University of Colorado Boulder AI Policy for College Applications
Policy Changed Since September 2025
Permission: L0 (unchanged)
Disclosure: D0 (unchanged)
Enforcement: E1 → 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 University of Colorado Boulder?
It depends on your program:
- •General/Undergraduate: No explicit policy (No explicit policy)
- •Norlin Scholars: AI use prohibited
Last verified: 2026-02-17 • Confidence: High
What This Means For Your Application
✓Generally Safe
- Grammar and spell-checking tools
- Getting human feedback on drafts
✗Avoid
- Submitting AI-generated paragraphs as your own
💡No explicit policy doesn't mean AI is allowed — err on the side of caution
Policy Evidence
University General Policy
“No AI-specific admissions essay policy found on CU Boulder undergraduate or graduate admissions website”
— First-Year - Apply(Verified: Feb 2026)
“No one can tell your story quite like you can”
— Ready? Set. Apply! Your need-to-know guide for the 2026 application season(Updated: 2024-07-31)
Program-Specific Policies
Norlin Scholars
“AI use is not permitted for Norlin scholarship prompts”
— View source(Verified: Feb 2026)
Applies to: scholarship essays
Policy Summary by Program
| Program | AI Allowed? | Disclosure | Enforcement |
|---|---|---|---|
| General/Undergraduate | No explicit policy | No disclosure required | E0 • No enforcement stated |
| Norlin Scholars | AI use prohibited | No disclosure required | E2 • Uses screening tools |
Sources Verified
All sources checked (13)
Policy Sources:
Additional Sources Checked:
- https://www.colorado.edu/admissions/process/first-year/apply
- https://www.colorado.edu/admissions/process/first-year/faqs
- https://www.colorado.edu/admissions/ready-set-apply-your-need-know-guide-2026-application-season
- https://www.colorado.edu/admissions/how-to-write-a-college-essay
- https://www.colorado.edu/admissions/apply
- https://www.colorado.edu/graduateschool/admissions
- https://www.colorado.edu/topscholarships/applying/application-tips
- https://www.colorado.edu/topscholarships/applying/ethical-guidelines
- https://www.colorado.edu/studentaffairs/2024/09/16/ai-and-honor-code-3-things-know
- https://www.colorado.edu/information-technology/artificial-intelligence-cu-boulder/chatgpt-cu-boulder
- https://www.colorado.edu/boettcher-daniels-norlin-scholars/norlin-scholars/ai-and-scholarship-applications
Policy History
| Date | Permission | Disclosure | Enforcement | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-17 (current) | L0 | D0 | E0 | High |
| 2025-09-19 | L0 | D0 | E1 | High |
Additional Context
CU Boulder has no explicit AI policy for general undergraduate or graduate admissions essays. The admissions site, FAQs, essay writing guide, and 2026 application season guide make no mention of AI. General guidance emphasizes authentic voice and personal storytelling. The Norlin Scholars program is a notable exception: it explicitly prohibits AI use for scholarship essay prompts, stating applications may be disqualified if AI essays are suspected. This is a significant change from Sept 2025 when the Norlin program allowed AI for grammar/brainstorming. The Honor Code AI guidance applies only to enrolled students, not applicants. Enforcement downgraded from E1 to E0 for general admissions since no AI-specific review signals were found; the prior E1 was based on general voice-consistency language that does not explicitly reference AI.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does University of Colorado Boulder allow ChatGPT for essays?
Do I need to disclose AI use to University of Colorado Boulder?
How does University of Colorado Boulder check for AI?
Which University of Colorado Boulder programs have different AI policies?
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