GRADPILOT

2026 AdmissionsStudents • Parents • Counselors

The State of AI in College Admissions

Navigate AI usage rules across 166 American universities

33%
of schools
Have explicit AI policies
55 universities• Clear guidelines
24%
of schools
Require AI disclosure
40 universities• Mandatory reporting
64%
of schools
Actively enforce policies
106 universities• Detection tools

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📊 How Do Universities Handle AI in Applications?

How much AI assistance can you use?

L0

No Explicit Policy

The school has no admissions-specific statement on AI use. Default is general honesty pledge. Treat as unclear rather than permitted.

L1

Permissive / Integrative

Generative AI text may be included in application materials if content is accurate and applicant takes responsibility. Often paired with disclosure expectation.

Example: "You may use AI to write or co-write sections"

L2

Line-level Help OK

AI may paraphrase, suggest line edits, rephrase sentences, and provide style/clarity suggestions. Wholesale drafting not allowed; applicant must write final wording.

Typical: "Tools like Grammarly are fine; don't let AI write it for you"

L3

Brainstorm Only

AI allowed for brainstorming, outlining, topic discovery, and basic mechanics (spelling/grammar). No AI rewriting/paraphrasing of sentences.

Typical: "Use AI to think, not to write"

L4

Prohibited

No AI use for any part of admissions writing. Brainstorming, editing, and generation all banned. May specify accessibility accommodations as only exception.

Example: "Do not use ChatGPT or similar"

Less restrictive
More restrictive

About This Data

Notice something that needs updating? Contact us at support@gradpilot.com

Where does this data come from?

All policies are sourced directly from official university admissions websites, application portals, and official communications. We prioritize admissions-authored content over general academic integrity pages. Each policy includes the source URL and date accessed for verification.

My school isn't listed - what should I do?

We're working to add more schools to our database. If your school isn't listed:

  • Check their admissions website directly for AI policies
  • Search for terms like "AI", "ChatGPT", or "artificial intelligence"
  • You can request we add your school at support@gradpilot.com
How often is this data updated?

We review policies periodically, with most updates occurring around admissions cycles. Each policy shows when it was last verified.