The case reflects growing awareness among international students, including Indians, about their consumer rights and the financial impact of pandemic-era decisions
Around 500 Indian students have joined more than 20,000 international students in legal action against 36 UK universities, claiming compensation for disrupted education during the COVID-19 pandemic. The group argues that they paid full fees for in-person teaching and campus facilities but instead received online classes while libraries, laboratories and studios remained closed.
The claim is being coordinated by Student Group Claim, which says up to 170,000 students worldwide could be eligible to join. Law firms Asserson and Harcus Parker are representing the students. They argue that tuition fees for online courses during the pandemic were often 25 to 50 per cent lower than classroom-based courses, yet students were charged the full amount.
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According to the lawyers, students should be refunded the difference between what they paid and the service they actually received
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They say many undergraduates took out large loans to fund degrees that were heavily affected by lockdown restrictions, especially during the 2020–21 academic year
University College London (UCL) has already reached a confidential settlement with a group of students. UCL stated that it had followed government guidance at the time and acknowledged the challenges faced by students during the pandemic.
Under English law, consumers may seek compensation if a service provided is of lower value than promised. Students who studied in the 2020–21 academic year can join the claim before the September 2026 deadline under the UK’s Limitation Act.
Meanwhile, Universities UK International, which represents 140 institutions, said universities adapted quickly to government rules and were not permitted to offer in-person teaching during lockdowns.
