Justice Department Reviews Harvard China Scholarships for Possible Exclusion of U.S. Students

The Justice Department announced Monday it is investigating whether Harvard University is allowing Chinese donors to create scholarships that exclude American students. The review targets Harvard’s China-based financial aid programs after foreign funding disclosures raised concerns about possible discrimination against U.S. students.

Justice Department officials said Chinese donors have given money to support financial aid programs limited to students from certain countries. The agency stated that Harvard appears to be accepting these funds and, in adherence to their restrictions, providing student financial aid to foreign students, presumably Chinese, based on their national origin to the potential detriment of students of other national origins, including American citizens.

The Justice Department emphasized it has not reached any conclusions.

Harmeet Dhillon, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, said schools cannot take federal dollars and then turn around and accept money from foreign sources to give financial aid that deliberately excludes American citizens. The investigation is a compliance review initiated by the federal government rather than responding to an outside complaint.

Harvard said it was reviewing the Justice Department notice.

The university stated it follows the law for required reporting of donations and, consistent with its legal obligations under Title VI, does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, or national origin in allocating financial aid.