Cornell University AI Policy for College Applications
Policy Changed Since September 2025
Permission: L2 → L3 (Brainstorming only)
Disclosure: D0 (unchanged)
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 Cornell University?
It depends on your program:
- •General/Undergraduate: Brainstorming only
- •Cornell Tech (Master of Engineering): AI use permitted
Last verified: 2026-02-17 • Confidence: High
What This Means For Your Application
✓Generally Safe
- Brainstorming essay topics with AI
- Spell-check and basic grammar tools
✗Avoid
- Any AI rewriting or paraphrasing of your sentences
- Using AI-suggested phrasing in your final draft
Policy Evidence
University General Policy
“it's important that we hear from you — your words, your voice, your story”
— Preparing for Your Cornell Application | Undergraduate Admissions(Verified: Feb 2026)
“Ethical uses include researching colleges, brainstorming essay topics, and reviewing the grammar and spelling of your completed essays”
— Can prospective students use generative AI to help with their application to Cornell?(Verified: Feb 2026)
“Unethical uses include using generative AI to outline, draft, or write your essays”
— Can prospective students use generative AI to help with their application to Cornell?(Verified: Feb 2026)
Program-Specific Policies
Cornell Tech (Master of Engineering)
“Cornell Tech does not prohibit the use of generative artificial intelligence; use of any AI tool must be disclosed and properly cited”
— View source(Verified: Feb 2026)
Applies to: personal statement, statement of purpose
Specific Guidelines
✓ Allowed Uses
- •researching colleges
- •brainstorming essay topics
- •grammar and spelling review of completed essays
✗ Not Allowed
- •outlining essays
- •drafting essays
- •writing essays
- •translating an essay written in another language
- •creating images for a required portfolio
Policy Summary by Program
| Program | AI Allowed? | Disclosure | Enforcement |
|---|---|---|---|
| General/Undergraduate | Brainstorming only | No disclosure required | E1 • Manual review possible |
| Cornell Tech (Master of Engineering) | AI use permitted | Must disclose AI use | E0 • No enforcement stated |
Sources Verified
All sources checked (8)
Policy Sources:
Additional Sources Checked:
- https://admissions.cornell.edu/how-to-apply/preparing-for-your-cornell-application
- https://faq.enrollment.cornell.edu/kb/article/428-can-prospective-students-use-generative-ai-to-help-with-their-application-to-cornell/
- https://admissions.cornell.edu/resources/submit-writing-supplement
- https://gradschool.cornell.edu/admissions/prepare/personal-statements/
- https://tech.cornell.edu/admissions/meng-application/
- https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2025/09/ai-can-write-your-college-essay-it-wont-sound-you
Policy History
| Date | Permission | Disclosure | Enforcement | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-17 (current) | L3 | D0 | E1 | High |
| 2025-09-18 | L2 | D0 | E1 | High |
Additional Context
Cornell's undergraduate admissions policy explicitly allows only idea-stage and mechanical support: brainstorming topics and grammar/spelling review. Outlining is explicitly prohibited alongside drafting and writing, making this stricter than typical L3 (which usually allows outlining). The prohibition list is stated as non-exhaustive. Cornell Tech has a distinctly more permissive program-specific policy (L1) requiring disclosure. Cornell researchers have published studies showing near-perfect accuracy in distinguishing AI-written from human-written admissions essays, supporting soft enforcement via reader detection. The graduate school general admissions page has no AI-specific policy. Reclassified from L2 to L3: the allowed uses (brainstorming + grammar check) map to idea-stage and mechanical support, not substantive editing assistance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Cornell University allow ChatGPT for essays?
Do I need to disclose AI use to Cornell University?
How does Cornell University check for AI?
Which Cornell University programs have different AI policies?
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