DOJ Finds Race Bias in Yale Medical School Admissions

On May 14, 2026 the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said it has completed a year-long investigation into the Yale School of Medicine and has found that admissions favored Black and Hispanic applicants over equally qualified White and Asian applicants. The review showed that, while Black and Hispanic students were admitted with lower test scores and grade-point averages, White and Asian applicants had higher academic metrics. Although statistical differences alone do not resolve all questions, the department concluded that the school used race or racial proxies in a way that violated federal law.

The department said it will seek a voluntary resolution with Yale but warned it may file a lawsuit if compliance is not achieved. Yale responded that the School of Medicine is confident in its rigorous admissions process and will review the findings letter. Earlier this month the Justice Department issued similar findings about UCLA’s medical school, and other medical schools are under inquiry. Students and faculty may be asked to provide more data, and admissions committees may adjust how they score nonacademic factors.