IES Abroad Vienna Spring 2020 Settlement, Were You Sent Home During COVID? Here Is Your $250

The IES Abroad Vienna COVID Settlement is a class action where students enrolled in the Spring 2020 IES Study Abroad Program in Vienna, Austria, who were sent home when the program switched to remote learning due to COVID-19, will automatically receive a $250 payment by check — no claim form required. 

A settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit between the Institute for the International Education of Students and student Kristen Galban, who was enrolled in the IES Spring 2020 Study Abroad Program in Vienna, Austria when the program was cut short and transitioned to remote learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. IES denied all wrongdoing. The case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Case No. 1:22-cv-4917.

IES Abroad Vienna COVID Settlement — Quick Facts

Field	Detail
Settlement Amount	TBD — $250 per class member from a dedicated settlement fund
Claim Deadline	None — no claim form required
Who Qualifies	Students enrolled in the IES Spring 2020 Vienna, Austria study abroad program who directly paid IES for tuition and housing
Payout Per Person	$250 automatic check payment
Proof Required	No — IES identified class members from its own records
Opt-Out Deadline	May 4, 2026 — now closed
Settlement Status	Preliminarily Approved — Final Approval Hearing June 24, 2026
Administrator	American Legal Claim Services LLC
Official Website	AustriaStudyAbroadSettlement.com
Last Updated	May 5, 2026

Current Status of the IES Abroad Vienna Case

• The court granted preliminary approval and identified all class members directly from IES records — you do not need to file a claim.
• The opt-out and objection deadlines both closed May 4, 2026 — yesterday. If you did not opt out, you are automatically in the settlement.
• The Final Approval Hearing is scheduled for June 24, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at the Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, 219 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL 60604.
• The settlement administrator will send payments to eligible class members between 30 and 60 days after final approval, by check. All checks will expire and become void 180 days after they are issued. Keep your mailing address current.

What Is the IES Abroad Vienna Lawsuit About? Galban et al. v. Institute for the International Education of Students, No. 1:22-cv-4917

When COVID-19 spread across Europe in early 2020, IES Abroad made the decision to end its in-person Vienna spring semester and transition students to remote learning from home. Students who had paid thousands of dollars for tuition, housing, meals, and field trips found themselves back in their childhood bedrooms — still paying full program costs for an experience they never received.

Plaintiff claimed that IES’s decision to transition its Study Abroad Program to remote learning amounted to a breach of its contractual obligations to provide the in-person educational services and international experiences promised, including room and board, meals, and field trips that were paid for but not experienced. Plaintiff also asserted that IES was unjustly enriched by retaining these payments. The legal claims were grounded in breach of contract and unjust enrichment principles under Illinois law.

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The district court agreed with IES and dismissed the case, citing language in the IES contract that gave the company authority to change its program at any time. Plaintiff Kristen Galban appealed that decision to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Before the Court of Appeals ruled on the appeal, both sides agreed to settle to avoid the uncertainties and expenses of ongoing litigation. That procedural history matters for students reading this — this case faced real legal hurdles, and the $250 settlement represents a negotiated recovery achieved under difficult odds. If you want context on how COVID-era tuition refund lawsuits have played out nationally, our guide to COVID tuition class action settlements covers the broader picture.

IES denied any contractual obligation and admitted no wrongdoing. No court has ruled that IES violated any law.

Are You Part of the IES Abroad Vienna Settlement?

This is one of the most narrowly defined classes you will see in a class action. IES identified class members directly from its enrollment records — if you are in, you already know. Here is how the class is defined:

You are part of this settlement if:

• You may qualify if you were a student enrolled in IES Abroad’s Spring 2020 Study Abroad Program specifically in Vienna, Austria
• You may qualify if you directly paid IES for tuition and housing costs in connection with that program — meaning the payment came from you personally, not routed entirely through a third party
• You may qualify if IES identified you as a class member in its own business records and you received a notice about this settlement

You are NOT part of this settlement if:

• You were enrolled in a different IES program — any other city or country, including other spring 2020 programs, is not covered
• You were enrolled in a different semester — only Spring 2020 is covered
• You did not directly pay IES for tuition and housing (e.g., if your institution fully handled all payments to IES on your behalf)
• You submitted a valid opt-out request postmarked by May 4, 2026

If you received a settlement notice but have questions about your eligibility, contact the settlement administrator by email at the address listed on AustriaStudyAbroadSettlement.com or write to: Galban v IES, c/o Settlement Administrator, PO Box 23309, Jacksonville, FL 32241.

How Much Will You Get from the IES Abroad Vienna Settlement?

Every eligible class member who stays in the settlement receives a flat $250 payment by check — no tiers, no documentation, no claim form.

A settlement fund has been created from which each settlement class member who does not opt out will automatically receive a $250.00 settlement payment. The check will be mailed to your last known address in IES’s records. If you have moved since 2020, update your mailing address now at AustriaStudyAbroadSettlement.com — a check sent to an old address is a check you will not receive.

Class counsel — Varnell & Warwick, P.A. — is asking the court to approve $30,000.00 in attorneys’ fees. This amount will not reduce the settlement payments being made to class members. Attorney fees and the $8,200 service award to class representative Kristen Galban are paid separately, so your $250 check is not reduced by those amounts.

Checks expire 180 days after being issued — cash yours promptly when it arrives.

How to Receive Your IES Abroad Vienna Settlement Payment

Because this settlement pays class members automatically, there are no claim filing steps in the traditional sense. But there are two things you should do right now:

Step 1 — Confirm you are a class member. If you received a settlement notice in the mail or by email, you are already identified. If you think you qualify but never received notice, contact the settlement administrator immediately.

Step 2 — Update your mailing address if you have moved since your Spring 2020 program. Go to AustriaStudyAbroadSettlement.com/page/update-address and submit your current address before the June 24, 2026 Final Approval Hearing.

Step 3 — Wait for the court to grant final approval on or after June 24, 2026. No further action is needed on your part.

Step 4 — Watch your mailbox. The settlement administrator will send payments between 30 and 60 days after final approval. If final approval is granted in late June, expect your check by August or September 2026.

Step 5 — Cash your check promptly. Checks void after 180 days — do not let it sit in a pile of mail.

Estimated time required from you: 5 minutes to update your address if needed.

IES Abroad Vienna COVID Settlement Timeline

Milestone	Date
COVID Program Cancellation	March 2020
Lawsuit Filed	2022 — Galban et al. v. IES, Case No. 1:22-cv-4917
District Court Dismissal	TBD — prior to appeal
Appeal Filed to Seventh Circuit	TBD — prior to settlement
Settlement Reached	Prior to Seventh Circuit ruling
Preliminary Approval Granted	TBD — prior to May 2026
Opt-Out / Objection Deadline	May 4, 2026 (closed)
Final Approval Hearing	June 24, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. CT
Expected Payment Date	30–60 days after final approval — approximately August–September 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a class action lawsuit against IES Abroad for sending Spring 2020 Vienna students home during COVID? 

Yes. Galban et al. v. Institute for the International Education of Students, Case No. 1:22-cv-4917, is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The lawsuit alleged IES breached its contract by switching its Spring 2020 Vienna program to remote learning while retaining full tuition and housing payments. A settlement has been reached and received preliminary court approval.

Do I need to file a claim to get my IES Abroad settlement payment? 

No. This is one of the few settlements where eligible class members receive payment automatically — no claim form is required. IES identified all class members from its own enrollment records. Just make sure your mailing address is current at AustriaStudyAbroadSettlement.com.

How much will I get from the IES Abroad Vienna settlement?

 Every eligible class member who did not opt out receives a flat $250 check. There are no tiers — every qualifying student gets the same amount. Attorney fees are paid separately and do not reduce your payment.

When will IES Abroad settlement checks be mailed? 

Checks will be mailed 30 to 60 days after the court grants final approval at the June 24, 2026 hearing. If no appeals delay the process, expect your check by August or September 2026. Checks expire 180 days after issue, so cash it promptly.

Do I need a lawyer to participate in the IES Abroad settlement? 

No. Class counsel from Varnell & Warwick, P.A. already represents all class members at no cost to you. No free legal consultation or private attorney is needed to receive your automatic $250 payment.

Can I still opt out of the IES Abroad settlement? 

No. The opt-out deadline was May 4, 2026 and has now closed. If you did not submit a valid opt-out request by that date, you are in the settlement, will receive the $250 payment, and have released your individual claims against IES.

Is the IES Abroad Vienna settlement legitimate? 

Yes. The settlement is authorized by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Case No. 1:22-cv-4917, before a federal judge. Class counsel are Brian W. Warwick of Varnell & Warwick, P.A., a Tampa-based consumer litigation firm. The settlement administrator is American Legal Claim Services LLC.

Will my $250 IES settlement payment be taxable?

 A lawsuit settlement check compensating for a breach of contract — particularly for services paid but not received — may or may not be taxable depending on your tax situation. This is not tax advice — consult a tax professional about whether this payment needs to be reported on your return.

Sources & References

• Official Settlement Website: AustriaStudyAbroadSettlement.com
• Court Docket: Galban et al. v. Institute for the International Education of Students, Case No. 1:22-cv-4917, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

Prepared by the AllAboutLawyer.com Editorial Team and reviewed for factual accuracy against the official settlement website and court-authorized FAQ on May 5, 2026. Last Updated: May 5, 2026

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Legal claims and outcomes depend on specific facts and applicable law. For advice regarding a particular situation, consult a qualified attorney.