$5M University of Minnesota data breach class action settlement

The University of Minnesota agreed to a $5 million class action lawsuit settlement to resolve claims it failed to prevent a 2021 data breach that compromised sensitive student and employee information.

The settlement benefits individuals whose personal information was maintained in or accessible via the University of Minnesota’s Legacy Data Warehouse as of Aug. 10, 2021. This may include individuals who submitted information to the university as prospective students, attended the university as students, worked at the university as employees or participated in university programs between 1989 and Aug. 10, 2021.

The University of Minnesota is a public university in Minnesota with campuses in Crookston, Duluth, Morris, Rochester and the Twin Cities. The university has more than 45,000 students and 20,000 employees.

In September 2023, the University of Minnesota announced that sensitive information from its Legacy Data Warehouse was compromised in a data breach in August 2021. The breach reportedly compromised names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, driver’s license numbers, contact information, demographic data, application information, admission data, academic records and employment information.

Affected individuals quickly took legal action against the university, arguing that the institution could have prevented the data breach through reasonable cybersecurity measures. The plaintiffs also argue that the university failed to promptly inform them of the breach, denying them the opportunity to take steps to protect themselves from fraud and identity theft.

The University of Minnesota has not admitted any wrongdoing but agreed to a $5 million class action settlement to resolve the allegations.

Under the terms of the University of Minnesota settlement, class members can receive a cash payment.

Class members who submit a valid claim form will be entitled to a cash payment of $30 unless the number of valid claims exhausts the net settlement fund. If this occurs, payments may be reduced on a pro rata basis.

Class members who submit a valid claim form and select dark web monitoring will also be eligible for 24 months of dark web monitoring.

The deadline for exclusion and objection is Dec. 29, 2025.

The final approval hearing for the University of Minnesota data breach settlement is scheduled for Jan. 28, 2026.

To receive settlement benefits, class members must submit a valid claim form by Dec. 24, 2025.

Who’s Eligible

Individuals whose personal information was maintained in or accessible via the University of Minnesota’s Legacy Data Warehouse as of Aug. 10, 2021. This includes individuals who submitted information to the university as a prospective student, attended the university as a student, worked at the university as an employee or participated in university programs between 1989 and Aug. 10, 2021.

Potential Award

$30 cash payment and/or 24 months of dark web monitoring.

Proof of Purchase

No proof of purchase is required, but class members must provide their name, address, email address and phone number, if available, as well as information to identify the class member as being included in the settlement class.

Claim Form

NOTE: If you do not qualify for this settlement do NOT file a claim.

Remember: you are submitting your claim under penalty of perjury. You are also harming other eligible Class Members by submitting a fraudulent claim. If you’re unsure if you qualify, please read the FAQ section of the Settlement Administrator’s website to ensure you meet all standards (Top Class Actions is not a Settlement Administrator). If you don’t qualify for this settlement, check out our database of other open class action settlements you may be eligible for.

Claim Form Deadline

12/24/2025

Case Name

In re: Regents of the University of Minnesota Data Litigation, Case No. 27-CV-23-14056, in the Fourth Judicial District Court of the State of Minnesota

Final Hearing

01/28/2026

Settlement Website

UofMDataSettlement.com

Claims Administrator

University of Minnesota Data Incident Settlement
c/o Kroll Settlement Administration LLC
P.O. Box 225391
New York, NY 10150-5391
[email protected]
833-890-4933

Class Counsel

Daniel E. Gustafson
GUSTAFSON GLUEK PLLC

Kate Baxter-Kauf
LOCKRIDGE GRINDAL NAUNEN PLLP

Garrett Blanchfield
REINHARDT WENDORF & BLANCHFIELD

Bryan Bleichner
CHESTNUT CAMBRONNE P.A.

William Caldes
SPECTOR ROSEMAN & KODROFF P.C.

E. Michelle Drake
BERGER MONTAGUE

Brian Gudmundson
ZIMMERMAN REED LLP

Anne Regan
Nathan Prosser
HELLMUTH & JOHNSON

Defense Counsel

Aravind Swaminathan
ORRICK HERRINGTON & SUTCLIFFE LLP