UCLA faces complaint over 13 race and sex-based scholarship programs

Cornell law professor William A. Jacobson, founder of the Equal Protection Project, has filed a federal civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, accusing the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) of offering more than a dozen scholarships that exclude students based on their race, gender or national origin.

The 13 programs cited in the complaint include scholarships limited to “LatinX” freshmen, “Pilipinx” students, “undocumented undergraduates” and all-female applicants. The filing asserts that these criteria violate Title VI and Title IX of the federal Civil Rights Act, which prohibit discrimination by federally funded schools.

“The fact that discriminatory scholarships based on race and gender exist at a major and highly visible public university is shocking,” Jacobson told Fox News Digital. “UCLA should know better than to hold scholarships or programs that treat students differently based on their race, color, national origin or gender.”

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Professor Jacobson filed a lawsuit against UCLA on Friday. (Getty Images, Equal Protection Project)

The UCLA Latino Alumni Association scholarship says it was created for “incoming LatinX freshmen and transfer students,” while a Pilipino Alumni Association award is for students “who indicate membership in the Pilipinx community.” The Undocumented Alumni Association Scholarship restricts eligibility to undocumented students, and the Raza Women’s Alumni Scholarship gives preference to “incoming Latino freshmen and transfer students.”

This language contrasts with remarks from California Governor Gavin Newsom, who said earlier this year that “nobody says Latinx.” Despite the governor’s disavowal of the term, UCLA, part of the UC system he oversees, still uses “LatinX” as its official label of eligibility in a taxpayer-funded scholarship.

Other programs cited include two scholarships for students of Armenian origin and a Deloitte Foundation award that supports “meritorious female students.” The complaint contends that UCLA’s use of racial or gender-based criteria “violates federal law and the university’s own nondiscrimination policies.”

The filing calls for federal officials to investigate and, if necessary, suspend federal funding to UCLA until the programs are changed.

UCLA’s scholarship portal contains a statement defending its “identity-conscious” scholarship award process.

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An Ivy League law professor has filed a federal civil rights complaint against UCLA with the U.S. Department of Education. (iStock)

“UCLA administers all identity-conscious financial aid and scholarships in accordance with federal, state and university regulations,” the release said. “Identity-conscious awards may include a preference for a student’s race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, color, ethnicity, or national origin…The pooled application process allows students to be considered for multiple scholarships and is used to determine a recipient’s source of aid, but not their eligibility, receipt, or amount of financial aid.

Jacobson said UCLA’s policies always cross a legal line.

UCLA offers 13 identity-conscious scholarships that the Equal Protection Project says violate university and federal standards. (iStock)

“Creating educational opportunities based on race, color, national origin, or sex violates Titles VI and IX of the Civil Rights Act,” he said. “It is time for higher education to focus on the inherent value of each student rather than categorizing them by identity groups.”

The complaint, filed on November 7, 2025, asks the Department of Education to open a formal investigation and enforce federal law.

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UCLA and Newsom’s office have not yet responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.