Colleges Settlement
Colleges Settlement
You may be eligible for a payout if you received need based financial aid from one of 17 schools.
Est. Claim:
$2,000
Total Eligible:
200,000+
Note: ClaimsHero is no longer accepting submissions for this settlement. You may still be able to apply directly with the claims administrator.
Overview
Current and former students of 17 universities are eligible for a settlement that alleges these universities conspired with each other to reduce the amount of need-based aid they provided to students, resulting in the artificial inflation of the price of attendance. If you received need-based aid from one of these universities, you may qualify to claim part of this 9-figure settlement!
Eligibility
You may qualify if you went to or attend one of the below schools
Brown
CalTech
Columbia
Cornell
Dartmouth
Duke
Emory
Georgetown
Johns Hopkins
MIT
Northwestern
Notre Dame
Rice
UChicago
UPenn
Vanderbilt
Yale
Note: ClaimsHero is no longer accepting submissions for this settlement. You may still be able to apply directly with the claims administrator.
A $284 Million Settlement for Students and Alumni of 17 Universities
Current and former students of 17 universities are eligible for a settlement that alleges these universities conspired with each other to reduce the amount of need-based aid they provided to students, resulting in the artificial inflation of the price of attendance.
If you received need-based aid from one of these universities, you may qualify to claim part of this 9-figure settlement!
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Frequently Asked Questions
You can review the full notice here.
Certain current and former financial aid recipients brought a proposed class action lawsuit in January 2022 against Brown University, California Institute of Technology, University of Chicago, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Duke University, Emory University, Georgetown University, Johns Hopkins University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, University of Notre Dame, University of Pennsylvania, William Marsh Rice University, Vanderbilt University, and Yale University (the "Defendants" or "Universities").
The lawsuit alleges that the Universities conspired in violation of the federal antitrust laws regarding principles, formulas, and methods of determining financial aid. The Action also alleges that as a result, the Universities provided less financial aid than they would have provided had there been full and fair competition. The Universities have alleged that Plaintiffs' claims lack merit; that the Universities' financial aid policies were legal and pro-competitive, and financial aid awards were not artificially reduced; that the Universities have valid defenses to Plaintiffs' allegations; and that Plaintiffs' claims would have been rejected prior to trial, at trial, or on appeal.
Plaintiffs have reached settlement agreements ("Settlements") with Brown University ("Brown"), University of Chicago ("Chicago"), the Trustees of Columbia University ("Columbia"), Trustees of Dartmouth College ("Dartmouth"), Duke University ("Duke"), Emory University ("Emory"), Northwestern University ("Northwestern"), William Marsh Rice University ("Rice"), and Vanderbilt University ("Vanderbilt"), Yale University ("Yale"). As part of the Settlements:
- Chicago has agreed to make a settlement payment of $13.5 million.
- Emory has agreed to make a settlement payment of $18.5 million.
- Yale has agreed to make a settlement payment of $18.5 million.
- Brown has agreed to make a settlement payment of $19.5 million.
- Columbia has agreed to make a settlement payment of $24 million.
- Duke has agreed to make a settlement payment of $24 million.
- Dartmouth has agreed to make a settlement payment of $33.75 million.
- Rice has agreed to make a settlement payment of $33.75 million.
- Northwestern has agreed to make a settlement payment of $43.5 million.
- Vanderbilt has agreed to make a settlement payment of $55 million.
The Settlements will provide cash payments to members of the Settlement Class who submit valid and timely claim forms later in the process. Payments for claims will vary depending on a number of factors. Assuming that about half of the 200,000 Settlement Class members submit timely claims (at a later date), and that the Court awards the attorneys' fees and costs as requested, the average claimant will receive about $2,000 from these Settlements.
Because the Plaintiffs allege an antitrust conspiracy where Plaintiffs allege that Defendants would be joint and severally liable, the amount of money any member of the Settlement Class receives is not directly related to the amount of money that the institution that person attended paid in settlement. The parties have agreed to ask the Court that any funds remaining after an initial distribution to the Settlement Class that are unable to be efficiently distributed to the Settlement Class be given, with the Court's approval, to charitable causes that promote access to higher education for disadvantaged students and families.
ClaimsHero is a consumer rights platform that simplifies the claim submission and settlement process. We fill out your forms, submit your claim to the claims administrator, handle the claim from end-to-end, and represent and protect your interest to maximize your recovery.
We also help validate your claim, manage all communications, make sure you don't miss any filing deadlines, and keep you apprised of any future settlements or judgements that may arise. We do this by leveraging our team of experienced lawyers and technical engineers.
For this case, ClaimsHero is a third-party. It has not been appointed by the court and has no affiliation with class counsel.
You don’t pay a fee unless there is a recovery. If you get a recovery, we will deduct 25% of your settlement share and send you the remaining 75%.
Please note: You do not need to use ClaimsHero to apply for your settlement and can submit for free directly to the official claims administrator here: https://www.financialaidantitrustsettlement.com/. ClaimsHero is NOT the official claims administrator, but a third-party filing service. You are entitled to contact the claims administrator or settlement class counsel for assistance with understanding and filing your claim form at no cost to you. For more information, you can visit the settlement administrator’s website linked above.
We're dedicated to helping you get the compensation you deserve without any upfront out of pocket fees.
By utilizing ClaimsHero, you will both ensure that you collect your settlement and that your rights are represented in further litigation.
- Simple settlement collection: We will review, validate, and submit your claim, and manage the process from end-to-end. We will also help ensure you’re receiving your settlement as fast as possible via Zelle, wire transfer, or check.
- Best position for future settlements: With claims against 7 of the 17 schools still unresolved, ClaimsHero will represent your interests and keep you informed about any new settlement updates or distributions.
Yes, ClaimsHero is an Arizona law firm.
After you submit the requested information on our form, ClaimsHero manages the remainder of the claims process for you:
- Eligibility Verification: We will review your submission to ensure you've completely and accurately included all details needed to claim your settlement.
- Claim Submission: ClaimsHero will file the claim on your behalf.
- Representation in further settlement negotiations: With claims against 7 of the 17 schools still unresolved, ClaimsHero will represent your interests and keep you informed about any new settlement updates or distributions.
- Settlement Collection: If you are eligible, once settlement payments are remitted, ClaimsHero will ensure payment is sent to you via your preferred method.
According to the court-appointed claims administrator, payments for claims will vary depending on a number of factors. Assuming that about half of the 200,000 Settlement Class members submit timely claims, and that the Court awards the attorneys’ fees and costs as requested, the average claimant will receive about $2,000 from these Settlements.
All U.S. citizens or permanent residents who have during the Class Period:
- enrolled in one or more of Defendants’ full-time undergraduate programs,
- who received at least some need-based financial aid from one or more Defendants, and
- whose tuition, fees, room, or board to attend one or more of Defendants’ full-time undergraduate programs was not fully covered by the combination of any types of financial aid or merit aid (not including loans) in any undergraduate year.
The Class Period is defined as follows:
- For Chicago, Columbia, Cornell, Duke, Georgetown, MIT, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Penn, Rice, Vanderbilt, Yale – from Fall Term 2003 through the date the Court enters an order preliminarily approving the Settlement.
- For Brown, Dartmouth, Emory – from Fall Term 2004 through the date the Court enters an order preliminarily approving the Settlements.
- For Caltech – from Fall Term 2019 through the date the Court enters an order preliminarily approving the Settlement.
- For Johns Hopkins – from Fall Term 2021 through the date the Court enters an order preliminarily approving the Settlement.
Excluded from the Class are:
- Any Officers and/or Trustees of Defendants, or any current or former employees holding any of the following positions: Assistant or Associate Vice Presidents or Vice Provosts, Executive Directors, or Directors of Defendants’ Financial Aid and Admissions Offices, or any Deans or Vice Deans, or any employees in Defendants’ in-house legal offices; and
- the Judge presiding over this action, his or her law clerks, spouse, and any person within the third degree of relationship living in the Judge’s household and the spouse of such a person.
ClaimsHero will share your information with the claims administrator when we submit your claim.
Below are some important court filings that you can review:
- Order Denying Defendants' Motions to Dismiss
- Second Amended and Supplemental Class Action Complaint
- Proposed Plan of Allocation
- Proposed Revised Allocation Plan
- Yale University Settlement Agreement
- Vanderbilt University Settlement Agreement
- Rice University Settlement Agreement
- Northwestern University Settlement Agreement
- Emory University Settlement Agreement
- Duke University Settlement Agreement
- Dartmouth College Settlement Agreement
- Columbia University Settlement Agreement
- University of Chicago Settlement Agreement
- Brown University Settlement Agreement
- Plaintiffs’ Motion for Preliminary Approval of the Dartmouth, Northwestern, Rice, and Vanderbilt Settlements
- Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Approval of the Brown, Columbia, Duke, Emory, and Yale Settlements
- Plaintiffs' Unopposed Motion for Preliminary Approval for the University of Chicago Settlement
- Order Preliminarily Approving Dartmouth, Northwestern, Rice, and Vanderbilt Settlements
- Order Preliminarily Approving Brown, Columbia, Duke, Emory, and Yale Settlements
- Order Preliminarily Approving the University of Chicago Settlement
- Notice of Class Action Settlements
- Joint Declaration in Support of Plaintiffs' Memorandum of Law in Support of their Motion for Service Awards for the Class Representatives, Reimbursement of Expenses, and Attorneys' Fees
- Motion and Memorandum of Law in Support of Settlement Class Counsel's Motion for Service Awards for the Class Representatives, Reimbursement of Expenses, and Attorneys' Fees
- Plaintiffs’ Proposed Allocation Plan Process
- May 28, 2024 Declaration of Steven Weisbrot
- Plaintiffs’ Memorandum of Law in Support of Their Motion for Final Approval of the Proposed Settlements
- Plaintiffs’ Proposed Order Granting Final Judgment and Order of Dismissal, Approving Settlements, and Granting Settlement Class Counsel’s Motion for Service Awards for the Class Representatives, Reimbursement of Expenses, and Attorneys’ Fees
- Order Approving Settlements with Brown, Chicago, Columbia, Dartmouth, Duke, Emory, Northwestern, Rice, Vanderbilt, and Yale
For more information, you can visit the settlement administrator's website.
As fellow alumni of these schools, we are also proud of our universities and appreciate the opportunities they've afforded us. That said, if you qualify for a settlement check in this case, then you may have overpaid for your college tuition. This settlement money is already allocated and will be paid by your school whether you claim it or not.
If you have more questions, feel free to reach out to our support team for detailed assistance and guidance.
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