Villanova University AI Policy for College Applications
Policy Changed Since September 2025
Permission: L4 (unchanged)
Disclosure: D0 (unchanged)
Enforcement: E3 → E1 (Unknown policy)
This school updated their AI admissions policy between our September 2025 and February 2026 reviews.
Quick Answer: Can you use AI at Villanova University?
No, Villanova University explicitly prohibits all AI use in admissions essays. This includes brainstorming, editing, and any form of content generation.
Disclosure: Villanova University does not require disclosure of AI use in admissions materials.
Enforcement: Villanova University may conduct manual reviews to check for AI use, looking for inconsistencies in voice or style.
Last verified: 2026-02-17 • Confidence: High
What This Means For Your Application
✓Generally Safe
- Writing entirely on your own
- Human feedback from teachers, counselors, family
✗Avoid
- Any AI tool, including grammar checkers in some cases
- Using ChatGPT even for brainstorming
💡This school takes a hard line — even brainstorming with AI could be a problem
Policy Evidence
University General Policy
“The Admission Committee expects that each writing supplement be the original work of the applicant, unaided by artificial intelligence.”
— First-Year Writing Supplement | Villanova University(Verified: Feb 2026)
“Those found to be submitting writing that is not their own may be denied or have their admission rescinded.”
— First-Year Writing Supplement | Villanova University(Verified: Feb 2026)
Specific Guidelines
✗ Not Allowed
- •any artificial intelligence assistance
- •submitting writing that is not the applicant's original work
Sources Verified
All sources checked (7)
Policy Sources:
Additional Sources Checked:
- https://www.villanova.edu/university/undergraduate-admission/applying-to-villanova.html
- https://www.villanova.edu/university/undergraduate-admission/applying-to-villanova/first-year-applicants.html
- https://www.villanova.edu/university/law/admissions/how-to-apply.html
- https://gradclashandbook.villanova.edu/admission-policies-and-requirements
- https://www.villanova.edu/university/ai/governance/guidelines.html
- https://www.villanova.edu/villanova/provost/teaching-learning/AVPTL/text-generators.html
Policy History
| Date | Permission | Disclosure | Enforcement | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-17 (current) | L4 | D0 | E1 | High |
| 2025-09-19 | L4 | D0 | E3 | High |
Additional Context
Villanova explicitly prohibits AI assistance for undergraduate admissions writing supplements. The warning of denial or rescission implies enforcement but no specific detection tools, timed writing, or proctored samples are described, so enforcement is E1 (soft review signals with consequence warnings). Changed from E3 to E1 because no evidence of proctored or on-site writing verification. University-wide AI guidelines exist but are academic-facing, not admissions-specific. No AI policies found for graduate or law school admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Villanova University allow ChatGPT for essays?
Do I need to disclose AI use to Villanova University?
How does Villanova University check for AI?
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