Cornell University COVID-19 tuition $3M class action settlement

Cornell University agreed to a $3 million settlement to resolve a class action lawsuit claiming that it overcharged students for tuition during the spring 2020 semester after it moved to online due to COVID-19 restrictions. 

The settlement benefits Cornell University students who were enrolled in an in-person program for the spring 2020 semester and who did not withdraw from the university on or before March 1, 2020.

According to plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit, Cornell University charged them inflated tuition fees for the spring 2020 semester even though on-campus classes were transitioned online due to COVID-19 restrictions. The students say they didn’t receive the full benefit of their on-campus tuition but were not refunded these excessive fees.

Cornell is a private university in Ithaca, New York, with 15,735 undergraduate students and 10,163 graduate students.

Cornell hasn’t admitted any wrongdoing but agreed to a $3 million settlement to resolve the tuition class action lawsuit.

Under the terms of the Cornell COVID-19 tuition settlement, class members can receive an equal share of the net settlement fund. Exact payments will vary depending on the number of participating class members and the amount deducted for attorneys’ fees and other costs. No payment estimates are available. 

The deadline for exclusion and objection is Nov. 9, 2023.

The final approval hearing for the settlement is scheduled for Dec. 13, 2023.

No claim form is required to benefit from the settlement. Class members who do not exclude themselves will automatically receive a settlement payment but can choose to update their payment method on the settlement website.

Who’s Eligible

Cornell University students who were enrolled in an in-person program for the spring 2020 semester and who did not withdraw from the University on or before March 1, 2020

Potential Award

TBD

Proof of Purchase

N/A

Payment Selection 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.

Exlcusion Deadline

11/09/2023

Case Name

Alec Faber, et al. v. Cornell University, Civil Action No. 3:20-cv-00467, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York 

Final Hearing

12/13/2023

Settlement Website

CornellFeeRefundClassAction.com

Claims Administrator

Alec Faber, et al. v. Cornell University Settlement Administrator
PO Box 301172
Los Angeles, CA 90030-1172
admin@CornellFeeRefundClassAction.com
866-573-3117

Class Counsel

(Eddie) Jae K. Kim
LYNCH CARPENTER LLP

Paul J. Doolittle
POULIN | WILLEY | ANASTOPOULO LLC 

John C. Cherundolo
CHERUNDOLO LAW FIRM PLLC

Edward Toptani
TOPTANI LAW OFFICES

Defense Counsel

Ishan K. Bhabha
Paul B. Rietema
JENNER & BLOCK LLP