What is the USC COVID tuition refund settlement?

A $10 million class action settlement resolving claims that the University of Southern California owes students partial tuition refunds for the Spring 2020 academic term. When COVID-19 hit in March 2020, USC switched from in-person to remote classes for the rest of the semester. Students sued arguing they paid for an in-person education and got a lesser-quality remote one. The case is In re University of Southern California Tuition and Fees COVID-19 Refund Litigation, Case No. CV 20-04066-DMG (PVCx), in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

Do I need to file a claim for the USC settlement?

No. Payments are completely automatic. If you were a USC student who paid tuition for the Spring 2020 term, you will receive a check at your last known mailing address without doing anything. The only reason to visit the settlement website is if you want to update your address or choose to receive payment via Venmo or PayPal instead of a paper check. The deadline to update payment preferences is February 20, 2026.

Who qualifies for the USC tuition refund settlement?

Any student who paid or was obligated to pay tuition, fees, or other costs to USC for the Spring 2020 academic term. The only students excluded are those who were enrolled in programs that were already fully online before March 10, 2020, those who previously opted out of the class, and USC officers, directors, and related parties.

How much will I get from the USC settlement?

The $10 million fund will be divided equally among all class members after deducting attorneys' fees (up to 33.33%, or $3,333,000), service awards (up to $10,000 each for six class representatives), and administration costs. Your individual payment depends on how many students are in the class — the fund is split equally, so everyone gets the same amount.

Can I get my USC settlement payment by Venmo or PayPal?

Yes. By default, you will receive a paper check mailed to your last known address on file with USC. If you prefer to receive your payment via Venmo or PayPal, or if you need to update your mailing address, visit USCRemoteLearningLawsuit.com and complete an Election Form by February 20, 2026.

When will USC settlement payments be sent?

The final approval hearing is scheduled for March 27, 2026. If the court approves the settlement and there are no appeals, payments will be sent within 60 days after the settlement becomes final. If there are appeals, payments will be delayed until those are resolved.

What happens to uncashed USC settlement checks?

Any money from uncashed checks goes to the USC Student Basic Needs Fund, which provides additional financial aid to current USC students. So if you receive a check, make sure to cash it — otherwise your share goes back to USC.

When is the deadline for the USC settlement?

February 20, 2026 is the deadline to opt out, object, or update your payment preferences (update address or choose Venmo/PayPal). The final approval hearing is March 27, 2026 at 10:00 AM PT in Los Angeles.

What if my address has changed since I was at USC?

If you have moved since Spring 2020, you should update your mailing address before the February 20, 2026 deadline. Visit USCRemoteLearningLawsuit.com to submit an updated address. If you don't update it, your check will be mailed to the last address USC has on file for you — and if it doesn't reach you, your money could end up uncashed and sent to the USC Student Basic Needs Fund.

I graduated or left USC years ago — do I still qualify?

Yes. It does not matter if you graduated, transferred, or left USC after Spring 2020. If you paid or were obligated to pay tuition for the Spring 2020 term and were not in a program that was already fully online before March 10, 2020, you qualify.

USC $10M COVID Tuition Refund Settlement — Automatic Payments, No Claim Form (Update Address by Feb 20, 2026)

By Steve Levine

USC University of Southern California COVID Tuition Refund Class Action Settlement

Published: February 14, 2026

Payments: Automatic — No Claim Form Needed

Settlement Fund: $10,000,000

Who Qualifies: USC students who paid tuition for the Spring 2020 academic term

Payment Options: Check (default), Venmo, or PayPal — update preference by February 20, 2026

If you were a student at the University of Southern California during the Spring 2020 semester, you have a refund check coming. You don't need to do anything to get it — it's automatic.

A $10 million settlement has been reached over claims that USC owes students partial refunds for the Spring 2020 term. When COVID-19 shut everything down in March 2020, USC moved all classes online for the rest of the semester. Students paid for in-person instruction and campus services. What they got was Zoom classes and locked buildings. This settlement is meant to partially compensate for the difference.

The only thing you might want to do before the deadline is update your mailing address or switch to Venmo or PayPal — otherwise your check goes to whatever address USC has on file for you from up to six years ago.

What Happened?

In March 2020, as COVID-19 spread across the country, USC transitioned all students from in-person to remote learning for the remainder of the Spring 2020 academic term. That meant no more in-person lectures, no access to campus facilities, libraries, labs, or student services — but tuition and fees stayed the same.

Six students filed a class action lawsuit against USC and its Board of Trustees in May 2020. Their argument was straightforward: they paid for an in-person education and got a remote one, and USC should refund the difference. The lawsuit brought claims for quasi-contract restitution (meaning USC was unjustly enriched by keeping full tuition for a lesser service) and violations of the California Unfair Competition Law.

USC's response was that the switch was government-mandated, that USC never specifically promised in-person instruction for the entire semester, and that USC actually lost money during the transition to remote learning. USC denies any wrongdoing and the court never decided who was right. The two sides agreed to settle.

Who Qualifies?

You're in the class if you were a student who paid or was obligated to pay tuition, fees, or other costs to USC for the Spring 2020 academic term. That's it. Whether you were an undergrad, graduate student, law student, or any other program — if you paid tuition for Spring 2020, you qualify.

It doesn't matter if you've since graduated, transferred, dropped out, or haven't been a USC student in years. The settlement covers anyone who was enrolled and paying during that specific semester.

The only students who don't qualify are those who were in programs that were already fully online before March 10, 2020 (since they weren't affected by the switch), and students who previously opted out of the class when it was certified in September 2023.

What Do You Get?

Cash. The total settlement fund is $10,000,000. After deducting attorneys' fees, service awards for the six class representatives, and administration costs, the remaining money gets divided equally among all class members. Everyone gets the same amount.

The exact per-person amount depends on how many students are in the class. USC had tens of thousands of students enrolled in Spring 2020, and the fund also needs to cover legal costs, so individual payments will be a partial refund — not a full semester's tuition back. But it's free money you don't have to do anything for.

Payments are automatic. You don't need to fill out a claim form. If you do nothing, a check will be mailed to the last address USC has on file for you.

How Will I Get Paid?

By default, you'll receive a paper check at the mailing address USC has in its records. If you've moved since Spring 2020 — which is very likely since that was six years ago — you should update your address before the deadline.

You can also choose to receive your payment electronically through Venmo or PayPal instead of a paper check. To update your address or switch to electronic payment, visit USCRemoteLearningLawsuit.com and complete an Election Form by February 20, 2026.

This is important: if your check gets mailed to an old address and you never cash it, that money goes to the USC Student Basic Needs Fund. In other words, your refund goes right back to USC. So take two minutes and update your information.

When Will Payments Go Out?

The final approval hearing is March 27, 2026. If the judge approves the settlement and nobody appeals, payments will be sent within 60 days after the settlement becomes final. If there are appeals, everything gets delayed until they're resolved. Class action appeals can take months or longer, so be patient.

Important Dates

• COVID Transition to Remote Learning: March 2020
• Lawsuit Filed: May 2020
• Opt-Out Deadline: February 20, 2026
• Objection Deadline: February 20, 2026
• Payment Preference Deadline: February 20, 2026 (update address or choose Venmo/PayPal)
• Final Approval Hearing: March 27, 2026 at 10:00 AM PT — U.S. District Court, 350 W. 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012, Courtroom 8C, 8th Floor
• Payments: Within 60 days after settlement becomes final

Attorneys' Fees

Class Counsel (Berger Montague PC, Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP, and The Katriel Law Firm, P.C.) will request up to 33.33% of the settlement fund ($3,333,000) in attorneys' fees plus reimbursement of costs. Service awards of up to $10,000 each are being requested for the six class representatives: Injune David Choi, Christina Diaz, Chile Mark Aguiniga Gomez, J. Julia Greenberg, Justin Kerendian, and Latisha Watson. Both the fees and service awards come from the $10 million fund.

What Happens If I Do Nothing?

You get paid automatically. A check will be mailed to the address USC has on file for you. You'll also give up your right to sue USC separately over tuition refund claims for Spring 2020. If you want to preserve your right to sue on your own, you must opt out by February 20, 2026 — but then you won't receive any payment from this settlement.

Update Your Payment Preference

Visit the settlement website to update your mailing address or choose Venmo/PayPal. The deadline is February 20, 2026.

Update Your Info / Choose Venmo or PayPal

How Do I Find Class Action Settlements?

Find all the latest class actions you can qualify for by getting notified of new lawsuits as soon as they are open to claims:

Case Information

The case is In re University of Southern California Tuition and Fees COVID-19 Refund Litigation, Case No. CV 20-04066-DMG (PVCx), in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, before Judge Dolly M. Gee.

Class Representatives: Injune David Choi, Christina Diaz, Chile Mark Aguiniga Gomez, J. Julia Greenberg, Justin Kerendian, and Latisha Watson.

Class Counsel: E. Michelle Drake and Ariana Kiener of Berger Montague PC (Minneapolis, MN); Steve W. Berman, Daniel J. Kurowski, and Whitney K. Siehl of Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP (Chicago, IL); Roy A. Katriel of The Katriel Law Firm, P.C. (Del Mar, CA).

Defense Counsel: Stephen Morrissey of Susman Godfrey LLP (Seattle, WA).

Settlement Administrator: 1650 Arch Street, Suite 2210, Philadelphia, PA 19103.

Uncashed Check Funds: USC Student Basic Needs Fund.

Settlement Website: USCRemoteLearningLawsuit.com

Settlement Notice

Sources

• Class Action Settlement Notice, In re University of Southern California Tuition and Fees COVID-19 Refund Litigation, Case No. CV 20-04066-DMG (PVCx) (C.D. Cal.)
• Settlement Website: USCRemoteLearningLawsuit.com

Filing Class Action Settlement Claims

No claim form is required for this settlement — payments are automatic. If you need to update your address or payment preference, visit the settlement website by February 20, 2026. OpenClassActions.com is a consumer news site and is not the settlement administrator or a law firm.

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Class Action Summary
Status	Pending Final Approval — Automatic Payments
Claim Form	Not Required — Payments Are Automatic
Settlement Fund	$10,000,000
Payment Method	Check (default), Venmo, or PayPal
Category	COVID-19 / Tuition Refund / Remote Learning
Defendant	University of Southern California & Board of Trustees
Academic Term	Spring 2020
Who Qualifies	Students who paid or owed tuition for USC Spring 2020
Case Number	CV 20-04066-DMG (PVCx)
Court	U.S. District Court, Central District of California
Payment Preference Deadline	February 20, 2026
Opt-Out Deadline	February 20, 2026
Objection Deadline	February 20, 2026
Final Approval Hearing	March 27, 2026 at 10:00 AM PT — Los Angeles, CA
Attorneys' Fees	Up to 33.33% ($3,333,000) from fund
Uncashed Checks	USC Student Basic Needs Fund
Settlement Website	USCRemoteLearningLawsuit.com