Cookie policy
Every cookie and browser storage item School Metar uses, why, and for how long, under the EU ePrivacy rules (Portuguese Law 41/2004) and the GDPR.
Last updated 1 November 2026
In short
Essential only by default
Nothing optional runs until you choose. Rejecting is as easy as accepting.
Your lists stay with you
Saved schools and comparisons live in your browser, not on our servers.
Analytics only with consent
If you accept, we measure visits in aggregate. No advertising cookies.
Change your mind anytime
Reopen cookie settings from the footer of any page.
What cookies and local storage are
Cookies are small files a website saves in your browser. Local storage is a similar browser feature that keeps information on your device without sending it with every request. EU law treats both the same way: anything not strictly necessary for a service you asked for needs your prior consent.
Strictly necessary
These make features you actively use work, so they don't need consent. None of them track you or are shared with third parties.
| Name | Purpose | Type | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| sm.consent | Remembers your cookie choice so we don't ask on every page | Local storage | Until you change it or clear browser data |
| sm.saved | Schools you saved | Local storage | Until you remove them or clear browser data |
| sm.compare | Schools in your comparison | Local storage | Until you remove them or clear browser data |
| sm.recent | Recently viewed schools | Local storage | Until you clear browser data (last 12 kept) |
| sm.searches | Searches you chose to save | Local storage | Until you remove them or clear browser data |
| sm.check.<school> | Ticks on a school's “ask before you pay” checklist | Local storage | Until you clear browser data |
| sb-<project>-auth-token | Keeps you signed in, only if you create an account | Cookie (first party) | Until you sign out or the session expires |
Analytics (only with your consent)
If you choose Accept analytics, we load Google Analytics 4 with IP anonymisation to count visits and see which pages help students. If you choose Essential only, or make no choice, it never loads.
| Name | Purpose | Type | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| _ga | Distinguishes visitors for aggregate statistics (Google Analytics 4) | Cookie (Google) | 2 years |
| _ga_<id> | Keeps the state of a visit for those statistics | Cookie (Google) | 2 years |
Google processes this data as our processor; see the privacy policy for international transfers.
Third-party content without cookies
- Map tiles are loaded from OpenFreeMap when a map is shown. The tile server receives your IP address to deliver the images; it sets no cookies.
- Fonts are served from our own domain, so no font provider sees your visit.
- No advertising cookies are used. If that ever changes, they will be a separate choice that is off by default.
Changing your choice
You can change or withdraw your consent at any time, as easily as you gave it: . You can also delete cookies and local storage in your browser settings; your saved schools and comparisons will then be lost.
Withdrawing consent doesn't affect statistics already collected.
This document is provided in English. If you need it in Portuguese, ask us.