This policy explains what cookies are, which cookies Merit Education Foundation uses, and how you can control them. We are committed to being clear and honest about how we use tracking technologies.
Plain English Summary: We use a small number of cookies to make our website work properly and to understand how people use it. We never use cookies to sell your data or for intrusive advertising. You can choose which optional cookies to allow at any time.
Cookies are small text files that are placed on your device (computer, tablet, or smartphone) when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work more efficiently, to provide a better user experience, and to give website owners useful information about how their sites are used.
Cookies are not harmful. They cannot execute programmes or deliver viruses. A cookie is simply a piece of data — it may contain information like your session ID, preferences, or anonymous usage data.
Legal Basis: Merit Education Foundation uses cookies in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR). We obtain your consent before placing any non-essential cookies on your device.
Merit Education Foundation uses cookies for the following purposes:
We do not use cookies for targeted advertising, profiling, or to sell your data to third parties.
We categorise our cookies into four types. Essential cookies are always active. All others require your consent.
| Category | Consent Required? | Can Be Disabled? | Retention |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essential / Strictly Necessary | No — legally required to function | No | Session or up to 1 year |
| Performance / Analytics | Yes | Yes | Up to 2 years |
| Functional / Preferences | Yes | Yes | Up to 1 year |
| Marketing / Tracking | Yes | Yes | Up to 90 days |
Below is a detailed breakdown of the specific cookies we use:
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| merit_session | Maintains your logged-in session and keeps you authenticated on the platform | Session (cleared on browser close) | Merit |
| csrf_token | Protects against cross-site request forgery attacks — a security measure | Session | Merit |
| cookie_consent | Stores your cookie consent preferences so we don't ask you repeatedly | 12 months | Merit |
| __stripe_mid | Fraud detection and secure payment processing | 12 months | Stripe |
| __stripe_sid | Fraud detection during active payment sessions | 30 minutes | Stripe |
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| _ga | Distinguishes users for Google Analytics. Data is anonymised — no personal details are stored. | 2 years | Google Analytics |
| _ga_[ID] | Maintains session state for Google Analytics 4 | 2 years | Google Analytics |
| _gid | Distinguishes users for Google Analytics — expires after 24 hours | 24 hours | Google Analytics |
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| merit_lang | Remembers your preferred language setting | 12 months |
| merit_theme | Stores your display preference (light/dark mode) | 6 months |
You can control your cookie preferences below. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website.
Some cookies are placed by trusted third-party services that we use on our website. We only work with trusted partners who comply with UK GDPR and PECR:
| Provider | Purpose | Cookie Category | Privacy Policy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Analytics | Anonymous website usage statistics | Analytics | policies.google.com/privacy |
| Stripe | Secure payment processing & fraud prevention | Essential | stripe.com/gb/privacy |
| Zoom | Video lesson delivery (embedded on lesson pages) | Functional | zoom.us/privacy |
We do not have control over third-party cookies. Please refer to each provider's privacy policy for full details of their data practices.
In addition to using our preference centre above, you can manage cookies directly through your browser settings. All major browsers allow you to view, delete, and block cookies:
Please Note: Blocking all cookies, including essential ones, may prevent you from logging into your Merit account, completing lesson bookings, or processing payments. We recommend enabling essential cookies at minimum.
You can also opt out of Google Analytics tracking across all websites by installing the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-on: tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the cookies we use, legal requirements, or improvements to our services. When we make significant changes, we will:
We encourage you to review this page periodically to stay informed about how we use cookies.
If you have any questions about our use of cookies or wish to exercise your rights under UK GDPR, please contact our Data Protection Officer:
Contact our Data Protection Officer for any privacy or cookie-related concerns.