DOJ Investigates UC San Diego Medical School for Alleged Discrimination in Admissions

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has launched an investigation into the University of California, San Diego's medical school, alleging that it discriminates against White and Asian applicants in favor of Black and Hispanic students. This investigation, initiated in March 2026, could jeopardize nearly $1 billion in federal funding for the institution. According to a letter from Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon, the admissions committee reportedly used applicants' responses to a hardship essay question to infer their racial backgrounds, which influenced their advancement in the admissions process. The DOJ's findings indicate that from 2019 to 2025, Black applicants were admitted at more than double the rate of White applicants, despite the latter group having higher average MCAT scores and GPAs. The Supreme Court's ruling in the case of Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, which deemed it unconstitutional for colleges to consider race in admissions, is cited in the investigation. The DOJ's report claims that UC San Diego's admissions practices resulted in the unlawful prioritization of race, leading to the admission of less qualified candidates over more qualified White and Asian applicants. The DOJ is seeking a voluntary agreement with UC San Diego to align its admissions policies with federal law.