile the application fee; arrange and document interviews; make and record admissions decisions; investigate misuse and protect the Portal; respond to requests and legal obligations; maintain institutional records; and, if you enroll, create the records needed to provide educational services. WJU may use aggregated or de-identified information for internal planning and institutional reporting. WJU does not currently make admission decisions solely through automated processing.
5. Faith Information and Other Sensitive Records
Because WJU provides theological and ministry education, faith, church, and ministry information may be relevant to the program and admissions review. Identification documents, legal or visa status, transcripts, and recommendations may also contain sensitive information. WJU uses these records for the admissions, verification, security, and institutional purposes described here and limits internal access according to job responsibilities. Do not provide Social Security numbers, financial account credentials, medical records, or other sensitive information unless WJU specifically requests it through an approved process.
6. When Information Is Disclosed
Information may be disclosed to WJU admissions personnel, authorized administrators, and faculty participating in an interview or decision when they need it for their work. WJU may also disclose relevant information to: schools, churches, employers, recommenders, or organizations contacted to verify an application; technology providers that supply hosting, database, storage, authentication, email, security, and support services; payment and banking services involved in the application fee; professional advisers; and government, regulatory, accrediting, law-enforcement, or other parties when disclosure is required by law or reasonably necessary to protect rights, safety, records, or systems. Current technology providers include Supabase for authentication, database, and file storage; hosting providers used to deliver the website; Google and Microsoft when selected for sign-in; and email-delivery providers used for application notices. WJU does not sell applicant information or disclose it to unrelated third parties for targeted advertising.
7. Information About Other People
An application may contain information about emergency contacts, family members, pastors, recommenders, employers, and other individuals. Provide only information relevant to your application, and inform those individuals where appropriate that WJU may receive and use their information for admissions, verification, communication, and recordkeeping. A person who wants to ask about information submitted about them may contact WJU, although access may be limited to protect confidential recommendations, another person's rights, institutional records, or legal obligations.
8. Retention
WJU uses the following baseline retention schedule. Until automated deletion is implemented, WJU applies the schedule through periodic administrative review and confidential manual deletion. A draft stored only in your browser remains there until the Portal or a user of that browser clears it; WJU cannot remotely clear storage on your device. An unsubmitted application record held in WJU systems is normally deleted one year after the last account or application activity. For an applicant who does not enroll—including a withdrawn, denied, canceled, or admitted-but-not-enrolled applicant—WJU normally deletes the full application and supporting documents one year after the end of the academic year for which admission was sought. An applicant-only Portal account that is not needed for another WJU relationship is normally deleted or de-identified within 30 days after those application records are deleted. General admissions security and activity logs are normally retained for one year after creation. WJU retains only the minimum record needed to document policy acceptance, submission certification, application outcome, and related dispute handling for five years after the application is closed. Application-fee and accounting records are normally retained for three years after the end of the fiscal year in which the transaction was recorded. If an applicant enrolls, relevant admissions information transferred to the student record follows WJU's student-record schedule: student admissions records are normally retained for at least three years after the last date of attendance, while the official transcript and degree or credential record may be retained permanently. Records required for an F-1 or M-1 student are retained for at least three years after the student is no longer pursuing a full course of study, when applicable. Deleted information may remain temporarily in restricted backups until overwritten under the ordinary backup cycle and is not restored for routine use. WJU may retain a record longer when required by law, accreditation or authorization requirements, an audit, a pending access or deletion request, a legal hold, an active dispute, fraud prevention, or a security investigation. When an exception ends, WJU returns the record to the applicable schedule. WJU may retain information that has been irreversibly de-identified so it can no longer reasonably be linked to a person.
9. Security
WJU uses administrative, technical, and organizational measures designed to protect admissions information. These measures include authenticated access, role-based permissions, restricted administrative access, and security logging where available. Documents are intended to be delivered through controlled storage and time-limited access links. No website, transmission, or storage system can be guaranteed completely secure. Protect your password, avoid sending sensitive documents by ordinary email unless instructed, and notify WJU promptly if you suspect unauthorized account access.
10. Your Choices and Requests
You can review and update most application information while it remains in Draft. After submission, contact the Admissions Office to request a correction or withdrawal. You may also ask WJU to confirm whether it holds information about you or request access, correction, or deletion. WJU may verify your identity before acting and may deny or limit a request when necessary to protect another person, preserve a confidential recommendation, maintain a required record, prevent fraud, or comply with law. Withdrawing an application or requesting deletion does not automatically require deletion of payment, consent, audit, security, or other records WJU must reasonably retain. Additional rights may apply based on where you live.
11. Applicant Records and FERPA
An applicant who has not attended WJU generally does not receive rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) solely by submitting an application. If WJU and a particular record are subject to FERPA and you become a student in attendance, relevant application information may become part of your education record and will then be handled under FERPA and WJU's applicable student-record policies. FERPA rights at a postsecondary institution belong to the eligible student as defined by law, regardless of whether that student has reached age 18.
12. Children and Minors
The Admissions Portal is intended for prospective postsecondary students and is not directed to children under 13. Do not create an account or submit personal information if you are under 13. Applicants who are minors should use the Portal with the knowledge and permission of a parent or legal guardian, and WJU may request guardian involvement or consent when required. Postsecondary student-record rights may belong to the student rather than the parent where applicable law provides.
13. International Applicants and Data Transfers
WJU is located in Virginia, United States. If you apply from another country, your information will be transferred to and processed in the United States and may also be processed where WJU's service providers operate. Privacy laws in those locations may differ from those where you live. Where applicable law gives you additional rights or requires a particular consent for sensitive information or an international transfer, WJU will address the request or consent as required.
14. Changes and Contact
WJU may update this Policy when its practices, providers, or legal obligations change. The current version and effective date will appear on this page, and WJU may provide additional notice of a material change when appropriate. Questions or privacy requests may be directed to admin@wjuniv.org or Washington Jabez University, 4421 Dale Blvd., Woodbridge, VA 22193. Please do not send identification documents or other sensitive records in an initial privacy-request email.