Washington University in St. Louis AI Policy for College Applications
Policy Changed Since September 2025
Permission: L1 → L2 (Line-level editing allowed)
Disclosure: D0 (unchanged)
Enforcement: E1 (unchanged)
This school updated their AI admissions policy between our September 2025 and February 2026 reviews.
Quick Answer: Can you use AI at Washington University in St. Louis?
It depends on your program:
- •General/Undergraduate: Line-level editing allowed
- •Division of Biology & Biomedical Sciences (DBBS): Brainstorming only
- •Fellowships & Scholarships Office: Brainstorming only
Last verified: 2026-02-17 • Confidence: High
What This Means For Your Application
✓Generally Safe
- AI grammar and clarity suggestions
- Rephrasing individual sentences with AI
✗Avoid
- Having AI write entire paragraphs or essays
- Using AI to generate ideas you present as your own
Policy Evidence
University General Policy
“We discourage you from using AI tools like ChatGPT as the main source of your essay's content”
— Common Questions - WashU Undergraduate Admissions(Verified: Feb 2026)
“Your application essays and other written materials should accurately represent your writing skills”
— Common Questions - WashU Undergraduate Admissions(Verified: Feb 2026)
“You should not use AI tools like ChatGPT to author your essays”
— The Application - Division of Biology & Biomedical Sciences(Verified: Feb 2026)
“We recommend that you avoid the use of GenAI when preparing your written materials”
— AI Statement - WashU Fellowships & Scholarships Office(Verified: Feb 2026)
Program-Specific Policies
Division of Biology & Biomedical Sciences (DBBS)
“You should not use AI tools like ChatGPT to author your essays”
— View source(Verified: Feb 2026)
Applies to: application essays
Fellowships & Scholarships Office
“We recommend that you avoid the use of GenAI when preparing your written materials”
— View source(Verified: Feb 2026)
Applies to: written materials
Specific Guidelines
✓ Allowed Uses
- •spelling checks
- •clarity edits
- •grammar correction
- •sharing essays with editing or AI tools for proofreading
✗ Not Allowed
- •using AI as the main source of essay content
- •having AI author your essays
- •AI-generated paragraphs or substantial essay content
Policy Summary by Program
| Program | AI Allowed? | Disclosure | Enforcement |
|---|---|---|---|
| General/Undergraduate | Line-level editing allowed | No disclosure required | E1 • Manual review possible |
| Division of Biology & Biomedical Sciences (DBBS) | Brainstorming only | No disclosure required | E0 • No enforcement stated |
| Fellowships & Scholarships Office | Brainstorming only | Optional disclosure | E0 • No enforcement stated |
Sources Verified
All sources checked (12)
Policy Sources:
Additional Sources Checked:
- https://admissions.washu.edu/common-questions/
- https://admissions.washu.edu/apply/
- https://admissions.washu.edu/
- https://cf-admissions.wustl.edu/how-to-apply/admission-requirements/
- https://dbbs.wustl.edu/admissions/application-requirements/
- https://fellowshipsoffice.wustl.edu/ai-statement-washu-fellowships-scholarships-office
- https://gradstudies.artsci.wustl.edu/admissions-faq
- https://gradstudies.artsci.wustl.edu/application-process
- https://law.wustl.edu/admissions/apply/jd-program-application/
Policy History
| Date | Permission | Disclosure | Enforcement | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-17 (current) | L2 | D0 | E1 | High |
| 2025-09-18 | L1 | D0 | E1 | High |
Additional Context
WashU's undergraduate admissions explicitly allows AI tools for spelling and clarity editing but discourages AI as the main content source, mapping to L2. The DBBS graduate program is stricter, stating applicants 'should not use AI tools like ChatGPT to author your essays' while allowing grammar tools (L3). The Fellowships Office recommends avoiding GenAI entirely and notes applicants must indicate resources used upon request (D1 disclosure). The overall university-level policy upgraded from L1 to L2 based on clearer reading of 'discourage' language combined with 'should accurately represent your writing skills.' No formal AI detection or verification process mentioned (E1 based on implied review for voice/authenticity).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Washington University in St. Louis allow ChatGPT for essays?
Do I need to disclose AI use to Washington University in St. Louis?
How does Washington University in St. Louis check for AI?
Which Washington University in St. Louis programs have different AI policies?
See outdated information? Let us know: support@gradpilot.com
Learn More About AI in Admissions
Do Colleges Use AI Detectors? The Truth About Turnitin
What detection tools colleges actually use, and why many are disabling them
AI Detection Costs & Policies: What Universities Actually Spend
Verified spending data on Turnitin, Copyleaks, and alternatives
Do Top 10 Colleges Check for AI? Official Policies
Princeton, Harvard, MIT and other top colleges on AI detection in essays
Should You Tell Colleges You Used AI?
When disclosure helps, when it hurts, and how to decide for your application
How We Classified 170+ University AI Policies
Our L/D/E framework for comparing permission, disclosure, and enforcement