University of Texas at Austin 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 Texas at Austin?
It depends on your program:
- •General/Undergraduate: No explicit policy (No explicit policy)
- •Texas Law LL.M. Program: AI use prohibited
- •McCombs Master in Professional Accounting (MPA): Line-level editing allowed
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 undergraduate admissions website”
— Essays & Short Answers - University of Texas Admissions(Updated: 2026-01-07)
Program-Specific Policies
Texas Law LL.M. Program
“written without assistance from others or AI Tools and should be limited to 800 words”
— View source(Verified: Feb 2026)
Applies to: personal statement
McCombs Master in Professional Accounting (MPA)
“You may use AI as part of your research or as a text/grammar editor”
— View source(Updated: 2025-09-26)
Applies to: supplemental essays
Policy Summary by Program
| Program | AI Allowed? | Disclosure | Enforcement |
|---|---|---|---|
| General/Undergraduate | No explicit policy | No disclosure required | E0 • No enforcement stated |
| Texas Law LL.M. Program | AI use prohibited | No disclosure required | E0 • No enforcement stated |
| McCombs Master in Professional Accounting (MPA) | Line-level editing allowed | No disclosure required | E0 • No enforcement stated |
Sources Verified
All sources checked (11)
Additional Sources Checked:
- https://admissions.utexas.edu/apply/application-materials/essays-and-short-answers/
- https://admissions.utexas.edu/apply/application-materials/
- https://admissions.utexas.edu/apply/freshman/
- https://admissions.utexas.edu/apply/frequently-asked-questions/
- https://admissions.utexas.edu/
- https://admissions.utexas.edu/apply/review-decision-process/
- https://gradschool.utexas.edu/admissions
- https://guides.lib.utexas.edu/AI/academic_integrity
- https://news.utexas.edu/2024/09/10/ai-in-education-is-here/
- https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/plan2/prospective-students/application/plan-ii-essay-info.html
Policy History
| Date | Permission | Disclosure | Enforcement | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-17 (current) | L0 | D0 | E0 | High |
| 2025-09-19 | L0 | D0 | E1 | High |
Additional Context
UT Austin's undergraduate admissions office has no explicit AI policy for application essays. The essays & short answers page, FAQ, application materials page, and freshman admissions page were all checked with no AI-specific guidance found. However, two graduate/professional programs have explicit policies: Texas Law LL.M. prohibits AI entirely for personal statements (L4), and McCombs MPA allows AI for research and grammar editing but prohibits AI-generated essay text (L2). General university academic integrity guidance states unauthorized AI use could be considered cheating, but this is course-level policy not tied to admissions. The UT Library guide and a 2024 UT News article reference AI academic integrity in classroom contexts only.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does University of Texas at Austin allow ChatGPT for essays?
Do I need to disclose AI use to University of Texas at Austin?
How does University of Texas at Austin check for AI?
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