- Have been enrolled full-time as an undergraduate at one or more Defendant universities during the relevant class period.
- Have received some need-based financial aid (excluding loans) in at least one undergraduate year.
- Have paid for at least some portion of tuition, fees, or room/board out-of-pocket (i.e. aid did not fully cover cost) in any undergraduate year.
- Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident at the time of attendance.
Urgent - 14 days left
No Proof Required
High Payout
Financial Aid Antitrust Class Action Settlement – Caltech & Johns Hopkins Addendum
Students who received need-based aid but paid out-of-pocket at certain elite colleges may claim compensation from a $35.25 million settlement fund.
Settlement Overview
The Financial Aid Antitrust Settlement resolves claims that 17 U.S. universities illegally conspired to fix “net price” by coordinating financial aid offers — allegedly limiting need-based aid and inflating net tuition, fees, room, and board for eligible students. Recent settlement agreements with California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and Johns Hopkins University expand the settlement fund by $35.25 million, bringing total approved settlements to nearly $320 million for this nationwide class action.
Under the settlement, eligible claimants may receive a pro-rata share of the net settlement fund based on unmet need during attendance — calculated as the difference between cost of attendance (tuition, fees, room/board) and need-based/merit aid received (excluding loans), multiplied by years attended during the defined class periods. Claims are subject to verification by the Claims Administrator.
The settlement provides restitution to students who paid more than they would have absent alleged aid restrictions — giving relief to many former undergraduates who relied on need-based support but still faced substantial out-of-pocket cost.
Eligible Universities (Schools in Settlement Class)
Eligible claimants must have attended any of the following universities (full-time undergraduate) during the applicable class period and meet financial-aid criteria:
- 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
- Yale University
Class Periods by University
- Chicago, Columbia, Cornell, Duke, Georgetown, MIT, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Penn, Rice, Vanderbilt, Yale, from Fall Term 2003 through February 28, 2024
- Brown, Dartmouth, Emory from Fall Term 2004 through February 28, 2024
- Caltech from Fall Term 2019 through February 28, 2024
- Johns Hopkins from Fall Term 2021 through February 28, 2024
Who Is Eligible?
How to File a Claim
- Use the official Claim Form on the settlement website. If you received a unique Claim ID and Confirmation Code from mail or email notice you should use it. Otherwise, you may request a paper claim form.
- Provide required information: attendance years, university(ies), proof of need-based aid, and documentation showing tuition/fees/room-board charged vs. aid received. Claims Administrator may request additional supporting documents.
- Sign the attestation under penalty of perjury that the information is accurate.
- Submit the claim online or by mail by the deadline.
Documentation Requirements
No Proof Required
- No documents needed to file a claim
- Administrator verifies records directly with the university
- Faster and easier submission
- Estimated payout: $50–$250 depending on verified unmet need
- Best option for claimants who cannot locate old financial aid or billing records
With Proof (Optional but Higher Payout)
- Upload documents such as:
- Tuition or billing statements
- Financial aid award letters
- Cost-of-attendance summaries
- Out-of-pocket payment records
- Increases verified “unmet need” used to calculate payout
- Estimated payout: $250–$1,000+ for multi-year high unmet need
- Administrator may request additional verification if documents are unclear
Payout Details
- The total fund for Caltech and Johns Hopkins settlements is $35.25 million, added to earlier settlement amounts totaling hundreds of millions.
- Each claimant’s award will be calculated based on three factors: the net price (cost minus aid) for each year attended, the number of years attended, and the total number of valid claims submitted.
- Early reporting estimates suggest claimants might receive an average around $250 under the Caltech/Johns Hopkins portion — depending heavily on claim volume and unmet need amount.
- Actual payout could be higher or lower depending on individual circumstances and how many eligible claims are submitted.
Key Information
Payout Range
$50 - $1
Claim Deadline
December 27, 2025
14 days left
Important Dates
Opt-Out: December 27, 2025
Final Approval: December 27, 2025
By clicking "Submit Claim Now", you will be directed to the official settlement website to file your claim directly with the settlement administrator.
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