Carnegie Mellon University AI Policy for College Applications
Policy Changed Since September 2025
Permission: L2 (unchanged)
Disclosure: D0 (unchanged)
Enforcement: E2 → E0 (Unknown policy)
This school updated their AI admissions policy between our September 2025 and February 2026 reviews.
Quick Answer: Can you use AI at Carnegie Mellon University?
It depends on your program:
- •General/Undergraduate: Line-level editing allowed
- •Heinz College Graduate Programs: AI use prohibited
- •Entertainment Technology Center: AI use prohibited
Last verified: 2026-02-17 • Confidence: High
What This Means For Your Application
✓Generally Safe
- AI grammar and clarity suggestions
- Rephrasing individual sentences with AI
✗Avoid
- Having AI write entire paragraphs or essays
- Using AI to generate ideas you present as your own
Policy Evidence
University General Policy
“AI should never replace your unique voice, experiences and personal expression”
— Admission FAQ - Undergraduate Admission - Carnegie Mellon University(Verified: Feb 2026)
“should only serve as a supplementary tool to enhance your writing”
— Admission FAQ - Undergraduate Admission - Carnegie Mellon University(Verified: Feb 2026)
“Carefully consider any and all risks when using generative AI for any part of your application”
— Admission FAQ - Undergraduate Admission - Carnegie Mellon University(Verified: Feb 2026)
“You should not use artificial intelligence (AI), such as ChatGPT, to write any portion of your essay”
— Apply to the AI Management Masters - CMU Heinz College(Verified: Feb 2026)
“Do not use ChatGPT or any other AI tools to generate responses”
— Admissions - Entertainment Technology Center - Carnegie Mellon University(Verified: Feb 2026)
Program-Specific Policies
Heinz College Graduate Programs
“Submission of false, plagiarized or AI-generated material may result in automatic denial of admission”
— View source(Verified: Feb 2026)
Applies to: application essays
Entertainment Technology Center
“Do not use ChatGPT or any other AI tools to generate responses”
— View source(Verified: Feb 2026)
Applies to: application responses
Specific Guidelines
✓ Allowed Uses
- •grammar and spelling checks
- •suggested structural improvements
- •vocabulary improvements
✗ Not Allowed
- •replacing your unique voice, experiences and personal expression
- •writing any portion of essays (Heinz College, ETC)
- •generating responses (ETC)
Policy Summary by Program
| Program | AI Allowed? | Disclosure | Enforcement |
|---|---|---|---|
| General/Undergraduate | Line-level editing allowed | No disclosure required | E0 • No enforcement stated |
| Heinz College Graduate Programs | AI use prohibited | No disclosure required | E2 • Uses screening tools |
| Entertainment Technology Center | AI use prohibited | No disclosure required | E0 • No enforcement stated |
Sources Verified
All sources checked (12)
Policy Sources:
Additional Sources Checked:
- https://admission.enrollment.cmu.edu/
- https://admission.enrollment.cmu.edu/student-admission
- https://www.cmu.edu/admission/
- https://www.cmu.edu/admission/admission/undergraduate-admission-requirements
- https://www.cmu.edu/admission/admission/admission-consideration
- https://www.cmu.edu/admission/admission/apply
- https://www.cmu.edu/graduate/prospective/index.html
- https://www.heinz.cmu.edu/admissions/
- https://www.heinz.cmu.edu/programs/information-systems-management-master/admissions-how-to-apply
Policy History
| Date | Permission | Disclosure | Enforcement | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-17 (current) | L2 | D0 | E0 | High |
| 2025-09-18 | L2 | D0 | E2 | High |
Additional Context
CMU's undergraduate admissions FAQ explicitly addresses AI use, allowing it as a 'supplementary tool to enhance your writing' (grammar, spelling, structure, vocabulary) but stating AI should never replace the applicant's unique voice. This maps to L2 (substantive editing assistance allowed, wholesale drafting not). The FAQ does not mention disclosure requirements or detection tools for undergrad applicants, so D0 and E0 at the university level. However, Heinz College graduate programs explicitly prohibit AI in essays (L4) with active detection methods (E2) and threat of automatic denial. The ETC also prohibits AI-generated responses (L4) but states no enforcement mechanism (E0). The previous E2 enforcement rating at the university level has been downgraded to E0 since the undergraduate admissions pages do not mention screening tools; only Heinz College describes detection methods.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Carnegie Mellon University allow ChatGPT for essays?
Do I need to disclose AI use to Carnegie Mellon University?
How does Carnegie Mellon University check for AI?
Which Carnegie Mellon University programs have different AI policies?
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