Entity: Prep Headquarters Pty Ltd (ACN 697 700 128), trading as PrepHQ.
Effective date: 4 May 2026 Last updated: 4 May 2026
1. Introduction
1.1 PrepHQ (https://prep-hq.com.au) is operated by Prep Headquarters Pty Ltd (ACN 697 700 128), trading as PrepHQ ("PrepHQ", "we", "us", "our"). We provide scholarship and selective school exam preparation services to Australian students and their families.
1.2 We respect your privacy and are committed to handling personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and your rights.
1.3 By using PrepHQ, you agree to the handling of personal information as described in this Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Service.
2. The personal information we collect
The personal information we collect depends on how you use PrepHQ.
2.1 Information you provide
- Account information: name, email address, password (stored hashed), Student's name and year level, school (optional), parent contact details where the user is a minor.
- Payment information: name, billing address, and payment card details. Card details are collected and stored by our payment processor (Stripe Payments Australia Pty Ltd), not by us. We receive a tokenised reference and the last four digits.
- Profile information: anything you choose to add, including profile photo, target exams, preferred languages.
- Communications: messages you send us through support channels, feedback forms, or the Forum.
- Forum content: questions, answers, comments, and any images you upload to the Forum.
2.2 Information we collect automatically
- Usage data: pages viewed, practice questions attempted, time spent, scores, progress through the syllabus, clicks, and similar activity.
- Device and technical data: IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers, language settings, and referring URLs.
- Cookies and similar technologies: see clause 8.
2.3 Information from third parties
- Authentication providers: if you sign up via Google or similar services, we receive basic profile information (name, email, profile photo).
- Schools or tutors: where you have opted in to share progress with a school or tutor, we may receive additional information from them.
2.4 Sensitive information
We do not generally seek sensitive information (as defined in the Privacy Act). We may, with your consent, collect information about language preferences, disabilities affecting exam access (if you request accommodations), or similar information needed to support the Student. If you provide such information, it is used only for the purpose disclosed at the time of collection.
3. Why we collect personal information
We collect, hold, use, and disclose personal information for the following purposes:
- providing and improving the Service;
- creating and managing Accounts;
- delivering practice content personalised to the Student's year level, target exam, and progress;
- processing payments and managing Subscriptions;
- communicating with you about your Account, Subscription, technical issues, and changes to the Service;
- sending educational tips, product updates, and (with consent) marketing communications;
- enabling Forum participation and moderating User Content;
- detecting, investigating, and preventing fraud, misuse, or breaches of our Terms;
- complying with our legal and regulatory obligations;
- conducting analytics and research to improve the Service (using de-identified or aggregated data wherever practical).
4. Children's information
4.1 PrepHQ is used by students who are often under 18. We take additional care with children's personal information.
4.2 Under 13: The Service is not intended for children under 13 and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. If we discover that we have collected personal information from a child under 13 without verified parental consent, we will delete it.
4.3 Aged 13–17: A Student aged 13 to 17 must have parental consent to use the Service. We encourage Parents to create the Account themselves and to supervise Student use.
4.4 Parent rights: A Parent may access, correct, or request deletion of their Student's personal information at any time by contacting privacy@prep-hq.com.au.
4.5 No behavioural advertising to minors: We do not use children's personal information for behavioural or targeted advertising.
5. How we use personal information
5.1 We use personal information for the purposes in clause 3.
5.2 AI and automated processing. We use artificial intelligence tools to power features of the Service, including:
(a) matching Forum questions to existing topics and methods; (b) describing uploaded images for search and accessibility; (c) classifying content for moderation and copyright review; (d) generating practice question suggestions; (e) analysing practice attempts to recommend next steps.
These tools process your User Content and usage data. We use providers (see clause 6) who contractually agree not to train their general models on your data.
5.3 Automated decision-making. We do not make decisions with legal or similarly significant effects based solely on automated processing. Content moderation flags raised by AI are reviewed by a human before enforcement action.
6. Who we share personal information with
We do not sell personal information. We share it only with the following categories of recipients:
6.1 Service providers (sub-processors)
We share personal information with third parties who help us operate the Service. Each is contractually bound to use the information only for the services they provide to us. Our current sub-processors include:
- Hosting and infrastructure: Vercel Inc. (United States) for application hosting and serverless functions.
- Database: Neon Inc. (database hosted in AWS Asia-Pacific (Sydney) region).
- Payment processing: Stripe Payments Australia Pty Ltd (Australia, with parent company processing in the United States).
- AI and language model providers: Anthropic, PBC (United States) for the AI features described in clause 5.2.
- Email and transactional messaging: Resend, Inc. (United States).
- Analytics: Google LLC (Google Analytics 4, with data processed in the United States and other regions).
We update this list when sub-processors change. Material changes that affect how your personal information is handled will be notified in advance where reasonably practicable.
6.2 Schools, tutors, or other adults
Where a Parent or Student authorises it, we may share progress or performance information with a specific school, tutor, or other adult.
6.3 Other users
Content you post in the Forum (including your display name and any images) is visible to other users and may be visible to the public. Do not include personal information in Forum posts that you would not be comfortable making public.
6.4 Legal and safety
We may disclose personal information where required by law, in response to a valid legal process, to enforce our Terms, to protect the rights, property, or safety of PrepHQ, our users, or the public, or to cooperate with law enforcement.
6.5 Business transfers
If we undergo a merger, acquisition, reorganisation, or sale of assets, personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify affected users and ensure that privacy protections continue.
7. Overseas disclosure
7.1 We may disclose personal information to service providers located outside Australia, including in the United States (where some of our infrastructure and AI providers are based) and the European Union. When we do, we take reasonable steps to ensure the recipient handles the information consistently with the APPs.
7.2 By using the Service, you consent to this overseas disclosure. You acknowledge that some recipients may not be subject to privacy laws equivalent to the Privacy Act, and that APP 8.1 will not apply to that disclosure to the extent you provide this consent.
7.3 If you are located outside Australia, your personal information will be transferred to Australia and handled under Australian law.
8. Cookies and tracking technologies
8.1 We use cookies and similar technologies to operate the Service, remember your preferences, analyse usage, and (with your consent) support marketing.
8.2 Types of cookies we use:
- Strictly necessary: required for the Service to function (e.g. authentication, session management).
- Preferences: remember your language, theme, and other settings.
- Analytics: help us understand how the Service is used.
- Marketing: used with your consent for advertising measurement and retargeting on adult user Accounts only.
8.3 You can manage cookie preferences through our cookie banner or your browser settings. Disabling strictly necessary cookies may affect the Service.
9. Marketing communications
9.1 With your consent, we may send you marketing emails about PrepHQ features, study tips, and related products.
9.2 You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in any marketing email or by contacting privacy@prep-hq.com.au. Unsubscribing does not affect service-related communications about your Account.
9.3 We comply with the Spam Act 2003 (Cth).
10. Data retention
10.1 We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes set out in this Policy, unless a longer period is required by law.
10.2 Typical retention periods:
- Account data: while your Account is active, plus up to 7 years after closure to comply with tax, financial, and legal obligations.
- Forum content: may remain on the Service after your Account is closed unless you request deletion (though posts may be anonymised on deletion of your Account).
- Payment records: 7 years (as required by Australian tax law).
- Usage analytics: typically 24 months in identifiable form, then aggregated.
- Support communications: up to 3 years after resolution.
10.3 On request and subject to legal obligations, we will delete or anonymise your personal information (see clause 12).
11. How we protect personal information
11.1 We use technical and organisational measures to protect personal information, including:
- encryption of data in transit (TLS) and at rest;
- access controls and least-privilege access for our staff;
- multi-factor authentication for administrative access;
- regular security reviews and penetration testing;
- contractual security commitments from sub-processors;
- a security incident response plan.
11.2 No system is completely secure. If a notifiable data breach occurs, we will comply with the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme under the Privacy Act and notify affected individuals and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) as required.
12. Your rights
Under the Privacy Act and the APPs, you have the right to:
12.1 Access
You can request a copy of the personal information we hold about you. We will respond within a reasonable period (usually within 30 days) and provide it free of charge unless your request is manifestly unfounded or excessive.
12.2 Correction
You can request that we correct inaccurate or out-of-date information. Most information can be corrected directly in your Account settings; for other information, contact us.
12.3 Deletion
You can request deletion of your Account and associated personal information. Some information may be retained where required by law or for legitimate business purposes (for example, financial records).
12.4 Withdraw consent
Where we rely on your consent, you can withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal does not affect processing done before withdrawal.
12.5 Complain
You can complain about how we handle personal information (see clause 13).
12.6 How to exercise your rights
Contact privacy@prep-hq.com.au. We may need to verify your identity before responding.
13. Complaints
13.1 If you believe we have breached the APPs or this Policy, please contact privacy@prep-hq.com.au. We will acknowledge your complaint within 7 days and aim to resolve it within 30 days.
13.2 If you are not satisfied with our response, you can complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):
- Website: www.oaic.gov.au
- Phone: 1300 363 992
- Post: GPO Box 5288, Sydney NSW 2001
14. Links to other sites
The Service may contain links to third-party sites. We are not responsible for their privacy practices. Please review their policies before providing personal information.
15. Changes to this Policy
15.1 We may update this Policy from time to time. The "Last updated" date at the top shows when it was last changed.
15.2 If we make material changes, we will notify you by email and/or through the Service. Your continued use after changes take effect constitutes acceptance.
16. Contact
For privacy questions or to exercise your rights:
- Email: privacy@prep-hq.com.au
Postal address available on request to privacy@prep-hq.com.au.
PrepHQ is operated by Prep Headquarters Pty Ltd (ACN 697 700 128).