Students Seek Florida College Fee Refunds for Services Disrupted by COVID

When COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic in March 2020, colleges and universities sprung into action to curb the spread and worked to transition their students into online learning. 

These efforts played an important part in reducing the spread of a contagious disease; however, some Florida students are complaining that their colleges have failed to provide refunds for fees for services that were not available when their campuses were shut down. 

Campus Shutdowns Reduce Number of Available Services

On March 17, 2020, the Florida Department of Education announced that all public state colleges and private colleges and campuses would be closed for the remainder of the spring semester and encouraged colleges to transition into virtual classes. 

Although many students are seeking partial tuition refunds because they claim they are not getting the same quality of education they paid for, students are also complaining that they paid fees for services that were no longer available due to COVID-19. 

As students’ classes transitioned into virtual formats, they were no longer able to take advantage of many of the on-campus amenities they paid for. Some of the Florida college fees for services that were no longer available during the COVID-19 pandemic include:

• Laboratory fees
• Transportation fees
• Health fees
• Technology fees
• Athletic fees

Attorneys are currently looking into allegations that Florida colleges wrongfully kept money students paid for services that were unavailable due to campus closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you paid any of these Florida college fees and did not receive a refund or waiver even though the services were not available, you may have a legal claim.

Are Colleges Obligated to Issue Refunds?

More than 100 lawsuits have already been filed by students who are seeking refunds for tuition and other fees they paid to their colleges during the pandemic., such as students from Harvard University, and Pepperdine University.  However, it is uncertain if there is a legal remedy available to them because there is currently no case law suggesting a requirement that college courses be held in person. However, there may be a stronger argument for colleges to refund fees paid for services that were unavailable to them. 

Attorneys representing a Miami Dade College student report that a judge recently ruled in favor of their client by determining an invoice that lists the various fees paid is sufficient to prove there was an express written contract to provide the services for which the student paid. Although this case has not yet been resolved, it is an encouraging sign that courts may determine students are entitled to refunds for certain Florida college fees. 

If you paid Florida college fees for services that were unavailable due to the COVID-19 pandemic and you did not receive a refund or waiver for those fees, submit your information now to find out if you’re eligible to participate in the free Florida college fees class action lawsuit investigation.