Catholic University Settles $2 Million Lawsuit for COVID-19 Tuition Refunds
Catholic University of America recently settled a $2 million class-action lawsuit with students who were seeking partial refunds for their tuition and fees for the disrupted Spring 2020 semester due to COVID-19. The settlement includes automatic payments for eligible students who experienced a loss of in-person services and instruction during that time.
The settlement agreement, approved in September, covers both graduate and undergraduate students enrolled at CUA during the Spring 2020 semester. If you were a Catholic undergraduate or graduate student enrolled in the Spring 2020 Semester and did not withdraw by March 18, 2020, and if you paid tuition and/or fees that were not fully refunded by Catholic, you are a member of the Settlement Class.
Under the terms of the settlement, eligible students will automatically receive a payment by check to their last known mailing address as reflected in Catholic’s records after the Effective Date of the Settlement Agreement. This agreement stems from a lawsuit filed in 2023 that highlighted the significant changes made by CUA in response to the pandemic, including a transition to fully online instruction beginning in March 2020.
The original complaint asserted that students were deprived of approximately 46% of the in-person instruction, activities, and on-campus services they had paid for. Catholic University settled this lawsuit to avoid costly litigation and does not admit to any fault or wrongdoing. The transition to remote instruction was made to protect the health of students, faculty, and staff, and comply with public health mandates.
A court-appointed settlement administrator will manage the settlement and notify students who are eligible to participate in receiving the automatic payments. This settlement reflects the efforts made by CUA to address the concerns of students who were impacted by the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
This settlement provides a resolution to the claims made by students regarding the Spring 2020 semester disruptions and offers a path forward for those affected by the changes in instruction and services during that time.
