Amherst College AI Policy for College Applications
Quick Answer: Can you use AI at Amherst College?
Amherst College has no explicit AI policy for admissions essays. While not explicitly prohibited, the lack of clear guidance means students should be cautious.
Disclosure: Amherst College does not require disclosure of AI use in admissions materials.
Enforcement: Amherst College has not indicated how they check for AI use in admissions essays.
Last verified: 2026-02-17 (no change from 2025-09-18) • Confidence: High
What This Means For Your Application
✓Generally Safe
- Grammar and spell-checking tools
- Getting human feedback on drafts
✗Avoid
- Submitting AI-generated paragraphs as your own
💡No explicit policy doesn't mean AI is allowed — err on the side of caution
Policy Evidence
University General Policy
“No AI-specific admissions essay policy found on admissions website”
— Information about the Writing Supplement | First-Year Applicants | Amherst College(Verified: Feb 2026)
“Amherst is looking for original, personal responses”
— Information about the Writing Supplement | First-Year Applicants | Amherst College(Verified: Feb 2026)
Sources Verified
All sources checked (11)
Additional Sources Checked:
- https://www.amherst.edu/admission/apply
- https://www.amherst.edu/admission/apply/firstyear
- https://www.amherst.edu/admission/apply/firstyear/writingsupplement
- https://www.amherst.edu/admission/apply/firstyear/writingsupplement/optionb-faq
- https://www.amherst.edu/admission/apply/firstyear/calendar_deadlines
- https://www.amherst.edu/admission/apply/transfer
- https://www.amherst.edu/offices/student-affairs/community-standards/intellectual-responsibility-and-plagiarism/ai-white-paper
- https://www.amherst.edu/offices/it/academic-technology-services/tlt/amherst-ai/genai-task-force
- https://www.amherst.edu/offices/it/academic-technology-services/tlt/amherst-ai/genai-tools/ac-genai-recommendations
- https://careers.amherst.edu/resources/artificial-intelligence-and-career-development/
Policy History
| Date | Permission | Disclosure | Enforcement | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-17 (current) | L0 | D0 | E0 | High |
| 2025-09-18 | L0 | D0 | E0 | High |
Additional Context
Amherst College has no explicit admissions-specific AI policy. The writing supplement page asks for 'original, personal responses' but does not mention AI, ChatGPT, or generative tools. The college has robust campus-wide GenAI policies for enrolled students (task force, community standards, faculty resources) but none reference admissions materials. The Loeb Center career office advises students to check AI policies when applying to jobs and grad schools, but this applies to outgoing applications, not incoming admissions. Provost discussed AI's impact on education in September 2025 campus newspaper article, but no admissions-specific guidance was announced.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Amherst College allow ChatGPT for essays?
Do I need to disclose AI use to Amherst College?
How does Amherst College check for AI?
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