Business School AI Policies: What MBA Applicants Need to Know
The complete guide to AI policies for MBA and business school applications in 2026. School-by-school rules, platform guidance, and practical advice for applicants.
The Bottom Line
Unlike medical schools (which have AMCAS) or law schools (which have LSAC), MBA programs have no unified application platform that provides baseline AI guidance. This makes individual school policies critical. Of the 117 business schools we track, 45 have explicit AI policies — ranging from Stanford GSB's outright prohibition to Michigan Ross's permissive stance with required disclosure. The remaining 72 schools have no explicit policy, leaving applicants to navigate a gray area where caution is the best strategy.
The MBA Application Landscape and AI
There is no single platform governing MBA applications. Here is what the broader ecosystem looks like.
GMAC administers the GMAT exam and has explicitly prohibited AI use during testing. On the broader topic of AI in MBA applications, GMAC has not issued unified guidance for admissions essays. This means individual schools set their own policies for application materials, making it critical to check each program's stance.
“The use of unauthorized aids, including AI tools, during the GMAT exam is strictly prohibited and will result in score cancellation.”
Unlike medical school applications (AMCAS) or law school applications (LSAC), there is no single unified application platform for MBA programs that provides baseline AI guidance. Most top business schools operate their own application portals. The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management and some Common App integrations exist, but neither has published comprehensive AI use policies. This absence of centralized guidance means applicants must check each school's policy individually.
“MBA applicants should consult each school's application portal and admissions FAQ for program-specific AI guidance, as no centralized body governs AI use across business school applications.”
How to Read These Policies
We classify each school's AI policy across three independent dimensions. Learn more about our methodology.
L = Permission Level
- L0 No explicit policy
- L2 Line-level editing allowed
- L3 Brainstorming only
- L4 AI use prohibited
D = Disclosure
- D0 No disclosure required
- D1 Optional disclosure
- D2 Must disclose AI use
- D3 Must attest no AI used
E = Enforcement
- E0 No enforcement stated
- E1 Manual review possible
- E2 Uses screening tools
- E3 Formal verification
School-by-School Policies
AI policies for 117 business schools in our database. Each school name links to its full policy detail page.
| School | Business Program | Institution Policy | Business-Specific Policy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona State University | W. P. Carey School of Business | L0D0E0 | — |
| Auburn University | Harbert College of Business | L0D0E0 | — |
| Babson College | F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business | L2D0E1 | — |
| Baylor University | Hankamer School of Business | L0D0E0 | — |
| Boston College | Carroll School of Management | L2D0E0 | — |
| Boston University | Questrom School of Business | L2D0E1 | — |
| Brandeis University | International Business School | L0D0E0 | — |
| Brigham Young University | Marriott School of Business | L4D3E2 | — |
| Brown University | School of Professional Studies | L4D3E1 | — |
| Bucknell University | Freeman College of Management | L2D0E1 | — |
| Carnegie Mellon University | Tepper School of Business | L2D0E0 | — |
| Case Western Reserve University | Weatherhead School of Management | L0D0E0 | — |
| Clemson University | College of Business | L0D0E0 | — |
| Columbia University | Columbia Business School (MBA, JD/MBA) | L2D0E0 | L2D0E1 |
| Cornell University | SC Johnson College of Business | L3D0E1 | — |
| Creighton University | Heider College of Business | L0D0E0 | — |
| Dartmouth College | Tuck School of Business | L3D0E1 | — |
| Drexel University | LeBow College of Business | L0D0E0 | — |
| Duke University | Fuqua School of Business | L1D0E0 | — |
| Elon University | Love School of Business | L0D0E0 | — |
W. P. Carey School of Business
Harbert College of Business
F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business
Hankamer School of Business
Carroll School of Management
Questrom School of Business
International Business School
Marriott School of Business
School of Professional Studies
Freeman College of Management
Tepper School of Business
Weatherhead School of Management
College of Business
Columbia Business School (MBA, JD/MBA)
SC Johnson College of Business
Heider College of Business
Tuck School of Business
LeBow College of Business
Fuqua School of Business
Love School of Business
Schools With Notable Business AI Policies
These programs stand out for having the most detailed or distinctive AI guidance for MBA applicants.
Graduate School of Business (MBA)
“It is improper and a violation of the terms of this application process to have another person or tool write your essays.”
- •Stanford GSB explicitly prohibits AI in MBA and MSx application essays (L4)
- •Employs formal verification processes (E3), which may include writing samples
- •One of the most restrictive business school policies in our database
Harvard Business School
“submitting plagiarized essays or...the substantive content or output of an artificial intelligence platform, technology, or algorithm”
- •Harvard's institution-wide policy (L4/D3) applies to HBS applications
- •Requires attestation that all work is the applicant's own
- •No separate HBS-specific AI policy published as of 2026
Ross School of Business (Graduate Programs)
“If you use AI software in the creation of your essay answers, you are required to use the APA in-text citation.”
- •Ross School of Business permits AI use (L1) — one of the most permissive top programs
- •Requires disclosure of AI assistance (D2)
- •Uses screening tools (E2) to review applications
Practical Guide: Using AI in Your MBA Application
Section-by-section guidance on what's generally allowed and what's not, based on school policies across the MBA landscape.
MBA Essays (Goals & "Why MBA?")
The main MBA essay — typically a "Why MBA?" or "Goals" essay — is the centerpiece of your application. Admissions committees at top programs read thousands of these and are well-practiced at identifying generic, AI-generated prose versus authentic narratives grounded in specific personal and professional experiences.
What you can do
- ✓Use AI to brainstorm career goal narratives or organize your timeline
- ✓Ask AI to check grammar, spelling, and punctuation in your finished draft
- ✓Use AI to identify unclear or wordy sentences after you've written a complete draft
- ✓Run your draft through AI for a "reader perspective" on flow and structure
What you should avoid
- ✗Have AI generate your essay draft, outline, or "Why MBA?" narrative
- ✗Copy-paste AI-generated paragraphs into your essays
- ✗Ask AI to "rewrite" or "improve" entire sections of your essay
- ✗Use AI to fabricate or embellish career goals or professional experiences
Behavioral & Situational Essays
Many MBA programs ask behavioral essays about leadership, teamwork, ethical dilemmas, or overcoming challenges. These are designed to reveal how you think and act — qualities that AI cannot authentically represent. Schools like Stanford GSB ("What matters most to you, and why?") and HBS ("What more would you like us to know?") use these to assess character.
What you can do
- ✓Use AI to help recall and organize specific professional experiences
- ✓Ask AI to proofread for typos and grammatical errors
- ✓Use AI to check that your response directly addresses the prompt
- ✓Practice articulating your stories out loud before writing them
What you should avoid
- ✗Use AI to draft leadership or teamwork narratives
- ✗Have AI "polish" your stories to the point where your authentic voice is lost
- ✗Reuse AI-generated behavioral content across different school applications
- ✗Ask AI to manufacture or exaggerate the impact of your experiences
Resume & Work Experience Descriptions
Your resume is a factual document, but the way you describe your accomplishments reveals your communication style and priorities. MBA admissions committees compare resume claims against essays and interviews, so AI-inflated descriptions can create inconsistencies that raise red flags.
What you can do
- ✓Use AI to help condense bullet points to fit formatting constraints
- ✓Ask AI to suggest stronger action verbs or quantify achievements
- ✓Use AI to check for consistency in tense, formatting, and style
- ✓Run your resume through AI to identify gaps or unclear descriptions
What you should avoid
- ✗Have AI write your resume bullet points from scratch
- ✗Use AI to inflate titles, responsibilities, or impact metrics
- ✗Ask AI to "make this sound more impressive" without basis in fact
- ✗Copy generic MBA resume templates generated by AI
During Interviews
Most top MBA programs include an interview as a required or invited component of the admissions process. Interviews may be conducted by admissions staff, alumni, or current students, and can be in-person or virtual. AI use during live interviews is universally prohibited — even at schools with otherwise permissive AI policies.
What you can do
- ✓Practice with AI before your interview to prepare for common MBA questions
- ✓Use AI to research the school, program, and interviewer backgrounds
- ✓Review your application materials with AI to prepare talking points
- ✓Use AI to practice articulating your career goals concisely
What you should avoid
- ✗Use any AI tool during a live interview (virtual or in-person)
- ✗Have AI-generated notes visible during video interviews
- ✗Use real-time AI transcription or response suggestion tools
- ✗Rely on AI-generated answers that you haven't internalized and can't discuss naturally