The Justice Department is investigating whether Harvard University accepted foreign donations that may have favored students from China and other countries over American students. The department announced on Monday that concerns arose from Harvard’s foreign-funding disclosures, which suggested that some donors imposed nationality-based restrictions on financial aid. Officials are assessing whether these practices violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on national origin in federally funded institutions.
Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon stated, "Every American student should have an equal opportunity to compete for college scholarships, grants, and other kinds of financial aid and benefits." She emphasized that schools cannot accept federal funds while also accepting foreign money that excludes American citizens, stating that such actions are illegal.
The DOJ indicated that some donors from China directed Harvard to allocate their contributions for aid programs benefiting students from specific countries, which could disadvantage students of other nationalities, including Americans. The review is ongoing, and the DOJ has not identified specific scholarships or donors under scrutiny.
Harvard has denied any violation of federal civil rights law, asserting that it complies with legal reporting requirements and does not unlawfully discriminate in financial aid allocation.
Federal law mandates that colleges and universities report foreign gifts and contracts exceeding $250,000. The DOJ noted that a Civil Rights Division audit revealed that Harvard reported nearly $4.5 billion in foreign funding, the highest among American universities, with over $630 million coming from China, its largest foreign donor.
Harvard provides need-based institutional aid to international students, while federal grants are typically limited to eligible U.S. students. Some private donations have been designated for students from specific nations, such as a $15 million donation from SOHO China co-founders Pan Shiyi and Zhang Xin in 2014 to support Chinese students at Harvard. The DOJ has not confirmed whether this donation is part of its investigation.
This inquiry adds to the ongoing scrutiny of Harvard by the Trump administration, which has also examined the university for issues related to antisemitism, admissions practices, and the treatment of foreign students. A federal judge previously blocked the administration from cutting billions in research funding from Harvard amid ongoing litigation.