A confidential settlement between University College London and thousands of its students has opened the floodgates for legal claims that could cost the higher education sector millions, as over 170,000 students across England and Wales seek compensation for pandemic-disrupted studies.
Pre-action claim letters have now been sent to 36 universities, putting institutions including Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter, Imperial College London, Leeds, Liverpool, and Warwick on notice. The list also encompasses Birmingham, Coventry, De Montfort, East Anglia, Leeds Beckett, the London School of Economics, Loughborough, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Southampton, and York.
The Legal Precedent and the Claims
The wave of action follows last week’s out-of-court resolution between UCL and the Student Group Claim, which represented 6,000 of its students. While UCL admitted no liability and the terms are confidential, the settlement has provided a crucial precedent. The case had been scheduled for a court hearing next week.
The claims are founded on consumer law, specifically the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Lawyers argue that students, as consumers, paid for a service—in-person teaching and full access to campus facilities—but were provided with a different, lower-value service when courses moved online during COVID-19 lockdowns. They point out that fees for dedicated online degree courses are typically 25-50% less than for traditional in-person courses.
Law firms Asserson and Harcus Parker are bringing the actions on a “no win, no fee” basis. Lawyers involved have previously suggested UK undergraduates could each claim around £5,000, with higher amounts anticipated for postgraduate and international students due to their higher tuition fees.
Student Experiences and Sector Response
For students like Georgia Johnson, 28, the impact was profound. Studying for a postgraduate teaching degree when the pandemic hit, she described learning how to teach over Zoom as a “massive setback” that affected her mental health and delayed her career. “I definitely didn’t get what I should have got while I was there,” she said.
Her experience aligns with research indicating remote learning contributed to increased anxiety, stress, and social isolation among students. The legal claims also encompass disruptions caused by industrial action by university staff, in addition to those prompted by the pandemic.
In a statement following its settlement, UCL President Dr Michael Spence acknowledged the COVID years were “incredibly difficult” and said the university had provided clear routes for redress. UCL’s defence had been that it worked diligently in unprecedented circumstances and that its internal complaints procedures were adequate. Claimants’ lawyers, however, deemed such routes insufficient for claims of this scale.
A spokesperson for Universities UK, which represents 142 institutions, said universities had followed government guidance. “During some periods of lockdown, universities were not permitted to offer in-person teaching as usual and instead they adjusted quickly and creatively to allow students to complete their degrees,” they said.
The Road Ahead
With lawyers estimating the total cost to universities could run into millions depending on participation, the sector faces a prolonged period of legal contention. Shimon Goldwater, a partner at Asserson, said: “UK undergraduates at university during the pandemic borrowed money at ridiculous interest rates to fund courses which were ruined by online teaching and closed facilities.”
The window for new claims remains open, with a September 2026 deadline for students to come forward. This deadline relates to the Limitation Act, as claims for the most affected 2020-21 academic year will begin to expire from that point.
