Title: University is suing me for $23k in tuition debt as an F-1 student — I have emails proving they told me I wouldn’t be dismissed. What are my options?
I’m an international student (F-1 visa) and a university is suing me for around $23,000 in unpaid tuition. Here is the full context:
Just to be clear I'm planning to paying my debt
Background:
• Two semesters before the disputed semester I was placed on academic probation while undergoing medical treatment for latent tuberculosis. My health significantly impacted my academic performance.
• The following semester I was still dealing with health and mental health challenges. The university worked with me and voided that entire semester due to my circumstances. I was not financially able to cover it so this was essentially a fresh start.
• Because the previous semester was voided I was no longer on academic warning going into the next semester.
What happened:
A university staff member explicitly told me I was not at risk for dismissal because I was not on academic warning. Based on that assurance I attended the entire following semester paying everything out of my own pocket as an international student with no financial aid.
The university then dismissed me anyway at the end of that semester and billed me $23,000.
My evidence:
I have screenshots of emails where:
• I directly reference the staff member telling me I could not be dismissed since I was not on warning
• The same staff member responds confirming she was surprised by my dismissal and that it was their office’s understanding I was not at risk
• She immediately escalated to a Dean on my behalf
Current situation:
• The lawsuit was filed but I was never properly served
• The court hearing was canceled due to no service
• No judgment has been entered yet
• I am now enrolled at a different school in another state
• I am struggling to find legal help as a non-citizen
Has anyone dealt with something similar? Specifically looking for:
• Lawyers or organizations that help non-citizen international students with civil cases
• Whether this email evidence is as strong as I think it is
• Any advice on negotiating directly with the university
the university is withholding my official transcripts because of this debt, affecting my ability to continue at my new school.