University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign AI Policy for College Applications
Quick Answer: Can you use AI at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
It depends on your program:
- •General/Undergraduate: No explicit policy (No explicit policy)
- •Graduate College: Line-level editing allowed
Last verified: 2026-02-17 (no change from 2025-09-19) • 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 undergraduate admissions website”
— First-Year Application Writing Prompts(Verified: Feb 2026)
Program-Specific Policies
Graduate College
“AI and search engine services can provide guidance and suggestions... Responses generated exclusively by AI should not be submitted.”
— View source(Verified: Feb 2026)
Applies to: academic statement, personal statement
Policy Summary by Program
| Program | AI Allowed? | Disclosure | Enforcement |
|---|---|---|---|
| General/Undergraduate | No explicit policy | No disclosure required | E0 • No enforcement stated |
| Graduate College | Line-level editing allowed | No disclosure required | E0 • No enforcement stated |
Sources Verified
All sources checked (11)
Policy Sources:
Additional Sources Checked:
- https://www.admissions.illinois.edu/apply/freshman/essays
- https://www.admissions.illinois.edu/apply/transfer/essay
- https://www.admissions.illinois.edu/apply/freshman
- https://www.admissions.illinois.edu/policies
- https://www.admissions.illinois.edu/faq
- https://www.admissions.illinois.edu/faq/applicant-freshman
- https://blog.admissions.illinois.edu/4-simple-steps-to-writing-the-perfect-illinois-essay/
- https://blog.admissions.illinois.edu/uiuc-college-essay-example-prompts/
- https://grad.illinois.edu/admissions/instructions/completing-your-application
- https://grad.illinois.edu/academics/thesis-dissertation/stage-1-development/ai-guidance
Policy History
| Date | Permission | Disclosure | Enforcement | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-17 (current) | L0 | D0 | E0 | High |
| 2025-09-19 | L0 | D0 | E0 | High |
Additional Context
Undergraduate admissions has no AI policy for application essays (L0). The Graduate College has an explicit L2 policy stating AI may provide 'guidance and suggestions' but 'responses generated exclusively by AI should not be submitted.' The Graduate College thesis/dissertation AI guidance page is scoped to enrolled students, not applicants. The undergraduate admissions policies page, FAQ, essay tips blog, and all application pages were checked with no AI mentions found.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign allow ChatGPT for essays?
Do I need to disclose AI use to University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
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