South University
Reviews and Complaints

I was enrolled 11 years ago and while I was enrolled, South University "accidentally" sent back my grant money causing South University to freeze my classes. In order to resume classes I would have to pay $2000 out of pocket to continue the semester, even though it was not my mistake but their mistake. I was a single mother of 2 children, struggling day by day, paycheck to paycheck and had no way to pay the money or come up with it. This is why I had been diligent with following through with ensuring my grant money came through. Now I am stuck with 14k in loans for pursuing a degree I was unable to finish due to the administrators of South University negligence. Not mine.

I completed 2 semesters at South University with no concerns, the instructors were great and super helpful. In my 3rd semester, I was enrolled in a class from South Carolina (I am in Texas). I was told the class started at 6 pm like my previous class, but it started at 5 pm. The instructor would never stop to answer questions, each class had like 150 PowerPoint slides that you couldn't even follow. I reached out numerous times to my advisors regarding the class and feeling like I was set up to fail. I was blown off. She sent study guides by email which I never received. When I spoke with her about it she blamed me for not receiving the emails. I am now stuck with a loan I do not need nor do I want to pay for. I ended up transferring to a different school. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME AND MONEY.

On December 10, 2020 after days of no response from financial regarding the verification I had now been subject to twice, I sent an e-mail to all parties both financial and academic and informed them that my balance was getting too high and I felt it better to withdraw before the balance got larger. The following day I had finally seen a doctor for feeling under the weather and I informed academic that I was very sick and had seen a doctor and per his advice I may need to take a break. Long story short, I have not heard from my academic counselor at all even after letting her know that when I e-mailed the 11th and told her I was sick I also did not continue turning assignments in, therefore I was a week behind. I attempted catching up however still sick I knew it was not possible and told academic counselor again via e-mail to withdraw me completely although aid had just disbursed and i know I am responsible to my loan servicers but owe nothing to South. To date, still nothing. I am enrolling in another University in my state I reside for different reasons and have my transcripts. My concern is since academics has not replied to me I do not want to get a failing grade for this class, I have worked hard to maintain my GPA and have been a good student. I do not know what else to do or who to speak with.

I was wrongfully taken out of school. I had a few classes left less than 2 months to go to finiah my associtates in allied health and science. I bad surgery the mobth i was kicked out. I asked if i could have medical leave and they said as long as i turn in my work i will be fine. Well that wasn't the case. They had an evaluation and i wad kickrd out for not having a 2.0 i had a 1.8 gpa. If my professor at the time wouldve graded my work i would've qualified to finish. Now becausr i got kicked out, i have been getting calls from finacial aid at south university to pay off my aid. I dont believe i have to do that considering i didny get to finiah my education. Rven after having surgery and being on bed rest and pain meds i still did what they wanted and i got treated unfairly and was not able to finish my education. Which i believe is very wrong. I do not wish to be put back in south university, buy that my finacial aid br forgiven. I do believe i should not have to pay this back.

Hello, my name is Nicole Lester I had let South University into my checking account with Robins Credit and gave them my routing number by paying this student school debt loan. I had to do Tuition Options by letting go into my checking account by which there was insufficient funds by which they sent me a letter and tuition options for every month when I can get paid. I had to go to my bank which is Robins Credit Union by writing bad personal checks by doing a overdraft so I had to stop because Social Security really could not do direct deposit at Robins Credit Union. Since now I am at Suntrust bank I had to go back to pay more money to reopen my existing checking account by paying them a lot money for each money. Now I am putting some money in the bank that I get pay every month by which I am under SSI and Social Security. South University sent me to a collection agency called Accessible Recievable I had been given my routing number and checking account now they saying that there no insufficient funds in your checking account. The collection agency has been calling me so many times on my cellular phone and on the home phone by which they told me that I had to go get a money order or a prepaid Mastercard at CVS, Walgreeens, Walmart like I had told them that I really do have any money by which I cannot afford $13, 227.00 with a credit card I am already in debt by paying my Mastercard credit card to a attorney in Macon by paying $100.00 a month so I am totally struggling so I call South University by talking to April which was her name they took me to collection agency by paying this money back to them to come back an finish my Allied Health Sciences online program I had told that I really do not have the money right now and I also told her that I had lost my father and I am taking care of my mother that has Alzheimer's Disease she says to me "that is all good misfortune" but you need to pay this student debt loan so what so I do closed my checking account or reopen another account because on my SociaL Security check I really get $708.00 plus my SSi which is $62.00 and I totally get my food stamps about $99.00 a month so I really need some help with matter please email me as soon as possible. [protected]@windstream.net I am really struggling God Bless from Nicole Lester

In 2010 I wanted to investigate the idea of taking my 2 years of college from early 1970s, a 2 year degree from 1978 and 3 technical certificates along with years of continuing education and roll all that into a BS or MS. South U contacted me and assured me I would get credit for my "life experience." I applied, and was accepted. I then realized upon further research that at age 55, I should use the certificates I had. The sales rep, and that is what he was, really pressured me. I didn't know what I should study and how long it would take, seemed like a bad idea for me. He assured me it was nothing, and saying he "wants to walk me in a virtual class" so I could see what it was like. I see messages from people saying what they wanted to achieve, why they were studying. He had me congratulate a couple students. I thought this was all stupid. More a chat room than class room. I told him I wasn't interested and after a few more calls, told him to lave me alone. Now this summer, almost 6 years later, I am getting calls from a collection agency! They charged $4, 464 in tuition, 3 digital resource fees at $70 each. They did reverse some of these over the next 6 weeks. Their last entry, 2 years later, writes off "bad debt".
The collection agent sent a copy of my application and account ledger I just quoted. Nothing has my signature, and grades, nothing. I never took a class, test, received study materials, nothing. Receive nothing, pay nothing, want nothing from them. I see they lost some accreditation for financial reasons. My complaint is that they misled me, did not quote costs, and then turn me to collection agency when I have not heard from them in 5 years. It may be that now they are taking old applicants and selling them to a collection company in yet another unethical, desperate attempt to squeeze all they can from the public. Perhaps I should file a complaint against collector as accomplice.

Do not consider spending your educational dollars, or your financial aid dollars, at South University. Do NOT do it. it is expensive. It provides none of the benefits that you would receive at another competing college. The admissions department is comprised of used car salesmen. The financial aid department is comprised of collection agency workers; nobody who will actually provide aid to your financial concerns. Some of the prerequisite classes are fluff with no substance. Why take a class that requires you purchase a $100 textbook when NO reading from the textbook is necessary? When an non-licensed teacher has been hired to teach classes at South University, you are under the rules of the school. If you find the class has inadequacy "issues", the general studies dean and academic affairs dean will not allow you to drop the class. That will result in money wasted. And if you receive financial aid, that is wasted government money. Spend your financial aid money on a real college that has less of a need for PROFIT. Stay away from any of the "EDMC" collection of schools.

I was contacted by a recruiter, Karen F about taking courses on line. i was interested in do so as long as i didnt have to take out a loan. i was very clear to her and the financial department that i would take the classes if they were covered by tap or pell or some other type of grant. i made my self clear to everyone i spoke to about the fact i had just filed chapter 7 and did not want to take out any loans. while getting everything in order for siging up for the classes, i lost my job. that was another reason i didnt want to take out any loans . the girls rushed me to meet the dead line. it was ergent to do so because they were going to raise the price for the classes. they told me tha t even though i didnt want financial aid i had to fill out the forms any ways in order to start the classes. they assured me that i wouldnt have to take out the loan (lie!) To be frank, im sick of this ordeal. if this is how colleges do business, it's no wonder american is in the crisis state that it is in. the college has made very little effort to resulve this matter. i will not accept their offer because i shouldnt have to give them any money for thier deception. as it is Chase has me in collection, and most likely ill end up paying the college for thier shady ways. i wont be so trusting next time. oh, yea, there wont be a next time. they have put a bad tast in my mouth about doing an business with a college.

South University locked me out of my classes due to "no transcripts received" several months after they told me that they would take care of it and confirmed my classes. After being locked out and withdrawn they claimed that I owed $2, 888. I received a call a week ago stating that it was now on my credit report. I never owed this amount and sent them a appeal containing evidence of breach of contract on their end. Each time I was contacted, I was confronted by a different person who would ask me to send the same documentation (email) for proof.

I recently went online and found a plethora of sites with South University of GA listed. There are others that have had the same issues I have now regarding transcripts allegedly not received in time (told me there was another South University office to send the transcripts to 9 days before my next class started.

The same chronology of events also happened to me regarding my transcripts. They told me I was set to go and they had my transcripts from high school. They allowed me to take 2 courses and then told me a week before my 3rd course that they did not have my transcripts. Beware, they have 2 headquarters (Phoenix and Pennsylvania) which you are never privy to at first.

The first thing they do is switch up advisors so it's to appear as though the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing. They then say they are going to withdraw you if you can not meet their timeline. They then try to take the monies out of your student load, and if they can't, bill you for it.

Here's who you contact first:

Federal Trade Commission
600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20580

1-877-FTC-HELP

FTC does not handle individual complaints, however, if there are several nationwide they will investigate. Please pass this information along so a class action lawsuit can be put together regarding fraud, theft, and any other illegal practices such as double dipping (take student monies and then charge you as well).

This is a for-profit business owned (and traded on the stock market) by Education Management Corporation which has been linked to fraudalent practices with regards to shareholders.

My complaint is solid. Remember, save those emails and telephone recordings if necessary!

South University Online has 2 headquarter locations. One in Phoenix and the other in Pennsylvania. Contact all the entities below by phone and email.

1) Federal Trade Commission

2) State Congressman / State Senators

3) Department of Higher Education Federal

4) Department of Higher Education State

5) State Attorney General

6) Better Business Bureau

7) Contact your Local and National News Reporting Stations