DOJ Alleges Racial Discrimination in UC San Diego School of Medicine Admissions
The U.S. Department of Justice has accused UC San Diego School of Medicine of racial discrimination in its admissions process, alleging the school illegally favored Black and Brown applicants over White and Asian applicants between 2019 and 2025. The DOJ…
San Diego, CA, July 24, 2026 —
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a complaint against the UC San Diego School of Medicine, alleging that the institution engaged in racial discrimination within its admissions process. The federal agency claims that between the years 2019 and 2025, the medical school illegally favored applicants identified as Black and Brown over those identified as White and Asian.
According to the DOJ’s allegations, UC San Diego School of Medicine utilized the term “hardship” as a means to indirectly consider race in its admissions decisions. The department asserts that this practice served as a proxy for race, thereby circumventing federal civil rights laws designed to prohibit such considerations.
The complaint cites statistical evidence that purportedly demonstrates disparate admission rates among different racial groups. The DOJ’s investigation into the matter is ongoing, and further details regarding the specific statistical data and the full scope of the alleged discriminatory practices have not yet been made public.
The period under scrutiny, 2019 to 2025, encompasses several recent admissions cycles. The allegations suggest a systematic approach by the school to differentiate and potentially disadvantage applicants based on their race, under the guise of assessing “hardship.” The Department of Justice’s involvement indicates a significant legal challenge to the admissions policies of the UC San Diego School of Medicine.
Story summarized from the original created by Shandel Menezes on www.nbcsandiego.com, see more information here.
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