Cookies
Updated: March 2025
Our use of cookies
Cookies are small files placed on your computer by websites that you visit. We use them to:
- remember settings you've saved
- measure website usage
Types of cookies:
- necessary: required for the operation of the website
- functional: personalises the content and remembers your preferences
- analytical performance: counts the number of visitors and how visitors move around the website (does not collect personal information)
- social sharing: makes it easy for you to share content to social media channels
- marketing: helps us improve the relevancy of the advertising campaigns you receive
Third party websites: please be aware that if you access third party websites including social media platforms from this website you will be subject to their terms and conditions.
Cookies used across our websites
Necessary
| Name | Purpose | Expiration |
|---|---|---|
| HASQA | Ensures delivery of this website, by distributing workload across multiple computing resources. | Session |
| HAAPPLB | Ensures delivery of the FFORA website, by distributing workload across multiple computing resources. | Session |
Functional
| Name | Purpose | Expiration |
|---|---|---|
| civicCookieControl | Used to track consent, and allows anonymised users to control how cookies are set when using this site. | 3 months |
| NID | Used for the Postcode Finder service. | 6 months |
| _gali | Set when you opt to listen to a particular page. | 1 minute |
| ajax_search_cookie | Holds the search string used when filtering jobs in recruitment portal. | End of session |
| ccp_user5152, lastaccesstime5152, sessionid5152 | Identifies logged in user in recruitment portal. Holds timestamp for when a page is called from the server. Holds session ID. | End of session |
| cookieip | Holds the assumed IP address of the client. | Session |
| choosecountryregion | Holds country/region chosen. | 6 months |
| choosecountryregionurl | Holds URL for specific region page used on sqa.org.uk. | 6 months |
| requestFromOutsideGB | Holds a flag indicating if a user is assumed to be outside GB. | Session |
| JSESSIONID | Used to track sessions on sqa.org.uk and the past papers application. | Session |
| PREF | Set after performing a search through the sqa.org.uk website. | Session |
| style | Holds accessibility settings. | 1 year |
| TEXT_SIZE | Holds text size to be used. | - |
| iama | Indicates the selected user type from the 'I am a…' menu. | 1 year |
| YSC | Relates to the user's YouTube preferences. | Session |
| VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE | Relates to the user's YouTube preferences. | 8 months |
Analytical performance
Google Analytics
These cookies are used to monitor website traffic, search queries and visits to this website. User data is anonymised.
| Name | Purpose | Expiration |
|---|---|---|
| _ga | Used to distinguish users and sessions. | 2 years |
| _ga_container-id | Used to persist session state. | 2 years |
HotJar
These cookies are used to record information on how visitors are interacting with the website. User data is anonymised.
| Name | Purpose | Expiration |
|---|---|---|
| _hjSessionUser_site_id | Set when a user first lands on a page. | 1 year |
| _hjHasCachedUserAttributes | Enables us to know whether the data set in _hjUserAttributes Local Storage item is up to date or not. | Session |
| _hjUserAttributesHash | Enables us to know when any User Attribute has changed and needs to be updated. | 2 minutes duration, extended every 30 seconds |
| _hjSession_site_id | Holds current session data. | 30 minutes duration, extended on user activity. |
| _hjCookieTest | Checks to see if the Hotjar Tracking Code can use cookies. If it can, a value of 1 is set. | Under 100ms duration, cookie expiration time set to session duration |
| _hjLocalStorageTest | Checks if the Hotjar Tracking Code can use Local Storage. If it can, a value of 1 is set. | Under 100ms duration |
| _hjSessionStorageTest | Checks if the Hotjar Tracking Code can use Session Storage. If it can, a value of 1 is set. | Under 100ms duration |
| _hjTLDTest | Enables us to try to determine the most generic cookie path to use, instead of page hostname. | Session |
| _hjClosedSurveyInvites | Set when a user interacts with a Link Survey invitation modal. | 1 year |
| _hjDonePolls | Set when a user completes an on-site Survey. | 1 year |
| _hjMinimizedPolls | Set when a user minimizes an on-site Survey. | 1 year |
Social sharing
doubleclick.net
| Name | Purpose | Expiration |
|---|---|---|
| DSID | Used for re-targeting, optimisation, reporting and attribution of online adverts. | 2 weeks |
| IDE | Used for re-targeting, optimisation, reporting and attribution of online adverts. | 1 year |
| Name | Purpose | Expiration |
|---|---|---|
| fr | Used by Facebook to deliver a series of advertisement products such as real time bidding from third party advertisers. | 3 months |
| Name | Purpose | Expiration |
|---|---|---|
| 1P_JAR APISID |
Google uses these cookies, based on recent searches and interactions, to customise ads on Google websites. | Session 2 years |
| HSID | Google security cookie. | Up to 2 years |
| NID | User preferences e.g. language, search results per page | 6 months |
| SAPISID, SID | Used by Google to store user preferences and information of Google maps | 2 years |
| SIDCC | Google tracking cookie | Session |
| SSID | Google tracking cookie | 2 years |
| Name | Purpose | Expiration |
|---|---|---|
| BizoID, UserMatchHistory | Used for LinkedIn Ad analytics | 6 months |
| lang | Remembers the user's selected language version of a web site | Session |
| bcookie | Used by LinkedIn for tracking the use of embedded services | 2 years |
| lidc | Used by LinkedIn for tracking the use of embedded services | Session |
| Name | Purpose | Expiration |
|---|---|---|
| guest_id | Collects anonymous data related to the user's visits to the website, such as the number of visits, and average time spent on the web site, with the purpose of personalising and improving the Twitter service. | 2 years |
| personalization_id | Allows the sharing of content on Twitter. | 2 years |
Marketing
| Name | Purpose | Expiration |
|---|---|---|
| E-shot cookie (ASP.NET_SessionId) |
Allows website to track visitor behaviour on sites and to link a visitor to the recipient of an email marketing campaign, to measure campaign effectiveness. | 2 years |
How do I change my cookie settings?
You can control the use of cookies using the Cookie Control feature on this website, which works with most browsers and devices.
Cookie Control uses a cookie to remember your preferences. If you clear any cookies from your browser or device then you may need to reset your Cookie preferences when you next visit.
Most web browsers allow some control of most cookies through the browser settings.
To opt out of Google Analytics on all websites visit http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.
Cookies updates
This cookies policy may be amended by us at any time.
Contact us
For any information on our cookies, please contact: Customer Enquiries or 0345 279 1000 or write to: The Optima Building, 58 Robertson Street, Glasgow, G2 8DQ.