Privacy Policy
How Grad Navigator handles your data, respects your privacy, and safeguards your personal information.
1. Our Commitment to Your Privacy
Grad Navigator provides free, transparent financial tools and educational resources for graduate and professional students. We believe that exploring graduate school financing should not require surrendering your personal privacy. This Privacy Policy details what information we collect, how it is used, and how we protect your rights.
2. Client-Side Financial Calculations
Client-Side Processing: All borrowing calculators, federal cap projections, financial aid offer comparisons, and repayment estimates run entirely in your local browser. Your financial figures, income estimates, tuition numbers, and loan balances are never sent to or stored on our servers.
3. Information We Collect
We collect personal information only when you explicitly provide it in three specific interactions on our website: (1) submitting our Contact Us form, (2) requesting a saved PDF breakdown of your Financial Aid Offer Comparison, or (3) sending yourself an editable Financial Aid Appeal Letter. In these instances, we collect your name and email address solely to deliver the communication or document you requested.
We never sell, rent, trade, or monetize your personal contact information with third-party advertisers or lenders.
4. Analytics & Cookies
We use Google Analytics to monitor aggregate website traffic, understand which guides and tools are most helpful, and improve site performance. Google Analytics uses standard cookies to collect pseudonymous technical data, including browser type, device characteristics, referral sources, and pages visited. You can block or disable cookies via your browser settings without affecting your ability to use any calculator or read our guides.
5. External Links & Educational Partners
Our website contains links to external educational resources, government databases (including StudentAid.gov and NCES IPEDS), and partnered consumer materials (including Experian Consumer Education brochures). When you click an external link, you leave Grad Navigator and are subject to the privacy practices and terms of that external site.
6. Data Security & Your Rights
We use modern encryption protocols (HTTPS/TLS) for all data in transit. Inquiries sent through our contact form or email delivery tools are retained only as long as necessary to complete your request. You have the right to request access to, correction of, or deletion of any contact details you have submitted by messaging us through our contact form.
Have questions about our privacy practices?
We are always available to clarify how our tools operate or answer inquiries.