More than 170,000 students in England and Wales are pursuing legal action against dozens of universities, claiming compensation after their courses were moved online during COVID-19. The cases follow a confidential settlement between University College London and 6,000 affected students, and are being pursued under consumer law on the basis that students paid for in-person teaching but received a lower-value online experience. Lawyers argue that tuition fees for online courses are typically 25%–50% lower, and students are owed “fair financial compensation.” The action could cost universities millions and may expand if more students come forward before a September 2026 deadline.
