Brown University AI Policy for College Applications
Policy Changed Since September 2025
Permission: L4 (unchanged)
Disclosure: D0 → D3 (Unknown policy)
Enforcement: E1 (unchanged)
This school updated their AI admissions policy between our September 2025 and February 2026 reviews.
Quick Answer: Can you use AI at Brown University?
It depends on your program:
- •General/Undergraduate: AI use prohibited
- •Master's Programs: AI use prohibited
Last verified: 2026-02-17 • Confidence: High
What This Means For Your Application
✓Generally Safe
- Writing entirely on your own
- Human feedback from teachers, counselors, family
✗Avoid
- Any AI tool, including grammar checkers in some cases
- Using ChatGPT even for brainstorming
💡This school takes a hard line — even brainstorming with AI could be a problem
💡Be transparent about any AI tools you used — honesty is always the safest approach
Policy Evidence
University General Policy
“the use of artificial intelligence by an applicant is not permitted under any circumstances in conjunction with application content”
— Integrity in the Application Process - Brown Undergraduate Admission(Verified: Feb 2026)
“AI may assist with spelling and grammar review like basic proofreading tools”
— Integrity in the Application Process - Brown Undergraduate Admission(Verified: Feb 2026)
“the substantive content or output of an artificial intelligence platform, technology, or algorithm”
— Application Process - Brown University Master's Programs(Verified: Feb 2026)
“including but not limited to ChatGPT, Gemini, Bard, and Llama”
— Application Process - Brown University Master's Programs(Verified: Feb 2026)
Program-Specific Policies
Master's Programs
“the content of all essays, short-answer questions and any other material submitted by me is my own work”
— View source(Verified: Feb 2026)
Applies to: personal statement, short answers, application materials
Specific Guidelines
✓ Allowed Uses
- •spelling and grammar review
✗ Not Allowed
- •AI-generated content of any kind in application materials
- •using substantive content or output of an AI platform
- •paraphrasing or rewriting with AI tools
- •brainstorming or idea generation with AI
- •presenting AI output as one's own original work
Policy Summary by Program
| Program | AI Allowed? | Disclosure | Enforcement |
|---|---|---|---|
| General/Undergraduate | AI use prohibited | Must attest no AI used | E1 • Manual review possible |
| Master's Programs | AI use prohibited | Must attest no AI used | E0 • No enforcement stated |
Sources Verified
All sources checked (10)
Policy Sources:
Additional Sources Checked:
- https://admission.brown.edu/apply
- https://admission.brown.edu/apply/how-apply
- https://admission.brown.edu/apply/how-apply/tips-completing-your-application
- https://admission.brown.edu/ask/completing-application
- https://admission.brown.edu/international/application-process
- https://graduateschool.brown.edu/apply/application-faqs
- https://masters.brown.edu/admissions/application-process
- https://www.browndailyherald.com/article/2023/10/the-potential-role-of-artificial-intelligence-in-college-admissions-advising
Policy History
| Date | Permission | Disclosure | Enforcement | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-17 (current) | L4 | D3 | E1 | High |
| 2025-09-18 | L4 | D0 | E1 | High |
Additional Context
Brown has one of the strictest AI policies among top universities. Undergraduate admissions explicitly prohibits AI use under any circumstances for application content, allowing only basic spelling and grammar review. The master's programs admissions page contains an explicit attestation where applicants certify their work is their own and that AI was not used beyond spelling/grammar proofreading, specifically naming ChatGPT, Gemini, Bard, and Llama as prohibited tools. The Graduate School (PhD/MFA) does not have a standalone AI admissions policy but its Academic Code broadly covers dishonesty. Dean of Admission Logan Powell has stated applicants should not use AI in any portion of their application submission. Brown conducts random verification of admitted students' credentials as a fraud deterrence measure. Upgraded disclosure from D0 to D3 because both undergraduate (via Common App certification referencing AI) and master's programs require applicants to certify their work is original and not AI-generated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Brown University allow ChatGPT for essays?
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