The U.S. Department of Justice has found that the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine used race in its admissions process for incoming classes from 2023 through 2025. The department said this practice violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, which prohibited race based admissions preferences in higher education. The investigation is part of a broader federal review of admissions practices at medical and law schools.

According to the Justice Department’s analysis, Black and Hispanic applicants were admitted at higher rates than White and Asian applicants and, on average, had lower MCAT scores and undergraduate GPAs among admitted students. The department reported that from 2023 through 2025, UCSF accepted between 6.96 and 11.43 percent of Black applicants and between 4.83 and 6.69 percent of Hispanic applicants, compared with approximately 1.50 to 1.70 percent of White applicants and 1.98 to 2.55 percent of Asian applicants. The department concluded that these differences, along with its review of UCSF admissions policies and practices, demonstrated intentional racial discrimination.

The Justice Department also examined UCSF’s PRIME programs, which are designed to prepare physicians to serve underserved communities. The department raised concerns about the racial composition of some PRIME programs and their relationship to the admissions process. However, UCSF describes PRIME as specialized medical education programs focused on underserved populations, and participation is not limited to Black or Hispanic students. UCSF also emphasizes that its admissions process considers academic performance together with clinical experience, research, service, leadership, and other factors.

UCSF disagrees with the federal government’s findings and says that academic excellence remains the foundation of its highly selective admissions process. University officials state that every applicant receives an individualized review and that grades, previous coursework, and MCAT scores are considered alongside other experiences and qualifications. The university has said it will continue to work constructively with federal officials to resolve the dispute.

The case highlights the continuing legal and policy debate over race and admissions in American higher education. Federal officials argue that the admissions practices identified at UCSF conflict with current federal law, while UCSF disputes that interpretation of its admissions process. The Justice Department has indicated that it will seek to resolve the matter through negotiations and could pursue legal action if an agreement is not reached.