Pennsylvania College of Technology $1.85M COVID Settlement

Pennsylvania College of Technology undergraduate or graduate students enrolled in at least one in-person, on-campus class during the spring 2020 semester who did not withdraw by March 18, 2020, and paid tuition or fees may qualify to claim a cash payment from a class action settlement.

Pennsylvania College of Technology agreed to pay $1.85 million to resolve a class action lawsuit claiming students should receive partial refunds of tuition and fees because the college shifted to remote learning in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Who are the class members?

Class members must meet all of the following criteria:

• They were an undergraduate or graduate student at Pennsylvania College of Technology during the spring 2020 semester.
• They enrolled in at least one in-person, on-campus class.
• They did not withdraw from the college by March 18, 2020.
• They paid any amount of tuition or fees to Penn College from any source other than a scholarship, grant or tuition remission.
• They have not already received a full refund of tuition or fees from Penn College.

There are approximately 3,800 settlement class members.

How much is the Penn College payout?

The total settlement fund is $1,850,000. After deducting attorneys’ fees, expenses, a service award for the class representative and settlement administration costs, the settlement administrator will distribute the remaining amount equally among all eligible class members.

No action required to receive payment

Eligible class members do not need to submit a claim form or take any action to receive their payment. The settlement administrator will automatically mail a paper check to eligible class members' last known mailing address on file with Penn College. Those who prefer digital payment (Venmo or PayPal) or need to update their address can do so by visiting the official settlement website and completing an election form.

$1.85 million settlement fund breakdown

The $1,850,000 settlement fund covers:

• Settlement administration costs: To be determined
• Attorneys’ fees: Up to $616,666.66
• Attorneys' costs: To be determined
• Class representative service award: Up to $7,500
• Payments to eligible class members: Estimated at $1,225,833.34 before administrative costs

Important dates

• Deadline for exclusion: Oct. 27, 2025
• Fairness hearing: Dec. 12, 2025

When is the Pennsylvania College of Technology COVID-19 settlement payout date?

The settlement administrator will distribute payments to class members approximately 60 days after the court grants final approval and resolves any appeals.

Why did this class action settlement happen?

The class action lawsuit alleged Penn College failed to provide partial refunds to students who paid tuition and fees for in-person, on-campus classes after it transitioned to remote learning in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Penn College denied any wrongdoing. Both parties agreed to settle to avoid the risks and expenses of continued litigation.

Sources

1. Class notice
2. Settlement agreement
3. Settlement FAQ