Scope and Acknowledgment

This Privacy Policy governs the handling of personal information collected by NST from users accessing or utilizing the services and content offered on www.nationalscholarship.org (“Site”). By providing personal information to us, you acknowledge and consent to the practices described in this policy regarding the collection, use, and handling of your information.

Commitment to Privacy

At NST, we recognize the importance of your privacy. This Privacy Policy is a testament to our ironclad commitment to respecting and protecting your privacy rights. It outlines the types of information we collect from visitors to our Site, the methods of collection and use, and the available options for you to control or limit the use and disclosure of your information.

Collection and Usage of Information

The personal information we collect at NST is exclusively that which you voluntarily provide. During registration, you are asked to provide specific personal details, such as your name, address, email address, phone number, password, and date of birth. Additionally, you have the option to provide other information when you apply for scholarship opportunities. Providing accurate information enhances the efficacy of our donor-advised scholarship fund services.

Access to and Modification of Personal Information

NST is committed to providing you access to your personal information upon request. You can also modify your personal profile on NST at any time. To do so, log in to our Site using your email address and password. After logging in, navigate to your profile section accessible through the navigation menu. It is your responsibility to keep your profile information current and accurate.

To terminate your account with NST or to cease the sharing of your information, please contact us through our contact page. Ensure your email originates from the email account linked to the account you wish to terminate. We will process your request within a reasonable timeframe. Please note that your information will be retained as long as your account remains active or as needed to provide services, comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce agreements.

Commitment to Data Security

NST prioritizes the privacy and security of our users’ information. We adhere to accepted standards in protecting personal information, both during transmission and after receipt. Our employees are obligated to maintain the confidentiality of user profiles. We implement robust security measures to safeguard against the loss, misuse, and alteration of user information under our control.

Respecting User Privacy and Information Choices

NST is committed to the protection of personally identifiable information. We adhere to strict guidelines and will not share, sell, rent, or transfer your information without explicit user consent, in alignment with the terms outlined in this Privacy Policy. We provide users the option to unsubscribe or opt-out from receiving emails from NST. To adjust your email preferences or unsubscribe, follow the instructions in the emails you receive. Please note that it may take several business days for these changes to be effective.

Legal Compliance and Disclosure of Information

In certain circumstances, NST may need to disclose personal data in response to lawful requests from public authorities. Additionally, we may disclose your personal information if required by law, such as in response to a subpoena or other legal processes. Such disclosures may also occur when deemed necessary to protect our rights, ensure your safety or the safety of others, investigate fraud, or respond to a government request.

California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) Compliance and Rights

NST recognizes and adheres to the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), ensuring that California residents are aware of their rights regarding personal information. We provide comprehensive compliance with CCPA, offering the following rights:

Right to Know: As a California consumer, you have the right to know the details about the personal information NST has collected about you. Within a 12-month period, you may submit up to two requests, free of charge, for access to or disclosure of specific pieces of personal information collected in the previous 12 months. Your access request can include:

• the categories or specific pieces of personal information NST has collected about you;
• the sources from which we have gathered your information;
• the business purpose for utilizing the information; and
• the categories of third parties with whom NST shares personal information.

Right to Delete: You have the right, twice in a 12-month period, to request the deletion of any personal information NST has collected from you, with certain exceptions.

Right to Opt-Out: You have the right to opt out of NST sharing your personal information with third parties. Additionally, you can opt out of NST selling your personal information.

Right to Correct: If you find any inaccuracies in your personal information held by NST, you have the right to request corrections.

Right to Non-Discrimination: NST commits to non-discriminatory practices when you exercise your privacy rights under CCPA.

You, or an authorized agent acting on your behalf, can submit requests to access, delete, or opt out of the sharing or sale of your personal information. Such requests can be made by contacting us through our contact page.

At any time, you can access or update your personal information by logging into the Site and navigating to your “Profile” section. To delete your account, please reach out to us through our contact page.

Automatic Information Gathering

Like most websites, NST automatically collects certain types of information during your visit and interaction with our site. This includes Internet protocol (IP) addresses, browser type, Internet service provider (ISP), referring/exit pages, operating system, date/time stamp, and clickstream data.

Use of Cookies and Technologies

NST and our partners employ cookies or similar technologies to analyze trends, administer the site, track users' movements around the site, and gather demographic information about our user base as a whole. While you can control cookies at the browser level, disabling them may limit some functionalities or features on our website or service.

Third-Party Cookies

Our business partners, including advertisers, may use cookies on our site. NST does not have access to, nor control over, these third-party cookies. This Privacy Policy pertains only to the use of cookies by NST and does not cover third-party cookie usage.

Advertising and Targeted Ads

We partner with third-party ad networks to display advertising on our website. These partners may use cookies and web beacons to collect non-personally identifiable information about your activities for targeted advertising purposes. If you prefer not to have this information used for targeted ads, you may opt-out through the provided link here. Note that this will not prevent you from seeing ads; they will simply not be tailored to your interests.

Protection of Minors’ Information

In compliance with federal law and FTC guidelines on youth privacy, NST does not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from children under 13 years of age. Children under 13 are not permitted to register with NST.

Notification of Privacy Policy Changes

If there are changes in how we use personally identifiable information different from that stated at collection time, we will notify you via email. You will have a choice as to whether or not we use your information in this new manner. For material changes in our Privacy Policy not affecting user information already stored, a prominent notice will be posted on our website. We may also inform users who have opted for communications from us about these changes.

Testimonials

We display user testimonials on our site, which include volunteered information like the user's first name, last initial, and photo. Consent is obtained before posting these testimonials. For any queries regarding testimonials, please reach out through our contact page.

Contact Information

For questions about this Privacy Policy, Site practices, or dealings with NST, reach out through our contact page. NST's commitment to privacy is reflected in our principles and policies designed to safeguard user and visitor privacy in our business operations.

Effective Date

This Privacy Policy is effective from October 12, 2025.