Cookie notice

Last Updated: 23 October 2026

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4. Cookies and similar technologies used on topuniversities.com and topmba.com

Cookie / Pixel / Script NameProviderTypeCategoryPurposeDuration
STYXKEY-loggedoutQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to log out the user24h
STYXKEY_first_visitQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to see if it is the first visit from the user on the site.1 Year
STYXKEY-social_login_goQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopuniversity uses this cookie to identify the user logged in via Google1 Year
STYXKEY-slogin_go_updatedQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopuniversity uses this cookie to update the email ID for users logged in via Google1 Year
STYXKEY-user_survey_submittedQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to understand if the user has completed our 'Help us to know you better' survey prompted when they visit the site.24 hours
STYXKEY-user_surveyQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to retain the user's choice in the 'Help us to know you better' survey, once they have submitted it.6 Months
STYXKEY-user_survey_otherQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to further understand the user's choice in the 'Help us to know you better' survey,if their role selection is 'Other'6 Months
STYXKEY-flexregStep2ContentQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to prompt the user towards the post-signup content, if they've successfully registered on our site.Session
STYXKEY-flexregStep2QSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to redirect the user to the step2 of our Signup process.N/A
STYXKEY-qs_new_userQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to understand if the user has newly registered, inorder to track usage analytics via datalayers.1 Hour
STYXKEY-formtriggerQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to direct the user towards the login/signup popup forms, as per the appropriate call-to-action.N/A
STYXKEY-user-global-regQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to direct the user towards the login/signup popup forms, as per the appropriate call-to-action.N/A
STYXKEY-step2universityorprogramQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to direct the user towards the Step-2 popup of our registration process, as per the appropriate call-to-action on University Profiles/Program pages.N/A
STYXKEY-step2nidQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to retain the University content (NodeID) as per the appropriate call-to-action which prompts the user to the Step-2 popup of our registration process.N/A
STYXKEY-show-guides-popQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to decide whether or not to display the study guide popup page. If the user has successfully registered, the popup page is displayed as per the appropriate call-to-action1 Hour
STYXKEY_comparidsProgramsQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to retain the University program IDs selected by a user for comparison.Session
STYXKEY_comparidsUniversityQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to retain the University Profile IDs selected by a user for comparison.30 days
STYXKEY-valuenidQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to retain the University content (NodeID) which prompts the user to the Step 2 of our registration process.Session
STYXKEY-valuekeyQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to retain the University content (NodeID) which prompts the user to the Step 2 of our registration process.Session
STYXKEY-valuestudyQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopuniversity uses this cookie to retain the study destinations selected by the user. The same is pre-selected on our step-2 signup forms.Session
STYXKEY-download_idQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopuniversity uses this cookie to retain the study guide ID downloaded by the user.24 hours
STYXKEY-can_download_fileQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniveristy uses this cookie to retain the nodeid of the downloaded study guide24 hours
STYXKEY-save_article_nidQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopuniversity uses this cookie to retain the article node ID, when an unauthenticated, or anonymous user saves an article on the site- to continue showing their own saved content.24 hours
STYXKEY_shortlistedschoolsQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to retain the University Profiles shortlisted by the user, inorder to display a shortlist summary on the Matching tool.Session
STYXKEY_shortlisteprogramsQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to retain the University Programs shortlisted by the user, inorder to display a shortlist summary on the Matching tool.Session
STYXKEY-short_univQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to retain the University Profile ID shortlisted by a user in the database.24 hours
STYXKEY-short_progQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to retain the University Program ID shortlisted by a user in the database.24 hours
STYXKEY-openContentModalsQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to decide whether or not to display the Shortlist/Compare Summary in the bottom tray (GSACK tray) of the Matching tool24 hours
STYXKEY-openContentModals-windowQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to retain the Shortlist/Compare page URL on the Matching tool. The users selection or deselection of Profiles/Programs24 hours
STYXKEY_universitynameinQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to retain the University name which is searched by the user on our Global search, or Directory pages.24 hours
STYXKEY-prog_urlQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to retain the University program URL based on the 'Apply' Call to Action.24 hours
STYXKEY-gotourlQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to store the user's opt-ins or password settings. The option to change password or their existing opt-in, is recommended based on this cookie. We save no personal information as part of this.Session
STYXKEY-fragment_hashQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to retain the category names which a user edits on their site dashboard (MyAccount page).Session
STYXKEY_pmtv2_data_QSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to retain the academic and study preferences set by the user on the Matching Tool.Session
STYXKEY__last_search_data_QSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to retain the most recent study and academic preferences set by the user on the Matching Tool.Session
STYXKEY_edit_cmt_resultQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to retain the changes made by the user to the study and academic preferences in the Matching tool.Session
STYXKEY-atsPopF1QSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to retain the University Profile/Programs shortlisted by the user24 hours
STYXKEY-CMTFBSign_InAttemptTagQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to tag the sign-in attempt on the Matching tool page via Facebook socials.N/A
STYXKEY-MainFBSign_InAttemptTagQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to tag the general sign-in attempt via Facebook socials.N/A
STYXKEY-CMTGoogleSign_InAttemptTagQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to tag the sign-in attempt on the Matching tool page via Google socials.N/A
STYXKEY-MainGoogleSign_InAttemptTagQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to tag the general sign-in attempt via Google socials.N/A
STYXKEY-v2drupalsigninQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to confirm the completion of authentication before the same is included in the datalayers employed in analytics.24 hours
STYXKEY-v2googlesignQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to confirm the completion of authentication before the same is included in the datalayers employed in analytics.24 hours
STYXKEY-v2facebooksignQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to confirm the completion of authentication before the same is included in the datalayers employed in analytics.24 hours
STYXKEY-lgdata_matchQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to retain the study level set by the user on the Matching Tool.Session
STYXKEY-step-two-submittedQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to indicate a fully registered user, who has also completed Step 2 of the registration process24 hours
STYXKEY_comparedschoolsQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to remember the Universities currently being compared by the active visitor.Session
STYXKEY-KnowmoreDirectLoggedinQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to understand if the user is an existing user or a new registration, after appropriate call-to-action 'Know More' on University Profile/Programs24 hours
STYXKEY-v2facebooksignupQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopuniversity uses this cookie to recognize if a user attempts to signup via Facebook socials24 hours
STYXKEY-v2googlesignupQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopuniversity uses this cookie to recognize if a user attempts to signup via Google socials24 hours
QS_REACT_FILTER_SAVEQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopuniversity uses this cookie to capture the academic and study preferences set by a visitor on the Matching tool.Session
STYXKEY-getInTouchDirectLoggedinQSCookieStrictly necessaryTopuniversity uses this cookie to understand if a user signs-in directly after encountering the Get In Touch Call to action on a University Profile.24 hours
STYXKEY-show-step2QSCookieStrictly necessaryTopUniversity uses this cookie to direct the user onto the Step2 of our registration process, via the appropriate Call-to-Actions in the Matching Tool.24 hours
STYXKEY_pageVisitCountQSCookieStrictly necessaryUsed by TopUniversities to track if the user viewed more than one page previously.6 months
STYXKEY-globaluserUUIDQSCookieStrictly necessaryUsed by Topuniversities to recognise new users.7 days
STYXKEY_current_pageURLQSCookieStrictly necessaryUsed by Topuniversities to identify which page the user is currently on.Session
cookie-agreed-versionQSCookieStrictly necessaryDrupal uses this cookie to maintain the current version of the EU GDPR cookie compliance module active on it's configuration.6 months
cookie-agreedQSCookieStrictly necessaryDrupal uses this cookie to capture the cookie consent agreed, or disagreed by the user in the EU GDPR cookie compliance module.6 months
cookie-agreed-categoriesQSCookieStrictly necessaryDrupal uses this cookie to manage the category of cookies that the user has consented to. The categories and additional details regarding the same can be seen on the cookie settings.6 months
qsssopermQSCookieStrictly necessaryUsed by TopTuniversities to power Single Sign On functionality.24 hours
SERVERIDQSCookieStrictly necessaryUsed by TopTuniversities to power Single Sign On functionality.Session
g_stateGoogleCookieStrictly necessaryUsed by Google One Tap login to power the feature.6 months
AWSALBAPP-0AWSCookieStrictly necessaryUsed by AWS to balance the traffic load and increase the page load speed.7 days
AWSALBAPP-1AWSCookieStrictly necessaryUsed by AWS to balance the traffic load and increase the page load speed.7 days
AWSALBAPP-2AWSCookieStrictly necessaryUsed by AWS to balance the traffic load and increase the page load speed.7 days
AWSALBAPP-3AWSCookieStrictly necessaryUsed by AWS to balance the traffic load and increase the page load speed.7 days
pixelsink_uidAdmedo or PixelSinkCookieAdvertisementAn advertising and tracking cookie typically set by platforms like Admedo or PixelSink. It assigns a unique visitor ID to your browser to track user behavior, deliver relevant targeted advertisements, and measure ad campaign performance.12 months
cf_clearanceCloudflareCookieStrictly necessaryCloudflare uses this Clearance Cookie to store the proof of challenge passed. It is used to no longer issue a challenge if present. It is required to reach an origin server30 Minutes
__cf_bmCloudflareCookieStrictly necessaryIs a necessary technical cookie set by Cloudflare to identify and mitigate automated malicious traffic on protected websites30 minutes
ABTastyAB TastyCookieFunctionalityThis cookie sends all test data (visitorID, test and variant IDs, timestamps).1 month
ABTastySessionAB TastyCookieFunctionalityThis cookie allows us to identify a unique session. It allows us to determine that a new session has begun for a given user.24 hours
ABTastyDomainTestAB TastyCookieFunctionalityUsed by AB to power its functionalitysession
__hssrcHubspotCookieAnalyticsWhenever HubSpot changes the session cookie, this cookie is also set to determine if the visitor has restarted their browser.Session
hubspotutkHubspotCookieAnalyticsThis cookie keeps track of a visitor's identity. It is passed to HubSpot on form submission and used when deduplicating contacts.6 months
__hstcHubspotCookieAnalyticsHubspot's main cookie for tracking visitors.6 months
__hsscHubspotCookieAnalyticsUsed by HubSpot to store anonymised statistics.24 hours
frMetaCookieAdvertisementUsed by Meta and contains a unique browser and user ID, used for targeted advertising.3 months
_fbpMetaCookieAdvertisementUsed by Meta (Facebook) to deliver a series of advertisement products such as real time bidding from third party advertisers.3 months
Meta Pixel (_fbq)MetaPixelAdvertisementUsed by Meta (Facebook) to deliver a series of advertisement products such as real time bidding from third party advertisers.Permanent. Present on TopUniversities.com pages.
tuuid_luLift DSPCookieAdvertisementUsed by QS Advertising partner Lift DSP to record anonymous user data, such as IP, geographical location, websites visited and ads clicked on, in order to optimise visualisation of ads according to user movement around websites using the same advertising network12 months
cLift DSPCookieAdvertisementUsed by QS Advertising partner Lift DSP to record anonymous user data, such as IP, geographical location, websites visited and ads clicked on, in order to optimise visualisation of ads according to user movement around websites using the same advertising network12 months
tuuidLift DSPCookieAdvertisementUnique value to identify individual users.12 months
Lift DSP Conversion Pixel / Optimization Tag (pixel?id=[UniqueID] , (collect)Lift DSPPixelAdvertisementUsed by Lift DSP to deliver and track advertisements server to users.Permanent. Present on TU pages.
ttcsidTikTokCookieAdvertisementThe TikTok cookie ttcsid likely serves as a session identifier, helping to maintain user sessions and track interactions across the platform. Its purpose is probably to manage user authentication or personalize content based on activity, similar to other session-related cookies used by TikTok.13 months
_ttpTikTokCookieAdvertisementTracking cookie used by TikTok to identify a visitor13 months
_tt_enable_cookieTikTokCookieAdvertisementTracking cookie used by TikTok to establish user consent.13 months
TikTok Pixel (ttq)TikTokPixelAdvertisementTracking pixel used by TikTok to deliver and assess advertiging served to users.Permanent. Present on TU pages.
__gsasGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementCookie is used by Google for advertising and security purposes, specifically supporting AdSense for Search.3 months
__eoiGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieFunctionalitySecurity and anti-spam cookie set by Google's ad products like AdSense, Google Ad Manager, and Google Ads.6 months
__gpiGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementA third-party or first-party identifier set by Google's ad products (such as Google AdSense and Google Ad Manager) to handle advertising delivery, security, and frequency capping13 months
__gpi_optoutGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementCookie is set by Google's ad products (like AdSense and Google Ad Manager) to record that a user has opted out of personalized or targeted advertising.13 months
TESTCOOKIESENABLEDGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementCookie is set by YouTube to track a user's interaction with embedded video content.60 seconds
NIDGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementThe NID cookie is a unique identifier used by Google to store user preferences and deliver personalized advertisements for individuals who are not signed into a Google account.6 months
DSIDGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementUsed by Google to identify a signed-in user on non-Google websites so that their ad personalization settings and preferences are respected across different domains.2 weeks
test_cookieGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieFunctionalityThe test_cookie checks if your web browser supports and allows cookies.15 minutes
idGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieFunctionalityStore unique identifiers to recognize a specific browser or device, helping Google services manage user authentication, remember preferences, and analyze activity.OPT_OUT: fixed expiration (year 2030/11/09), non-OPT_OUT: 13 months EEA UK / 24 months elsewhere
__gadsGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementThird-party tracking cookie set by Google DoubleClick (now part of Google Ad Manager / Google Ads) used primarily for advertising, targeting, and ad performance measurement.13 months
GED_PLAYLIST_ACTIVITYGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementIs a session cookie set by Google (used across YouTube integration, Google AdSense, Google Ad Manager, and the Interactive Media Ads SDK) to measure video and playlist interactions for advertising and analytics.Session
ACLK_DATAGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementAn advertising cookie used by Google products like Google AdSense, Google Ad Manager, and YouTube to track user behavior and measure ad campaign performance.5 minutes
receive-cookie-deprecationGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieStrictly necessaryIs a technical signal used by browsers like Chrome during testing phases to include a Sec-Cookie-Deprecation request header for evaluating how websites handle the reduction of third-party tracking.6 months
pm_sessGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieStrictly necessaryIs a short-term session cookie used by Google to maintain your browser session, validate session integrity, and protect against malicious activity like cross-site request forgery or spam.30 minutes
pm_sess_NNNGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieStrictly necessaryIs a short-lived security and functional cookie primarily used to prevent malicious sites from acting on a user's behalf without their knowledge.30 minutes
aboutads_sessNNNGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieStrictly necessaryIs a strictly necessary session cookie used by Google ad services (like Google AdSense) to authenticate users, prevent fraud, and maintain security during a browsing session.30 minutes
FPAUGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementStores a unique client ID for server-side tracking, analytics, and advertising measurement through Google Tag Manager and Google Analytics 4 (GA4).90 days
ANID*Google (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementStores an identifier and advertising preferences used by Google to personalize and measure ads.13 months EEA UK / 24 months elsewhere
AID*Google (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementHelps Google associate activity across Google services and devices for advertising measurement and personalization.13 months EEA UK / 540 days elsewhere
ar_debugGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementSupports debugging and diagnostics for Google advertising or conversion-measurement features.90 days
IDEGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementDoubleClick/Google advertising cookie used to recognize a browser, deliver ads, and measure ad interactions and conversions.13 months EEA UK / 24 months elsewhere
TAID*Google (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementHelps link advertising activity across different browsers or devices for ad measurement and personalization.14 days
FPGCLGSGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementFirst-party Google click/conversion-linker cookie used to retain advertising-click information for attribution.90 days
FPGCLDCGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementFirst-party DoubleClick click/conversion-linker cookie used to measure conversions from DoubleClick campaigns.90 days
_gcl_dcGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementGoogle conversion-linker cookie that stores information from DoubleClick or Floodlight ad clicks for conversion attribution.90 days
GCL_DC_PGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementPartitioned version of the DoubleClick conversion-linker data, designed to work within browser privacy restrictions.90 days
_gcl_auGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementGoogle Ads conversion-linker cookie used to store ad-click information and attribute conversions.90 days
GCL_AU_PGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementPartitioned version of Google Ads conversion-linker data.90 days
FLCGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementLegacy DoubleClick measurement cookie used for advertising delivery, conversion measurement, or checking ad-related activity.10 seconds
RULGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementDoubleClick/Google advertising cookie used for ad-delivery reporting, including whether ads were displayed and frequency-related controls.12 months
FCCDCFGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementStores consent information for Google services, typically through Google’s Funding Choices or consent-management systems.13 months
FCNECGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementStores a user’s consent choices or consent-management information for Google advertising and related services.365 days
FPGCLAWGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementFirst-party Google Ads click/conversion-linker cookie used to preserve click identifiers for attribution.90 days
FPGCLGBGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementFirst-party Google click/conversion-linker cookie used for Google advertising measurement and conversion attribution.90 days
FPGSIDGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementFirst-party Google tag session identifier used to connect events within a browsing session for measurement and attribution.90 days
_gcl_gbGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementGoogle tag click/conversion-linker cookie used to retain Google advertising identifiers for conversion measurement.90 days
_gac_gb_<wpid>Google (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementStores Google Ads campaign or click information associated with a Google Analytics property for conversion attribution.90 days
_gcl_awGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementGoogle Ads conversion-linker cookie that stores ad-click information, such as a click identifier, for conversion measurement.90 days
GCL_AW_PGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementPartitioned version of Google Ads conversion-linker data, designed to operate within browser privacy restrictions.90 days
_gcl_gsGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementGoogle tag linker cookie used to retain advertising or campaign information for measurement and attribution.90 days
_gcl_agGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementGoogle advertising conversion-linker cookie used to preserve ad-related identifiers for conversion measurement.90 days
1P_JAR*Google (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementGoogle advertising cookie used for ad delivery, personalization, measurement, and reporting.30 days
ConversionGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementUsed by Google conversion tracking to record or attribute actions resulting from advertising campaigns.90 days
YSCGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieFunctionalityYouTube session cookie used to maintain a user’s session and associate activity with video playback.Session
VISITOR_INFO1_LIVEGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementYouTube cookie used to estimate available bandwidth and support embedded-video features, recommendations, and measurement.180 days
FPLCGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAnalyticsFirst-party Google Analytics linker cookie used to support cross-domain measurement and client identification.20 hours
_gaGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAnalyticsGoogle Analytics cookie containing a client identifier used to distinguish users and measure website activity.2 years
_gac_<wpid>Google (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAnalyticsStores Google Ads campaign information associated with a specified Google Analytics property for conversion attribution.90 days
_gidGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAnalyticsGoogle Analytics cookie used to distinguish users and aggregate website activity, generally for a short period.24 hours
_gat[_<customname>]Google (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAnalyticsGoogle Analytics throttling cookie that limits the rate at which requests are sent to Google Analytics.1 minute
__utmaGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAnalyticsLegacy Universal Analytics cookie that identifies users and tracks visits over time.2 years
__utmbGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAnalyticsLegacy Universal Analytics session cookie used to determine the start and continuation of a visit.30 minutes
__utmcGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAnalyticsLegacy Universal Analytics session cookie used with __utmb to determine when a session ends.Session
__utmtGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAnalyticsLegacy Universal Analytics throttling cookie that limits request frequency.10 minutes
__utmzGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAnalyticsLegacy Universal Analytics cookie that stores referral, campaign, and traffic-source information.6 months
__utmvGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAnalyticsLegacy Universal Analytics cookie used to store visitor-level custom variables.2 years
AMP_TOKENGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieFunctionalityGoogle AMP Analytics cookie containing a token used to identify users and connect AMP-page activity with analytics measurement.30 seconds to 1 year
FPIDGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAnalyticsFirst-party identifier used by Google Analytics, particularly with server-side or measurement-protocol implementations, to recognize a browser or user.2 years
GA_OPT_OUTGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAnalyticsStores or signals a user’s Google Analytics opt-out preference.10 Nov 2030 (all cookies)
_ga_<wpid>Google (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAnalyticsGoogle Analytics 4 property-specific cookie used to maintain session state, campaign information, and other measurement data.2 years
_dc_gtm_<property-id>Google (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAnalyticsGoogle Tag Manager/Google Analytics cookie used to support tag deployment and, depending on configuration, Analytics-related measurement or request control.1 minute
_gaexpGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAnalyticsGoogle Optimize cookie used to assign visitors to experiments and remember experiment variants. Google Optimize has been discontinued.Set by customer; max of 93 days
_gaexp_rcGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieFunctionalityGoogle Optimize-related cookie used to support experiment assignment or configuration checks. Google Optimize has been discontinued.10 seconds
_opt_awcidGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAnalyticsLegacy Google Optimize cookie storing a Google Ads customer ID associated with an experiment.24 hours
_opt_awmidGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAnalyticsLegacy Google Optimize cookie storing a Google Ads campaign ID associated with an experiment.24 hours
_opt_awgidGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAnalyticsLegacy Google Optimize cookie storing a Google Ads ad-group ID associated with an experiment.24 hours
_opt_awkidGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAnalyticsLegacy Google Optimize cookie storing a Google Ads keyword ID associated with an experiment.24 hours
_opt_utmcGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAnalyticsLegacy Google Optimize cookie used to retain campaign or UTM-related information for experiment attribution and measurement.24 hours
_gcl_gfGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAnalyticsGoogle conversion-linker cookie associated with Google advertising or Floodlight-related measurement; it helps preserve click information for attribution.90 days
_gcl_haGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAnalyticsGoogle conversion-linker cookie associated with Google travel or Hotel Ads activity, used to retain advertising identifiers for conversion measurement.90 days
PAIDCONTENTGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAnalyticsCookie used by Google/YouTube-related services to identify or measure interactions with paid or promoted content.30 days
Cookie / Pixel / Script NameProviderTypeCategoryPurposeDuration
_opt_expidGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAnalyticsLegacy Google Optimize cookie that stores an experiment ID so the visitor can be assigned to, and remain in, the appropriate experiment.10 seconds
APCGoogle (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)CookieAdvertisementGoogle advertising or content-measurement cookie supporting ad personalization, campaign attribution, and measurement.6 months
Google Ads Conversion Tracking & Remarketing Tag (gtag('event', 'conversion', ...)Google (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)PixelAdvertisementUsed by Google Ads to deliver and track advertisements to users.Permanent. Present on TopUniversities.com pages.
Google Analytics Pixel collect?v=[ID]Google (Tag Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, YouTube)PixelAnalyticsUsed by Google Analytics to collect annonymous analytics data.Permanent. Present on TopUniversities.com pages.
bcookieLinkedInCookieStrictly necessaryBrowser Identifier cookie to uniquely identify devices accessing LinkedIn to detect abuse on the platform and diagnostic purposes1 year
bscookieLinkedInCookieStrictly necessaryUsed for remembering that a logged in user is verified by two factor authentication and has previously logged in1 year
JSESSIONIDLinkedInCookieStrictly necessaryUsed for Cross Site Request Forgery (CSRF) protection and URL signature validationSession
langLinkedInCookieFunctionalityUsed to remember a user's language setting to ensure LinkedIn.com displays in the language selected by the user in their settingsSession
lidcLinkedInCookieStrictly necessaryTo facilitate data center selection24 hours
sdscLinkedInCookieStrictly necessarySigned data service context cookie used for database routing to ensure consistency across all databases when a change is made. Used to ensure that user-inputted content is immediately available to the submitting user upon submissionSession
li_gcLinkedInCookieStrictly necessaryUsed to store consent of guests regarding the use of cookies for non-essential purposes6 months
li_mcLinkedInCookieStrictly necessaryUsed as a temporary cache to avoid database lookups for a member's consent for use of non-essential cookies and used for having consent information on the client side to enforce consent on the client side6 months
UIDLinkedInCookieAnalyticsCookie used for market and user research720 days
UserMatchHistoryLinkedInCookieAdvertisementLinkedIn Ads ID syncing30 days
AnalyticsSyncHistoryLinkedInCookieAnalyticsUsed to store information about the time a sync took place with the lms_analytics cookie30 days
lms_adsLinkedInCookieAdvertisementUsed to identify LinkedIn Members off LinkedIn for advertising30 days
lms_analyticsLinkedInCookieAnalyticsUsed to identify LinkedIn Members off LinkedIn for analytics30 days
li_fat_idLinkedInCookieAdvertisementMember indirect identifier for Members for conversion tracking, retargeting, analytics30 days
li_sugrLinkedInCookieAdvertisementUsed to make a probabilistic match of a user's identity90 days
_guidLinkedInCookieAdvertisementUsed to identify a LinkedIn Member for advertising through Google Ads90 days
BizographicsOptOutLinkedInCookieStrictly necessaryUsed to determine opt-out status for non-members10 years
li_giantLinkedInCookieAdvertisementIndirect identifier for groups of LinkedIn Members used for conversion tracking7 days
oribi_cookie_testLinkedInCookieAnalyticsTo determine if tracking can be enabled on current domainSession
oribili_user_guidLinkedInCookieAnalyticsUsed to count unique visitors to a website1 year
ln_orLinkedInCookieAnalyticsUsed to determine if Oribi analytics can be carried out on a specific domain1 day
ar_debugLinkedInCookieAdvertisementSupports Google attribution reporting API integration to mitigate signal lossSession
LinkedIn Insight Tag ( _linkedin_data_partner_ids or _lr_plugin_attributes)LinkedInPixelAdvertisementUsed by LinkedIn to deliver advertising and assess its effectiveness.Permanent. Present on TopUniversities.com pages.
mixpanel_optoutMixpanelCookieFunctionalityThis cookie is only generated if a user chooses to opt out of tracking (typically by clicking a "Decline" button on the cookie consent banner.12 months
mp_tab_id_mixpanel_[token]MixpanelCookieAnalyticsThis cookie assigns a temporary, unique identifier to the specific browser tab the user has open. It allows Mixpanel to coordinate multi-tab browsing sessions, ensuring that actions taken across multiple open tabs are synced correctly without duplicating session metrics or event loops.Session
mp_gen_new_tab_id_mixpanel_[token]MixpanelCookieAnalyticsThis is an operational cookie that works in tandem with the mp_tab_id cookie. It acts as a temporary state handler to determine whether a brand-new tab ID needs to be generated when a user opens a new window or duplicates a tab.Session
mp_[token]_mixpanelMixpanelCookieAnalyticsThe primary first-party cookie used for behavioral tracking. Instead of creating multiple cookies, Mixpanel groups your visitor information into this single string. It stores the user's distinct_id (unique visitor identifier), $device_id, referrer details, and any persistent "Super Properties" (custom attributes) you define client-side.12 months
https://try.abtasty.com/shared/commons.[UNIQUE_ID].jsAB TastyScriptFunctionalityPowers the A/B testing functionality on Topuniversities.com. Does not collect or handle PII.13 months
https://try.abtasty.com/[ACCOUNT_ID]/main.[UNIQUE_ID].jsAB TastyScriptFunctionalityPowers the A/B testing functionality on Topuniversities.com. Does not collect or handle PII.13 months
https://try.abtasty.com/shared/me.[UNIQUE_ID].jsAB TastyScriptFunctionalityPowers the A/B testing functionality on Topuniversities.com. Does not collect or handle PII.13 months
https://try.abtasty.com/[ACCOUNT_ID].jsAB TastyScriptFunctionalityPowers the A/B testing functionality on Topuniversities.com. Does not collect or handle PII.13 months
doubleclick.netYouTubeScriptAdvertisementUsed by YouTube to serve relevant ads to users.37 months
google-analytics.com/g/collectGoogle AnalyticsScriptAnalyticsPowers Google Analytics annonymised reporting.14 months
https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-[TAG_ID]Google AnalyticsScriptAnalyticsPowers Google Analytics annonymised reporting.14 months
https://www.googletagservices.com/tag/js/gpt.jsGoogle AdsScriptAdvertisementUsed by Google Ads to place advertisements on the web page.37 months
https://cdn.mxpnl.com/libs/mixpanel-recorder-[UNIQUE_ID].min.jsMixpanelScriptAnalyticsUsed by Mixpanel to pass annonymised user engagement events.Stored for the duration of the subscription.
https://pj.l.admedo.com/admtracker.lib.min.jsAdMedoScriptAdvertisementUsed by Ad Medo to place advertisements on the web page.13 months
https://js-eu1.hs-analytics.net/analytics/[UNIQUE_ID].jsHubspotScriptFunctionalityUsed by Hubspot to collect user engagementn analyticsStored for the duration of the subscription.
https://js-eu1.hubspotfeedback.com/feedbackweb-new.jsHubspotScriptStrictly NecessaryUsed by Hubspot to power the user surveys.Stored for the duration of the subscription.
https://js-eu1.usemessages.com/conversations-embed.jsHubspotScriptStrictly NecessaryUsed by Hubspot to power the live chat feature.Stored for the duration of the subscription.
https://js-eu1.hs-banner.com/v2/25874232/banner.jsHubspotScriptStrictly NecessaryUsed by Hubspot to power cookie consent banner.Stored for the duration of the subscription.
https://pool.liftdsp.com/pixel?id=153424&t=js&sink_id=[UNIQUE_ID]Lift DSPScriptAdvertisementUsed by our advertising partner Lift DSP to place the advertisements on the web pages.390 days
https://pool.liftdsp.com/ul_cb/pixel?id=[UNIQUE_ID]t=js&sink_id=[UNIQUE_ID&timestamp=[TIMESTAMP]&fire_id=[UNIQUE_IDLift DSPScriptAdvertisementUsed by our advertising partner Lift DSP to place the advertisements on the web pages.390 days
https://analytics.tiktok.com/i18n/pixel/static/identify_[UNIQUE_ID].jsTikTokScriptAdvertisementUsed by our advertising partner TikTok to power performsnce marketing.24 months
https://analytics.tiktok.com/i18n/pixel/static/main.[UNIQUE_ID].jsTikTokScriptAdvertisementUsed by our advertising partner TikTok to power performsnce marketing.24 months
https://connect.facebook.net/signals/config/[UNIQUE_ID]?v=2.9.331&r=stable&domain=www.topuniversities.com&hme=[UNIQUE_ID]MetaScriptAdvertisementUsed by our advertising partner Meta to power performsnce marketing.24 months
https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.jsMetaScriptAdvertisementUsed by our advertising partner Meta to power performsnce marketing.24 months

Scripts not collecting user data

Cookie / Pixel / Script NameProviderTypeCategoryPurposeRetention / Expiry
https://client.rum.[region].amazonaws.com/[version]/cwr.jsAWSScriptFunctionalityUsed to enable aggregated non-identifiable reporting on the traffic volume.N/A
https://static.cloudflareinsights.com/beacon.min.js/[UNIQUE_ID]CloudflareScriptFunctionalityDoes not handle any user data. Powers website functionality.N/A
https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.12.1/jquery-ui.min.jsCloudflareScriptStrictly NecessaryStrictly necessary script enabling the website functionality.N/A
https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/simplePagination.js/1.6/jquery.simplePagination.min.jsCloudflareScriptStrictly NecessaryStrictly necessary script enabling the website functionality.N/A
https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/OwlCarousel2/2.3.4/owl.carousel.min.jsCloudflareScriptStrictly NecessaryStrictly necessary script enabling the website functionality.N/A
https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jquery.mask/1.14.11/jquery.mask.min.jsCloudflareScriptStrictly NecessaryStrictly necessary script enabling the website functionality.N/A
https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/popper.js/1.16.1/umd/popper.min.jsCloudflareScriptStrictly NecessaryStrictly necessary script enabling the website functionality.N/A
https://static.cloudflareinsights.com/beacon.min.jsCloudflareScriptFunctionalityUsed by Cloudflare to assess the speed of the page load. Does not collect user data.N/A
://ytimg.comYouTubeScriptStrictly NecessaryStrictly necessary to enable embedded video playback.n/a
://youtube-nocookie.comYouTubeScriptStrictly NecessaryStrictly necessary to enable embedded video playback.n/a
https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id=GTM-[CONTAINER_ID]Google Tag ManagerScriptStrictly NecessaryPowers Google Tag Manager, does not collect user data.N/A
https://stackpath.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/4.3.1/js/bootstrap.min.jsQSScriptStrictly NecessaryDoes not handle any user data. Powers website functionality.N/A
https://www.topuniversities.com/themes/custom/tu_d8/js/bootstrap-fallback.js?v=1.0.0.3.44QSScriptStrictly NecessaryDoes not handle any user data. Powers website functionality.N/A
https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/semantic-ui/2.4.1/components/search.min.jsQSScriptStrictly NecessaryDoes not handle any user data. Powers website functionality.N/A
https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/semantic-ui/2.4.1/components/api.min.jsQSScriptStrictly NecessaryDoes not handle any user data. Powers website functionality.N/A
https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jquery.sumoselect/3.0.4/jquery.sumoselect.min.jsQSScriptStrictly NecessaryDoes not handle any user data. Powers website functionality.N/A
https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/[email protected]/jquery.expander.min.jsQSScriptStrictly NecessaryDoes not handle any user data. Powers website functionality.N/A
https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/[email protected]/dist/algoliasearch-lite.umd.jsQSScriptStrictly NecessaryDoes not handle any user data. Powers website functionality.N/A
https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/[email protected]/dist/instantsearch.production.min.jsQSScriptStrictly NecessaryDoes not handle any user data. Powers website functionality.N/A
https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/[email protected]/slick/QSScriptStrictly NecessaryDoes not handle any user data. Powers website functionality.N/A
https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/webfont/1.6.26/webfont.jsQSScriptStrictly NecessaryDoes not handle any user data. Powers website functionality.N/A
https://www.topuniversities.com/modules/contrib/ckeditor_accordion/js/accordion.frontend.min.js?tk2d22QSScriptStrictly NecessaryDoes not handle any user data. Powers website functionality.N/A
https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/[email protected]/dist/jquery.validate.min.jsQSScriptStrictly NecessaryDoes not handle any user data. Powers website functionality.N/A
https://content.qs.com/sso/sso.min.jsQSScriptStrictly NecessaryDoes not handle any user data. Powers website functionality.N/A
https://www.topuniversities.com/sites/default/files/js/js_[UNIQUE_ID].js?scope=header&delta=0&language=en&theme=tu_d8&include=[UNIQUE_ID]QSScriptStrictly NecessaryDoes not handle any user data. Powers website functionality.N/A
https://sso.qs.com/config.jsQSScriptStrictly NecessaryDoes not handle any user data. Powers website functionality.N/A
https://js-eu1.hs-scripts.com/25874232.jsHubspotScriptFunctionalityUsed by Hubspot to power live chat and analytics.
https://static.hsappstatic.net/trellis-theming-assets/static-1.483/bundles/hubspot-theme.stable.jsHubspotScriptStrictly NecessaryUsed by Hubspot to power user interface.N/A
https://static.hsappstatic.net/feedback-web-renderer-ui/static-1.30585/bundles/fetcher.jsHubspotScriptStrictly NecessaryUsed by Hubspot to power user interface.N/A