During the pandemic, universities across the UK closed campuses, restricted access to facilities and moved teaching online. For some students, particularly those on practical or lab-based courses, that shift had a significant impact.
According to reporting by the BBC, one former student said much of the hands-on work central to her fine art degree was lost during lockdowns.
Another described the difficulty of remote seminars, limited engagement and the loss of in-person academic rapport.
Many are now pursuing compensation claims over the educational experience they paid for during the pandemic.
What are these university Covid claims about?
At the heart of these claims is a legal question: when a student enrols and pays tuition fees, what exactly are they buying?
Universities provide more than just lectures. Prospectuses and course materials often reference:
- Access to specialist facilities
- In-person teaching
- Laboratory or studio time
- Library resources
- On-campus services and spaces.
If those elements are significantly restricted, students argue that the contract they entered into was not fully honoured.
Earlier this month, University College London (UCL) reached a confidential settlement with students and graduates who brought legal action over teaching quality during Covid lockdowns and strike disruption. The university admitted no liability.
However, 36 more institutions have reportedly received pre-action letters from lawyers acting for students who say they paid for services that were not fully delivered.
Ultimately, it will be for the courts to determine whether the disruption amounts to a breach of contract in specific cases.
“I’m not taking part because of the money”
What stands out is the motivation behind some of these claims.
One student told the BBC they had accepted that they may not get any money back, but were taking part because of the principle. Another said they wanted acknowledgement from their university about the academic impact they believe students have suffered.
Group action claims are sometimes portrayed as opportunistic or compensation driven. In reality, they often serve three wider purposes:
- Accountability – testing whether organisations met their legal obligations
- Transparency – forcing a public examination of what happened
- Standards – clarifying what consumers (or students) are entitled to expect in future.
In some cases, the process itself provides a sense of closure. A formal legal challenge can validate experiences that students felt were dismissed or minimised at the time.
For many former students, the claim is about recognition. And even if financial redress is modest – or never materialises – they want the disruption formally acknowledged.
What happens next?
The universities that have received pre-action letters now have an opportunity to respond before any further proceedings are issued.
For some former students, the claim is simple: if you pay for something, you should receive what was promised. For others, it is about drawing a line under an extraordinary chapter in higher education. Either way, the conversation is not just about money.
Some claims may not succeed, and some students may not receive compensation. But the broader debate – about what tuition fees cover, what students are contractually entitled to, and how institutions respond in times of crisis – is unlikely to disappear.
Join the Claim connects consumers with SRA-regulated lawyers. Visit the claim page to check your eligibility if a claim is open with one of our trusted legal partners. If a group action has not yet been launched, you can register your interest and we’ll keep you informed if a partner firm decides to take a claim forward.
