> How Akero processes prospective student data under GDPR and ePrivacy: tracking cookies, lead capture, US hosting, consent and DPIA for universities. > > Canonical: https://www.flowconsent.com/en/services/marketing/akero Marketing # Akero Marketing · [Official website](https://akerolabs.com) Akero is a marketing platform for universities and higher education institutions. It captures prospective student leads, scores them, automates campaigns and syncs with Salesforce Education Cloud and similar CRMs. [Block Akero until consent](https://app.flowconsent.com/auth/sign-up?utm_source=flowconsent.com\&utm_medium=referral\&utm_campaign=marketing) · [Scan my site](https://www.flowconsent.com/en/scan) At a glance - Category [Marketing](https://www.flowconsent.com/en/services/marketing) - Consent Marketing - Prior consent Required - Documented cookies 4 - Third-party domains 4 - Servers United States (AWS us-east-1) with optional EU residency on enterprise contracts Overview ## What does Akero do? Akero is a marketing platform purpose built for universities, business schools and other higher education institutions. It captures prospective student leads from web forms, landing pages, paid media and offline sources, scores them, runs nurturing campaigns, and synchronises with the institutional CRM, typically Salesforce Education Cloud or HubSpot. Akero is widely used by UK and European universities recruiting international students. ## **What Akero does** Akero loads a tracking script on the institution website and hosts forms on landing pages. It enriches each captured lead with country, course interest, behavioural events, and source attribution, then pushes the record to the CRM with a unified score. The platform also publishes paid media campaigns directly to Google Ads, Meta, LinkedIn, and TikTok and measures performance end to end. ## **Cookies and data collected** Akero sets first party cookies on the institution domain (akero\_id, akero\_session) and may use third party cookies on akero.io. It collects the IP, user agent, referrer, URL, the form fields submitted (name, email, country, course interest, sometimes date of birth), behavioural events, and the device fingerprint. Ad platform pixels can also be loaded inside the Akero tag. ## **GDPR and ePrivacy implications** Prospective student records may include minors, special category indicators (health, financial aid), and persons in vulnerable situations. The tracking cookies are not strictly necessary, so Article 5(3) ePrivacy requires consent. Marketing emails and SMS require a separate opt in under Article 13 ePrivacy. Akero acts as a processor under your DPA for marketing automation and as a controller for product improvement. ## **Data transfers to the United States** Akero is hosted on AWS in the United States. Lead data, behavioural events and message content are transferred to the US. Transfers rely on the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and on Standard Contractual Clauses for non DPF subprocessors. Document the chain in your record of processing activities and your privacy notice. ## **How to deploy it compliantly** Sign the DPA, gate the Akero tag behind consent in your CMP, set a clear retention period for unconverted prospects, and use granular consent for marketing emails, SMS and profiling separately. Minimise form fields, avoid asking for date of birth or financial aid unless strictly necessary, and ensure ad platform pixels are also gated behind consent. Disclose Akero in your privacy notice and the prospective student fair processing notice. Compliance ## Akero and the GDPR Akero is classified as “Marketing”. On a site that targets European visitors, it must only load after the visitor consents, and it must be listed in your cookie policy. - Legal basis Consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR) for marketing and behavioural tracking, contract performance (Art. 6(1)(b)) for the application workflow when the prospective student initiates the process - Risk level high - Applicable regulations GDPR, ePrivacy Directive, FERPA equivalents, UK DPA, EU-US Data Privacy Framework ### Impact assessment (DPIA) A DPIA is recommended. Akero processes detailed prospective student profiles (interests, geography, behaviour), often including minors or applicants from sensitive contexts. Document the lead capture sources, the retention period, the US transfer mechanism, and the data sharing with the institutional CRM. ### Sample text for your banner > We use Akero to manage prospective student communication. Akero sets cookies on this site and transfers your interactions and contact details to its servers in the United States. We only activate it after you accept the marketing category in our cookie banner, and we collect a separate opt in for marketing emails. Cookies and trackers ## What Akero sets and contacts - Tracking method JavaScript tracking tag with first party cookies, lead capture forms, server side enrichment, integrations with Salesforce Education Cloud and other CRMs - Server location United States (AWS us-east-1) with optional EU residency on enterprise contracts - Data transferred outside the EU Akero is a US company hosted on AWS in the United States. Prospective student personal data (names, contact details, behavioural events, academic interests) is transferred to the US. Transfers rely on the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and on Standard Contractual Clauses combined with a Transfer Impact Assessment. ### Cookies set (4) | Name | Type | Duration | Purpose | | ------------------ | ------------ | -------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | akero\_id | http\_cookie | 1 year | Persistent prospective student identifier set by the Akero tag on the institution domain. | | akero\_session | http\_cookie | Session | Session identifier used to deduplicate page views and events within a single visit. | | akero\_attr | http\_cookie | 90 days | Attribution cookie storing the original campaign, source and medium of the visitor. | | akero\_form\_state | http\_cookie | 30 days | Form state cookie used to remember partial submissions and last viewed step in the application flow. | ### Third-party domains contacted (4) - `app.akero.io` - `tracking.akero.io` - `cdn.akero.io` - `forms.akero.io` Questions ## Frequently asked questions about Akero Can't find your question? Write to us, we answer fast. [Write to us](https://www.flowconsent.com/en/demo) ### What cookies does Akero set? Akero sets first party cookies (akero\_id for the visitor, akero\_session for the session, akero\_attr for source attribution) on the institution domain. The Akero tag can also load advertising pixels (Google, Meta, LinkedIn, TikTok) that set their own third party cookies. ### Does Akero require GDPR consent? Yes. The tracking cookies are not strictly necessary, so Article 5(3) ePrivacy requires consent. Marketing emails and SMS to prospective students require a separate opt in under Article 13 ePrivacy and the corresponding national rules. ### What is the legal basis for processing? Consent under Article 6(1)(a) GDPR for marketing and behavioural tracking. Contract performance under Article 6(1)(b) for the application workflow when the prospective student initiates it. A documented balancing test can support a narrow legitimate interest for lead scoring strictly within the institution. ### Are data transferred outside the EU? Yes. Akero is hosted on AWS in the United States. Lead data, behavioural events and message content are transferred to the US. Transfers rely on the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and on Standard Contractual Clauses for non DPF subprocessors. ### Do I need a DPIA? A DPIA is strongly recommended. Akero combines large scale behavioural tracking, potentially minor data subjects, automated lead scoring, and a US transfer. Several criteria of the EDPB DPIA guidelines apply. ### How do I implement Akero compliantly? Sign the DPA, gate the Akero tag behind consent in your CMP, request EU residency if available, minimise form fields, separate consent for marketing and profiling, and disclose Akero in your privacy notice and prospective student fair processing notice. ### Are there alternatives to Akero? Alternatives include EnquiryBot, Element451, Salesforce Marketing Cloud for Education, FullFabric, Slate (Technolutions), and Mailchimp combined with a higher education CRM. EU based options include FullFabric and Salesforce EU residency. ### How do I update my cookie policy for Akero? Add an Akero entry listing the akero\_id, akero\_session and akero\_attr cookies with their lifetime and purpose. Mention the US transfer mechanism, the role of Akero as processor for the institution and as independent controller for product improvement, and link to the Akero privacy notice. Same category ## More services: Marketing [See the whole category](https://www.flowconsent.com/en/services/marketing) ### [Xtremepush](https://www.flowconsent.com/en/services/marketing/xtremepush) [Xtremepush is a digital marketing technology that helps businesses reach, engage, and convert their target audience online. It provides advanced targeting, campaign management, and performance analytics capabilities. 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