University of California, Santa Cruz AI Policy for College Applications
Quick Answer: Can you use AI at University of California, Santa Cruz?
University of California, Santa Cruz allows limited AI use for editing and improving your own writing. AI can help with grammar, clarity, and sentence-level edits, but you must write the core content yourself.
Disclosure: University of California, Santa Cruz does not require disclosure of AI use in admissions materials.
Enforcement: University of California, Santa Cruz has formal verification processes, which may include proctored writing samples or in-person assessments.
Last verified: 2025-09-19 • Confidence: High
Policy Evidence
University General Policy
“The University of California permits students to use generative AI in admissions essays in limited form, such as 'advice on content and editing,' but 'content and final written text must be their own'”
— College application season is here. So is the struggle to find out if AI wrote students' essays(Updated: 2023)
“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”
— College application season is here. So is the struggle to find out if AI wrote students' essays(Updated: 2023)
“UC runs plagiarism checks on applications, and if your PIQs are found to have been generated by AI with unattributed sources, you could be disqualified from UC admission entirely”
— College application season is here. So is the struggle to find out if AI wrote students' essays(Updated: 2023)
Specific Guidelines
✓ Allowed Uses
- •advice on content
- •editing
- •crafting responses as tool
✗ Not Allowed
- •generating complete responses
- •creating final written text
- •generating out of whole cloth
Sources Verified
All sources checked (4)
Additional Context
UC Santa Cruz follows UC system-wide AI policy allowing limited AI use for advice and editing but requiring authentic student content. UC system runs plagiarism checks and can disqualify applicants for AI-generated content. Part of UC's leadership in ethical AI development with formal recommendations adopted in 2021. Offers AI education programs through extension and pre-college initiatives.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does University of California, Santa Cruz allow ChatGPT for essays?
University of California, Santa Cruz allows limited AI use for editing and improving your own writing. AI can help with grammar, clarity, and sentence-level edits, but you must write the core content yourself.
Do I need to disclose AI use to University of California, Santa Cruz?
University of California, Santa Cruz does not require disclosure of AI use in admissions materials.
How does University of California, Santa Cruz check for AI?
University of California, Santa Cruz has formal verification processes, which may include proctored writing samples or in-person assessments.
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