More than 170,000 current and former students have authorized legal letters targeting 36 additional universities, alleging they paid for in‑person education but received diminished or fully online instruction during the Covid pandemic. The move follows a confidential settlement between University College London and the Student Claim Group and signals a broadening consumer‑law approach to pandemic-era tuition disputes. Lawyers for the claimants say damages will be calculated on the fee differential between in‑person and online course delivery and that economic analysis will underpin forthcoming claims. Universities named in the letters face potential large‑scale litigation and reputational scrutiny if claims proceed to court. For university finance and legal teams, the escalation matters: a wave of rulings against institutions could create precedent on tuition refunds, insurance coverage and contractual obligations. Procurement and risk units should review pandemic‑era delivery records, student communications and tuition policies now to prepare for discovery and settlement negotiations.