Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/02/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am a Ph.D. candidate at Liberty University filing a complaint regarding the University’s handling of federal Title IV financial aid. My concerns are twofold:
  
  1. Delay of Financial Aid Refund
  My financial aid package for Fall 2025 is fully secured. The Post-9/11 GI Bill has already paid, and my Federal Direct Loan is projected. Tuition is covered; what remains is the refund balance owed to me. Liberty has delayed releasing this refund, despite clear federal guidance and standard practice at peer universities, which disburse aid promptly at the start of the term. Timely release is essential for covering housing, food, utilities, books, and research tools. Delay imposes severe hardship and undermines my ability to focus on doctoral work.
  
  2. Improper Allocation of FAFSA Funds
  Liberty has indicated that FAFSA funds may be diverted into a Summer term in which I am not enrolled. This is inconsistent with federal law. Congress designed Title IV to support the full cost of attendance during active enrollment periods. Redirecting aid into unregistered semesters is beyond institutional authority, strips students of living-cost support, and defeats the intent of the law.
  
  Equity and Stewardship
  Such practices deprive students of stability and preparation, threatening academic success. Aid must be allocated where students are actually enrolled—Fall and Spring—not withheld or diverted elsewhere. Liberty, as a Christian institution, has a duty of stewardship. Withholding federally designated aid for subsistence expenses while labeling it procedure undermines student trust and credibility.
  
  Requested Resolution
  I request that Liberty University:
  1. Immediately release my Fall 2025 financial aid refund.
  2. Allocate FAFSA funds strictly as Congress intended—between Fall and Spring semesters, not Summer terms where I am not enrolled.
  
  I ask the Better Business Bureau to review and record this matter to ensure Liberty University corrects these practices.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/08/2025

  Your
  notice of complaint, dated September 3, 2025, has been referred to me for
  response. In the complaint, the complainant stated that the University has
  delayed releasing a financial aid refund for which he is eligible, stating that
  it should have been released at the start of the current semester. The
  complainant also claimed that the University had allocated his financial aid
  eligibility for the 2025-2026 academic year incorrectly by designating some
  funds as unavailable for the current semester and intended for an upcoming
  semester, which he does not plan on attending. The complainant asked that the
  University immediately release the refund for which is eligible for the current
  semester and then adjust his financial aid eligibility for the academic year so
  that he receives all available funds during the semesters he plans to attend. Due to
  privacy laws that protect current and former student education records from
  unauthorized disclosure, Liberty University (“Liberty”) is regrettably unable
  to provide a meaningful response to the complainant’s complaint to the Better
  Business Bureau (“BBB”), dated September 2, 2025; however, based on the
  information that was provided in the complaint, I would be glad to provide some
  general information about Liberty University’s relevant policies that the
  complainant may find helpful. Liberty
  University's Disbursement Processes for Financial
  Aid webpage
  states that students must be enrolled at least half-time in order to be
  eligible for Federal Direct Loans and also that disbursement occurs 21 days
  after a student begins actively attending in their half-time enrollment.
  Additionally, the webpage defines half-time enrollment as three credit hours
  for doctoral students. This disbursement policy is based upon federal
  regulations which require that a student be enrolled half time to be eligible
  for Federal Direct Loans. It should be noted that, according to federal
  regulations, institutions are required to disburse Federal Direct Loans per
  payment period; however, institutions are provided with the ability to
  determine when federal financial aid will be disbursed within the payment
  period. Information provided by the U.S. Department of Education regarding
  Federal Direct Loans can be viewed here. Once all
  financial aid has disbursed, if a student’s account charges, such as tuition,
  fees, room & board, etc... are fully covered, it may create a credit on a
  student’s account. Federal regulations dictate that the University has 14 days
  to release a financial aid refund following disbursement; however, Liberty
  University is aware of how delays in financial aid refunds can adversely affect
  students and makes every effort to release financial aid refunds to students as
  soon as possible. In pursuit of these efforts, the Student Accounts Office
  works to get financial aid refunds sent to ********** four days following
  disbursement. More information about how the University processes financial aid
  refunds can be viewed here. It should
  be noted that, because online students commonly attend the full aid year which
  includes the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters, their financial aid is
  packaged to disburse within each of these three semesters by default. Any
  student who would like to make adjustments to the amount of Federal Direct
  Loans on their account or the manner in which the loans are applied during a
  given academic year can access the Federal Direct PLUS Loan Change Form/Federal
  Direct Student Loan Change Request Form (LCF) in their ASIST Account under the
  ‘Financial Aid’ tab. After selecting Financial Aid Forms and the appropriate
  aid year, students will find the LCF listed. Once completed, the form will be
  marked as received in their ASIST Account and the request will be reviewed in
  1-2 business days. While we
  are unable to provide a detailed response to the complainant through the BBB
  due to privacy regulations, it should be noted that the complainant has
  submitted a complaint through the University’s Student Advocate Office that
  will receive thorough review and a detailed response. If the complainant would
  like further information regarding the processing of financial aid on his
  Liberty University account in the meantime, he is encouraged to contact Liberty
  University’s Financial Aid Office at ***** ******** or by emailing ************************* If the complainant has
  any further questions about refunds, he is encouraged to contact the Student
  Accounts Office at ***** ********* by e-mailing ******************************* or via online chat at ***********************.  I trust
  this addresses the complainant’s concerns.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/19/2025

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Better Business Bureau
  Attn: Complaint Department
  
  Subject: Complaint Against Liberty University
  
  To Whom It May Concern,
  
  My name is ******* ** ******** a graduate student at Liberty University (Liberty ID: *********). I am filing this complaint due to serious issues with the handling of my tuition payment and student account.
  
  On August 4, 2025, an electronic transfer of $6,485 was made from my *** account to Liberty University. As of today, none of these funds have been credited to my student account. Because of this, I have been unable to complete the required financial check-in process.
  
  As a result of this failure:
  • I have been charged a $349 technology fee.
  • My military discount has been reduced.
  • The classes I preregistered for weeks ago are no longer accessible on Canvas.
  
  I have made multiple attempts to resolve this matter directly. On August 8, 16, and 18, 2025, I contacted the Student Accounts Office, Financial Aid Office, and Cashier’s Office, but no one was able to provide assistance or a resolution. Additionally, on August 16th, when I called Liberty University, I was informed that I was caller number 68.
  
  I am attaching a photo of my transfer receipt as proof of payment.
  
  I respectfully request that the Better Business Bureau assist in ensuring Liberty University promptly credits my account, removes the improper charges, restores my discount, and reinstates my course access.
  
  Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
  
  Sincerely,
  ******* ** ******* 

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/27/2025

  Your
  notice of complaint, dated August 19, 2025, has been referred to me for
  response. In the complaint, the complainant stated that she made an electronic
  payment from her *** Savings Plan on August 4, 2025, intending to cover her
  costs for the then-upcoming Fall 2025 semester. She explained that the funds
  had not been applied to her account as of the date of her complaint, preventing
  her from completing Financial Check-In (FCI) for her courses, which, in turn,
  resulted in some of her courses being dropped, a military discount being
  reduced, and a time-sensitive fee waiver being removed. The complainant further
  expressed that she had contacted the University in an attempt to receive
  assistance and encountered a lengthy hold time. At this time, she has asked
  that the electronic payment that she made be applied to her account, that she
  be re-enrolled in her dropped courses, and that her discounts and fees all be
  adjusted accordingly.Due to
  privacy laws that protect current and former student education records from
  unauthorized disclosure, Liberty University (“Liberty”) is regrettably unable
  to provide a meaningful response to the complainant’s complaint to the Better
  Business Bureau (“BBB”); however, based on the information that was provided in
  the complaint, I would be glad to provide some general information about
  Liberty University’s relevant policies that the complainant may find
  helpful. Liberty
  University’s Financial Aid Office processes several different forms of external
  aid for both Online and Residential students, including *** Savings Plans. More
  information about *** Savings Plans and how the Financial Aid Office approaches
  and processes external aid can be viewed on the External Aid Processing webpage. Any specific
  questions about a source of external aid that a student plans to use should be
  addressed to the Financial Aid Office’s External Aid Team, who can be reached
  via e-mail at ******************, with “Attn: External Aid”
  in the e-mail subject line.It should
  be noted that FCI is the process in which a student’s financial
  arrangements are confirmed for each semester. Liberty University's Expenses
  & Financial Policy, states that, "Students who
  do not complete FCI by the published deadline may be subject to having courses
  dropped..." This is meant to prevent students from being obligated to a
  debt that they have not indicated that they can pay. The Technology Fee that online students are charged
  each semester includes: maintenance of Liberty's online environments, up to 10
  hours of tutoring services, deals on hardware and other software, access to
  extensive IT HelpDesk support, and Office 365 software. Individually purchased,
  these services would cost significantly more than $349. Bundling them together
  under the Technology Fee maximizes the value of those services. For these
  reasons, the Technology Fee is not able to be appealed. Students are occasionally
  eligible for promotions in which this fee can be waived for a semester if they
  complete FCI for said semester by a specific advanced date. Students are
  notified of any such promotions via e-mail and must meet the stated
  requirements of the promotion in order to take advantage of the benefits. More
  information about the Technology Fee can be found on the Online Tuition and Fees webpage. For
  questions regarding Liberty University’s Military Benefits, such as tuition
  discounts, the complainant is encouraged to visit Liberty University's Benefits for Online Military
  Students Webpage.As we are unable to
  provide a detailed response to the complainant through the BBB due to privacy
  regulations, if the complainant would like further information regarding her
  account charges, fees, and payments, she is encouraged to contact the Student Accounts Office at
  ***** ********, by e-mail at ******************************* or via online chat at ************************ Additionally,
  if the complainant has any questions about her course schedule for Fall 2025,
  she is encouraged to contact Academic Advising at **** ********, via online
  chat at https:************************************ ** ****** ************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/03/2025

  I have reviewed the response offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  On August 4, 2025, a transfer of $6,485 was made from my ** **** ***** *** account to Liberty University. Despite the funds being sent, they were not credited to my student account in a timely manner. For weeks, I was unable to complete financial check-in, and as a result, I was charged additional fees, including a $349 technology fee and a reduction in my military discount. My originally scheduled classes for Term B were also removed from my Canvas account, forcing me to delay my studies and move into later Term D classes, which begin in October. Between August 8 and 20, 2025, I contacted Financial Aid, the Cashier’s Office, Student Accounts, and Military Affairs multiple times but was redirected without receiving clear answers. On August 18, 2025, Liberty’s cashier confirmed that the payment was only partially applied via email. On August 20, 2025, the Financial Aid Office emailed me that the full amount of $6,485 had been posted. However, the money was not posted, and by then I had already missed my August classes. Even after I completed the financial check-in on September 2, 2025, my account has continued to reflect an unexplained balance of $595 for over a month. In addition, Liberty has stated that any remaining unused funds will be returned to ** **** ***** instead of being applied toward future semesters, which is inconsistent with how my *** funds have been handled in the past. In summary, Liberty University’s response does not explain: 1. Why were the *** funds delayed in posting for nearly a month?2. Why does my account continue to show an incorrect outstanding balance?3. Why are unused *** funds being returned instead of held for future terms?4. I incurred penalties and lost access to classes due to circumstances beyond my control.For these reasons, I am unable to accept Liberty University’s response as satisfactory. I respectfully request that this rebuttal be added to my complaint for further review. Thank you for your time and assistance. Sincerely, ******* ** ******* 

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/08/2025

  As
  noted in our previous response, we are unable to provide details regarding the
  student's account due to privacy regulations. It should be noted that the
  University has already addressed the complainant's statements to the fullest of
  our ability in this medium. The complainant is encouraged to direct any
  questions regarding this matter to the Financial Aid Office by calling ***** ********, by emailing ************************ with “Attn: External Aid” in the subject line, or via online chat at ************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/29/2025

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Liberty University continually keeps harassing my elderly mother about financial aid and now they are texting her about missing classes and homework. I have called and texted them that she is not enrolled at their school and to please remove her number. I have explained the situation and they keep on with the harassment. I block numbers, they call from different numbers. This has been going on for months and my mother and I are fed up. If this continues we will move forward with legal actions.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/07/2025

  We were unable to locate a student file for the complainant’s
  mother.  If the complainant wishes to cease
  contact from the university for themselves, they can call the university directly
  or email ************************ and request to stop being contacted.  If
  the complainant wishes to cease contact on behalf of another, that individual in
  question will need to contact the university by calling directly or emailing ************************* and
  request that they no longer be contacted.  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/28/2024

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am writing to file a formal complaint against Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA, regarding discriminatory actions and failure to provide reasonable accommodations in the Spring 2024 Public Administration course taught by Professor ***** **** and the HLTH 503 Principles of Epidemiology course taught by Dr. **** ******.
  
  Public Administration Course (Spring 2024)
  Throughout the semester, I faced significant medical challenges that were documented and communicated to both the university and Professor ***** ****. Despite receiving formal accommodations, my needs were not adequately met. Professor **** assured me I would pass if I completed two specific assignments. I completed these and more, yet I received zeros and failed the course. Despite providing a letter from my healthcare provider, I was granted only an additional week, which was insufficient.
  
  HLTH 503 Principles of Epidemiology Course
  In the HLTH 503 course, my final project was not included in my grade calculation, which would have earned me a B instead of a C. Despite Dr. ****** requesting a grade change, the registrar refused to adjust it.
  
  Summary and Request
  I believe Liberty University has violated my rights under the ADA by failing to provide reasonable accommodations and discriminating against me due to my disability. I seek your intervention to address this matter and ensure appropriate corrective actions are taken.
  
  I have attached relevant documentation, including email correspondence, assignment grades, medical accommodation letters, and my healthcare provider's letter. I respectfully request an investigation into this complaint and guidance on the next steps.
  I would like to be refunded for the courses if the grade cannot be changed or removed from my transcript.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/05/2024

  Due to
  privacy laws that protect current and former student education records from
  unauthorized disclosure, Liberty University is regrettably unable to provide a
  meaningful response to the complainant’s complaint to the Better Business
  Bureau (“BBB”), dated July 28, 2024; however, based on the information that was
  provided in the complaint, I would be glad to provide some general information
  about Liberty University’s relevant policies that the complainant may find
  helpful. For students who
  wish to challenge their final grade, they have the ability to submit a Final
  Grade Appeal within 30 days of the of the term. 
  If their initial appeal is denied, the student can appeal to the Associate
  Dean.  If the Associate Dean denies the
  appeal, the student may appeal a final time to the Academic Dean.   After the Academic Dean has made their
  decision, or if the student does not further escalate the appeal to the higher
  authority within the requirement timeframe, the appeal will be closed and the decision
  will be considered final.  Additional
  information on the appeal process can be found here* ************************************************************************ Liberty University strictly prohibits all
  unlawful discrimination, including race discrimination, and takes such claims
  very seriously. If you have concerns related to discrimination or retaliation,
  which are strictly prohibited at Liberty, we encourage you to contact Liberty’s
  Office of Equity and Compliance by phone at ***** ******** or by email at ***************.  You can also submit a
  complaint directly using the “Report a concern” link at **************************  Our Office of
  Equity and Compliance (OEC) handles reports and complaints of unlawful
  discrimination in accordance with the law and Liberty’s Discrimination,
  Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct Policy. OEC will promptly and equitably
  respond to all findings of unlawful discrimination in a manner that eliminates
  it, prevents its recurrence, and remedies any adverse effects of it. Again, for
  your convenience, you can find the above-referenced policy and OEC’s contact
  information on their website at ****************************************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/07/2024

  I have reviewed the response offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  The respondents provided no solution in their response. I have followed the steps the respondents outlined before
  initiating my complaint with the BBB and received no assistance, in fact
  matters were made worse during the process of appealing and attempting to
  discuss the discrimination. 
  
  Regards,
  
  **** *******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/20/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On January 2022, I registered at Liberty University, the Fiancial Aid Director stated that I requested nine (9) credit courses. When I complained about the amount hours I needed to take was only one (1) credit hour per Course. She stated that I would have complain to the presendent of Liberty. I filed a complant to the president of Liberty. When I was in the court at Lynchberg Virgina, the judge stated that I was complaining to the wrong person.
  Liberty University stole $3,600 in January and $3,600 on May, they did not give me a reason why the funds were deducted, for eighteen (18) credit hours and not one (1) course, I am not pleased that they decided that they had a ligitimate reasons to steal the money. One father stated that his daughter had money stolen from her student loan, and was it true that they are funding the presidential voters with additional funds.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/28/2024

  Your notice of complaint,
  dated May 21, 2024, has been referred to me for response. In the complaint, the
  complainant stated that she had difficulty enrolling in her preferred number of
  credit hours during the Spring and Summer 2022 semesters. She also asserted
  that the University had taken a total of $7,200 from her without providing an
  explanation. She also asked whether it was true that the University uses
  federal financial aid money for political purposes. At this time, she has asked
  to receive an explanation of her charges and receive a refund of the $7,200
  that the University had taken from her.Due to privacy laws that protect current and former student
  education records from unauthorized disclosure, Liberty University is
  regrettably unable to provide a meaningful response to the complainant’s
  complaint to the Better Business Bureau (“BBB”), dated May 21, 2024; however,
  based on the information that was provided in the complaint, I would be glad to
  provide some general information about Liberty University’s relevant policies
  that the complainant may find helpful. Each semester that a student attends Liberty University, they accrue charges
  from fees and course tuition. The amount a student is charged for tuition and
  fees varies depending on their program and enrollment. A listing of the costs
  of tuition and fees can be found on the University’s Expenses and
  Financial Policy.
   Liberty University's Disbursement Processes for Financial Aid webpage states that students must be enrolled at least half-time in order to be
  eligible for Federal Direct Loans and also that disbursement occurs 21 days
  after a student begins actively attending in their half-time enrollment.
  Additionally, the webpage defines half-time enrollment as six credit hours for
  undergraduate and graduate students and three credit hours for doctoral
  students. This disbursement policy is based upon federal regulations which
  require that a student be enrolled half time to be eligible for Federal Direct
  Loans. Additional information provided by the U.S. Department of Education
  regarding Federal Direct Loans can be found here. Once all financial aid has disbursed, if a student’s account charges, such
  as tuition, fees, room & board, etc. are fully covered, it may create a
  credit on a student’s account. Federal regulations dictate that the University
  has 14 days to release a financial aid refund following disbursement; however,
  Liberty University is aware of how delays in financial aid refunds can
  adversely affect students and makes every effort to release financial aid
  refunds to students as soon as possible. In pursuit of these efforts, the
  Student Accounts Office works to get financial aid refunds sent to ********** 4
  days following disbursement. ********** is a third-party affiliate banking
  institution that Liberty University has partnered with to process student
  refunds. In regard to student’s funds being used for political purposes, financial
  aid funds that are designated to be used for students’ education are disbursed
  to students’ accounts as described above. Accordingly, the use of financial aid
  funds is closely monitored by the U.S. Department of Education. Liberty
  University has always been committed to compliance with these regulations. As we are unable to provide a detailed response to the
  complainant through the BBB due to privacy regulations, the complainant is
  encouraged to review the responses to the previous complaints that she has
  submitted regarding this issue via other avenues.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/11/2024

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  The business will not stop harassing me via phone call to enroll in classes despite receiving verbal requests to cease communication. I have withdrawn from the school and sent written intent to no longer attend. I have removed my phone number from every point I can on my account. I have blocked 5+ numbers from calling me and the school continues to find new numbers to call me from. There is no option to unsubscribe or no longer receive phone calls.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/15/2024

  Can the complainant please
  confirm the phone number that the university is contacting her at?

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/15/2024

  I have reviewed the response offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  The phone number is ************ that I am being contacted at and it is the only one on my account. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ******* *******

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/01/2024

  The phone number the complainant has provided will be blocked
  from the university’s outbound efforts. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/01/2024

  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.  I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.
  
  Regards,
  
  ******* *******