University of Washington students receive compensation for COVID-related tuition conflict

University of Washington students are finally receiving a resolution to a class-action lawsuit filed in 2020 over tuition refunds during the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of a settlement totaling $4 million, approximately 56,000 students who paid for in-person classes during the Winter and Spring Quarters of 2020 will each receive checks for around $40.

The lawsuit stemmed from the abrupt shift to online instruction after the pandemic hit, leading to campus closures, canceled events, and limited access to university facilities. Despite these changes, the University of Washington maintained full tuition and fee charges, which graduate students at the time were paying a minimum of $5,575 each quarter for resident students and $9,770 for non-resident students, alongside additional mandatory fees.

The plaintiffs argued that the online classes provided were not equivalent to the in-person educational experience they had paid for, citing violations of breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and constitutional protections. The university, however, denied any wrongdoing as part of the settlement agreement, which was ultimately approved by King County Superior Court Judge Sean O’Donnell on October 24, 2025, bringing an end to nearly five years of legal dispute.

The settlement was subject to preliminary approval on March 4, 2025, allowing students to opt-out if they wished. In the end, only sixteen students chose to exclude themselves from the settlement. The case was litigated by Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP, with provisions in the settlement covering the law firm’s attorneys’ fees and costs, which will be determined separately by court order.

The lead attorney for the plaintiff class, Steve W. Berman, expressed satisfaction with the outcome, stating that the settlement provided relief to students who had lost access to the in-person educational experience they had paid for. Judge O’Donnell also deemed the settlement fair, adequate, and reasonable, fulfilling the objectives of the legal action.

Despite the settlement approval, University of Washington officials have not yet issued a statement in response to the recent developments. The resolution of this class-action lawsuit represents a significant milestone for students who advocated for fair compensation for the disruptions caused by the sudden transition to online learning during the pandemic.