University of Southern California $225 Settlement for Unlawful Student Late Fees
The University of Southern California $225 Settlement for Unlawful Student Late Fees settlement offers $2M in total, with individual payouts of $225 to eligible claimants who be a current or former student of the university of southern california (usc).. The deadline to file is June 5, 2026. Proof of purchase is not required.
Deadline: June 5, 2026
Total amount allocated for all claims
Estimated amount per eligible claim
No proof of purchase needed — anyone eligible can file a claim
No proof is required to receive a payment: USC will calculate each claimant's payment from its own student-account records. To file you must use the unique ID emailed to class members and submit an online or mailed claim form by June 5, 2026. If you dispute USC's records, you may submit a written dispute with supporting documents to the claims administrator, who has sole authority to resolve disputes.
Settlement Summary
Two former students sued the University of Southern California, alleging that routine charges—Late Registration Fees, Late Settlement Fees, and monthly Finance Charges—were unlawful penalties under California law because they were not reasonable estimates of USC’s actual costs for late payments. The parties reached a settlement (no court ruling on the merits) covering fees charged between July 14, 2016 and March 4, 2026: eligible current and former students can receive 30% of unreimbursed late fees up to $225 per person (USC will calculate amounts from its records), with a class-wide claims fund capped at $2 million; claim deadline is June 5, 2026, opt-outs/objections are due May 4, 2026, and a fairness hearing is set for July 1, 2026. The settlement also requires USC to waive at least 30% of late fees for two years and pause monthly finance charges for a 10-week period, while attorneys’ fees (up to $1,135,000) and service awards are paid separately. This case matters because California Civil Code sections 1671 and 3275 and the state’s Unfair Competition Law restrict fee structures that operate as penalties rather than reasonable pre-estimates of loss, so the settlement signals increased scrutiny of colleges’ billing practices and could prompt other institutions to revise fee policies and disclosures. Similar suits have challenged excessive administrative or penalty fees in higher education, housing, and consumer finance, and regulators and courts increasingly emphasize transparency and proportionality in non-contractual charges; students who want recovery must file a claim by the deadline (only the student may file if someone else paid) or they will remain bound by the settlement terms.
Entities Involved
Related Topics
Eligibility Requirements
- Be a current or former student of the University of Southern California (USC).
- Have been charged one or more of these fees between July 14, 2016 and March 4, 2026: Late Registration Fee, Late Settlement Fee, or monthly Finance Charges.
- Not have already received a full refund or waiver of the late fees for which you claim reimbursement.
- Only the student may submit the claim even if tuition/fees were paid by a parent, guardian, or third party.
- File a valid claim by the deadline (June 5, 2026) using the unique ID emailed to class members; each unique ID may be used only once.
Featured Investigations
Stay Updated
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest settlement updates and news.
Important Notice About Filing Claims
Submitting false information in a settlement claim is considered perjury and will result in your claim being rejected. Fraudulent claims harm legitimate class members and may result in legal consequences.
If you are unsure about your eligibility for this settlement, please visit the official settlement administrator’s website using the link provided above. Review the eligibility criteria carefully before submitting a claim.
Class Action Champion is an independent information resource and is not affiliated with any settlement administrator, law firm, or court. We provide settlement information as a service to help connect eligible class members with legitimate settlements.
Related Settlements
Anne Arundel Dermatology Data Breach Settlement $2.4 Million for Patient Info Security Claims
Anne Arundel Dermatology P.A. agreed to pay a $2.4 million settlement to resolve allegations that a data breach exposed patients’ personal and health information. The incident occurred between Feb. 14, 2025, and May 13, 2025. Eligible class members are people in the U.S. who provided or whose information the clinic collected, received, or possessed on or before Dec. 9, 2025.
Absolute Dental Group $3.3 Million Settlement for 2025 Data Breach Losses
Absolute Dental Group LLC agreed to pay a $3.3 million class action settlement over a potential 2025 data breach affecting consumers’ personal information. The incident occurred between Feb. 19, 2025 and March 5, 2025, when unauthorized access may have exposed data. Eligible U.S. residents who received notice from Absolute Dental about the incident may claim up to $5,000 for documented losses and may also receive a pro rata cash payment, with certain California residents eligible for an enhanced amount.
Travelers PIP Settlement for New Jersey Claims Up to 70 or More for Deductible Reductions
A class action settlement totaling at least the net settlement fund (with attorneys’ fees up to $275,000 and service awards of $7,500) resolves allegations that Travelers and St. Paul improperly reduced New Jersey PIP coverage limits by counting deductibles and copayments, causing some insureds to receive less than the PIP benefits available. Eligible policyholders (and certain heirs/representatives) who received final PIP payments between April 14, 2017 and April 1, 2023 that were within $3,000 of their policy limit—but not the full limit—may receive an automatic $70 and possibly additional compensation.
MUBI $1.6 Million Settlement for California Auto-Renewal Without Notice
California subscribers of the MUBI streaming service may be eligible for a $1.6 million class action settlement over alleged auto-renewal charges without adequate notice or proper consent. The claims cover sign-ups beginning April 1, 2021 and auto-renewals occurring through May 31, 2025, as described in Cesar Cejudo v. MUBI, Inc. To be eligible, claimants must have been California residents whose subscription renewed at least once and who did not receive a full refund of renewal charges.