More than 170,000 current and former students have launched legal action against 36 universities across the UK, alleging they were denied the in-person education they paid for during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The claims follow a confidential settlement between University College London (UCL) and the Student Group Claim, which initially represented about 6,000 students.
The settlement, in which UCL did not admit liability, has paved the way for broader action involving students and graduates from dozens of other institutions.
According to a report by BBC on Monday, pre-action letters have been issued to 36 universities, notifying them that damages will be sought over the shift from face-to-face teaching to online delivery during lockdowns.
The universities targeted include University of Bristol, University of Birmingham, University of Leeds, University of Liverpool, Newcastle University and University of Manchester, among others.
The students argue that the tuition fees they paid covered in-person lectures, campus facilities and direct academic engagement — services they say were significantly reduced when teaching moved online.
The cases are expected to centre on the difference in value between virtual and face-to-face instruction, supported by economic analysis of alleged lost learning.
Defending the sector, Universities UK, which represents more than 140 institutions, described the pandemic as an “unprecedented challenge.” A spokesperson said universities had to “adapt to a fast-changing situation.”
“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,” the spokesperson was quoted as saying.
At the time, the UK government maintained that universities were responsible for setting their own fees and were expected to continue delivering high-quality education despite restrictions.
During the height of the pandemic, most teaching moved online, with students either returning home or confined to campus accommodation.
Access to laboratories, studios and specialist equipment was curtailed, particularly affecting courses such as fine art and applied sciences.
Graduation ceremonies were also postponed or held virtually, as many graduates entered a difficult job market.
Shimon Goldwater, a partner at Asserson Solicitors, described the disruption as “one of the great injustices to come out of the pandemic – and it’s never been remedied.”
With a court hearing in the UCL matter scheduled for March, the legal action now threatens to become one of the largest coordinated claims ever brought against the UK university sector.
