UC Davis AI Policy for College Applications
Policy Changed Since September 2025
Permission: L3 → L2 (Line-level editing allowed)
Disclosure: D0 (unchanged)
Enforcement: E2 (unchanged)
This school updated their AI admissions policy between our September 2025 and February 2026 reviews.
Quick Answer: Can you use AI at UC Davis?
It depends on your program:
- •General/Undergraduate: Line-level editing allowed
- •Graduate School of Management (MBA): Line-level editing allowed
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
💡This school actively checks for AI — make sure your essay sounds like you
Policy Evidence
University General Policy
“AI is a tool that you can use... whatever you ultimately submit better be your own creation”
— Let your story shine: Get the scoop on how to maximize the UC application(Updated: 2025-10-24)
“We do run the PIQ responses through plagiarism detection software”
— Let your story shine: Get the scoop on how to maximize the UC application(Updated: 2025-10-24)
“A personal insight question written by AI is not going to be very good, because it's not going to teach us anything about the student”
— How the University of California evaluates student applications(Verified: Feb 2026)
“Applicants may use AI tools to assist with clarity, grammar and readability across application materials”
— Statement of Application Integrity - UC Davis Graduate School of Management(Verified: Feb 2026)
“Use of AI to generate or fabricate responses, personal statements, essays or any other part of the application is prohibited”
— Statement of Application Integrity - UC Davis Graduate School of Management(Verified: Feb 2026)
Program-Specific Policies
Graduate School of Management (MBA)
“the content, ideas and final written submissions must be the applicant's own”
— View source(Verified: Feb 2026)
Applies to: personal statements, essays, application materials, interviews
Specific Guidelines
✓ Allowed Uses
- •structure and readability assistance
- •grammar and spelling corrections
- •clarity improvements
- •drafting aid with student-provided detail
✗ Not Allowed
- •fully AI-generated responses
- •submitting AI-generated text as own work
- •fabricating responses, personal statements, or essays with AI
- •using AI chatbots during admissions interviews
Policy Summary by Program
| Program | AI Allowed? | Disclosure | Enforcement |
|---|---|---|---|
| General/Undergraduate | Line-level editing allowed | No disclosure required | E2 • Uses screening tools |
| Graduate School of Management (MBA) | Line-level editing allowed | No disclosure required | E2 • Uses screening tools |
Sources Verified
All sources checked (11)
Policy Sources:
- https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/let-your-story-shine-get-scoop-how-maximize-uc-application-our-admissions-experts
- https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/how-the-university-of-california-evaluates-student-applications
- https://gsm.ucdavis.edu/full-time-mba/admissions/statement-application-integrity
Additional Sources Checked:
- https://www.ucdavis.edu/admissions/undergraduate/apply/personal-insight-questions
- https://www.ucdavis.edu/admissions/undergraduate
- https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/how-to-apply/applying-as-a-freshman/personal-insight-questions.html
- https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/how-to-apply/applying-as-a-freshman/
- https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/shaping-your-personal-narrative-piq-tips-and-more-uc-admissions-experts
- https://grad.ucdavis.edu/admissions-process-overview
- https://iet.ucdavis.edu/student-guide-gen-ai
- https://onlinemba.ucdavis.edu/admissions/application-requirements/statement-application-integrity/
Policy History
| Date | Permission | Disclosure | Enforcement | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-17 (current) | L2 | D0 | E2 | High |
| 2025-09-19 | L3 | D0 | E2 | High |
Additional Context
UC Davis follows the UC system-wide admissions policy. The previous AI-specific language on UC Davis's own PIQ page ('Like spell and grammar check, AI can help you write clearly') has been removed as of Feb 2026. However, UC system-level articles featuring UC Davis admissions lead Robert Penman confirm AI is permitted as an assistive tool for structure and readability, but submitted content must be the student's own. UC runs PIQ responses through plagiarism detection software. The GSM has a more explicit written AI policy allowing AI for clarity, grammar, and readability but prohibiting AI-generated content. Reclassified from L3 to L2 because the UC system guidance and GSM policy explicitly permit AI use for structure, readability, and clarity (beyond just brainstorming), while prohibiting wholesale generation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does UC Davis allow ChatGPT for essays?
Do I need to disclose AI use to UC Davis?
How does UC Davis check for AI?
Which UC Davis programs have different AI policies?
See outdated information? Let us know: support@gradpilot.com
Learn More About AI in Admissions
Do Colleges Use AI Detectors? The Truth About Turnitin
What detection tools colleges actually use, and why many are disabling them
AI Detection Costs & Policies: What Universities Actually Spend
Verified spending data on Turnitin, Copyleaks, and alternatives
Do Top 10 Colleges Check for AI? Official Policies
Princeton, Harvard, MIT and other top colleges on AI detection in essays
Should You Tell Colleges You Used AI?
When disclosure helps, when it hurts, and how to decide for your application
How We Classified 170+ University AI Policies
Our L/D/E framework for comparing permission, disclosure, and enforcement