Privacy Policy

Who We Are

Global Research Fellowship (“GRF,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is an educational research and mentorship program operated by Calm Compute, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, disclose, and protect personal information when students, parents, guardians, applicants, customers, mentors, or other users access our website, submit an application, purchase or participate in a program, communicate with us, or otherwise use our Services.

Scope

This Privacy Policy applies to the GRF website, application forms, payment pages, communications, mentorship sessions, workshops, cohort programs, research activities, publication support, educational materials, and related services, collectively referred to as the “Services.”

Third-party websites and services linked from GRF may maintain their own privacy policies. Their practices are governed by their respective policies rather than this Privacy Policy.

Information We Collect

Depending on how you interact with GRF, we may collect the following categories of information.

(a) Identity and Contact Information

• Student, parent, or guardian name;
• Email address and telephone number;
• Country, state, city, or billing information;
• Parent or guardian contact information; and
• Age, date of birth, or confirmation of age where necessary.

(b) Application and Educational Information

• School name, grade level, graduation year, and educational background;
• Academic interests, experience, activities, and goals;
• Application responses, essays, interview notes, and submitted documents;
• Program preferences and availability; and
• Information supplied by a parent, guardian, referral source, or mentor.

(c) Program and Research Information

• Attendance and participation records;
• Research ideas, notes, drafts, datasets, presentations, and completed projects;
• Mentor feedback, assessments, and program communications;
• Messages shared through email or collaboration platforms; and
• Session recordings where recording is disclosed and appropriate consent has been obtained.

(d) Payment Information

Payments may be processed by third-party payment providers such as Stripe. GRF generally does not receive complete payment-card numbers or security codes.

We may receive transaction information such as:

• Payer name and email;
• Student name;
• Payment amount and currency;
• Payment status and billing country;
• Transaction identifier; and
• Refund or dispute information.

(e) Technical and Usage Information

• Internet Protocol address;
• Browser, device type, and operating system;
• Approximate location derived from an IP address;
• Pages viewed and links clicked;
• Referring website;
• Date, time, and duration of visits; and
• Cookie and similar technology data.

(f) Communications

We may retain emails, support requests, interview communications, feedback, survey responses, and other correspondence sent to or received from you.

How We Use Information

We may use personal information to:

• Receive, review, and evaluate applications;
• Confirm eligibility and obtain parental or guardian consent;
• Communicate application and admissions decisions;
• Process registrations and payments;
• Deliver research, mentorship, cohort, workshop, and publication-related Services;
• Match students with suitable mentors or program groups;
• Schedule sessions and send program information;
• Maintain attendance, participation, and academic-integrity records;
• Review and provide feedback on student work;
• Facilitate agreed publication or presentation of research;
• Respond to questions and provide support;
• Prevent fraud, abuse, misconduct, and security incidents;
• Maintain accounting, tax, contractual, and legal records;
• Improve our website, programs, and educational materials;
• Send program announcements and marketing communications where permitted;
• Enforce our agreements and protect the rights and safety of GRF and its users; and
• Comply with applicable legal obligations.

Where applicable law requires a legal basis, we process information based on consent, performance of a contract, compliance with legal obligations, protection of legitimate interests, or another lawful basis available to us.

Children and Parental Consent

GRF’s Services are intended for users who are at least 13 years old. We do not knowingly collect personal information online directly from children under 13.

If we learn that we have collected information from a child under 13 without legally sufficient parental authorization, we will take reasonable steps to delete it.

Users under 18 may apply, purchase, or participate only with the involvement and consent of a parent or legal guardian. A parent or guardian may contact us to request access to, correction of, or deletion of a minor’s information, subject to legal and operational requirements.

We do not knowingly sell minors’ personal information or use student application materials or research submissions for targeted advertising.

How We Share Information

We do not sell or rent personal information.

(a) Service Providers

We may engage service providers that help us operate our website, process applications and payments, send communications, host video calls, provide collaboration tools, store documents, perform analytics, maintain accounting records, and prevent fraud.

(b) Mentors and Program Personnel

We may provide relevant student information and project materials to mentors, instructors, reviewers, contractors, advisers, and program personnel where necessary to provide the Services.

(c) Publication and Promotion

We may publish or display student work as described in our Terms of Service. We will obtain parent or guardian consent before publicly using the name, likeness, testimonial, or identifiable work of a participant under 18 where required.

(d) Legal and Safety Purposes

We may disclose information to comply with law or legal process, investigate fraud or misconduct, enforce our agreements, protect safety, or establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

(e) Business Transfers

Information may be transferred as part of a merger, acquisition, financing, restructuring, sale of assets, or transfer of GRF’s operations.

(f) With Consent

We may disclose information for another purpose when the student, parent, guardian, or relevant individual has authorized us to do so.

Payments

Payments are processed through third-party providers such as Stripe. Payment providers may independently collect and process payment credentials, billing details, device information, and fraud-prevention data.

Their processing is governed by their respective privacy policies. GRF receives only the payment and transaction information necessary to confirm purchases, maintain records, issue refunds, and address disputes.

Cookies and Analytics

GRF may use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Keep the website functioning;
• Remember preferences;
• Understand website traffic and performance;
• Identify errors or security risks; and
• Measure the effectiveness of communications or campaigns.

We may use analytics providers, including Google Analytics, to understand how visitors use our website. These providers may collect device, browser, usage, and approximate-location information.

Where required, we will request consent before using non-essential cookies. Users may control cookies through their browser settings, although disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality.

Marketing Communications

We may send information about applications, programs, events, deadlines, and related GRF opportunities.

You may unsubscribe from promotional emails using the unsubscribe link in the message or by contacting us. We may continue sending essential transactional or program-related communications necessary to provide the Services.

International Data Transfers

GRF is operated through a United States company and may work with students, parents, mentors, contractors, and service providers in multiple countries.

Personal information may therefore be processed in the United States, India, or other countries whose privacy laws may differ from those in the user’s location. Where required, we will use appropriate contractual or other safeguards for international transfers.

Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy.

• Incomplete or unsuccessful applications: up to 18 months after the last interaction;
• Participant and program records: generally up to three years after the program concludes;
• Payment, accounting, tax, and contractual records: generally up to seven years;
• Marketing information: until consent is withdrawn, the user unsubscribes, or the information is no longer needed; and
• Published research and associated permissions: for as long as reasonably necessary to maintain the publication or educational archive.

We may retain information for longer where required by law, necessary to resolve disputes, preserve academic or publication records, enforce agreements, or protect legal rights.

Data Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards designed to protect personal information against unauthorized access, loss, alteration, disclosure, or misuse.

However, no online service, communication system, or storage method is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

Users should avoid submitting unnecessary sensitive information and should protect passwords, devices, and account credentials used to access third-party program platforms.

Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have the right to:

• Request access to personal information we hold about you;
• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information;
• Request deletion of information;
• Object to or restrict certain processing;
• Withdraw consent;
• Request a portable copy of certain information;
• Opt out of promotional communications; and
• Submit a complaint to an applicable privacy or data-protection authority.

Parents and guardians may exercise applicable rights on behalf of a minor.

To submit a request, email support@globalresearchfellowship.com . We may request reasonable information to verify identity and authority before completing a request.

Certain information may be retained where necessary for legal, contractual, security, academic-integrity, or recordkeeping purposes.

Automated Decision-Making

GRF does not make decisions producing legal or similarly significant effects based solely on automated processing.

Technology may assist with administration, organization, or application review, but admissions and program decisions are made or reviewed by people.

Third-Party Links and Platforms

The Services may link to or use third-party platforms such as payment processors, video-conferencing services, collaboration tools, publication platforms, and social-media websites.

GRF does not control the independent privacy practices of these third parties. Users should review their privacy policies before providing information to them.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our Services, data practices, providers, or legal obligations.

The revised version will be posted with an updated effective date. If a change materially affects how we use previously collected information, we will provide additional notice or obtain consent where required.

Contact Us

Questions, concerns, and privacy requests may be directed to: