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All University AI Policies

UC DavisAI Policy for Admissions

General Policy:Line-level editing allowedNo disclosure requiredUses screening tools
  • PermissionCan you use AI?
    Line-level editing allowed
  • DisclosureMust you disclose AI use?
    No disclosure required
  • ComplianceHow is it verified?
    Uses screening tools
01 What this means for your application

Generally safe

  • Use AI to reorganize or tighten the flow of a draft you've already written in your own words.
  • Run your essays through AI tools to catch grammar mistakes, awkward phrasing, or spelling errors.
  • Ask AI to flag sentences that are unclear or hard to follow, then rewrite them yourself.

Things to Avoid

  • Don't paste an AI-generated essay or personal statement into your application as if it were your own writing.
  • Avoid having an AI tool write entire responses to Personal Insight Questions (PIQs) or supplemental prompts on your behalf.
  • Never use AI to invent experiences, achievements, or details that don't reflect your actual background.
  • Don't rely on AI chatbots or assistants during any live admissions interviews or real-time evaluations.
02 Policy evidence
03 Program-specific policies & specific guidelines

  • Graduate School of Management (MBA)

    P2 • Line-level editing allowedD0 • No disclosure requiredC2 • Uses screening tools

    “the content, ideas and final written submissions must be the applicant's own”

    View Source

    Applies to: personal statements, essays, application materials, interviews

Allowed Uses

  • structure and readability assistance
  • grammar and spelling corrections
  • clarity improvements
  • drafting aid with student-provided detail

Not Allowed

  • fully AI-generated responses
  • submitting AI-generated text as own work
  • fabricating responses, personal statements, or essays with AI
  • using AI chatbots during admissions interviews
04 Sources verified

Confidence: HighLast verified: 2026-04-19
05 Policy summary

  • UC Davis hub classification: (P2/D0/C2) — use program-specific pages when policies differ within the institution.

  • UC Davis follows UC system-wide guidance classifying AI as a permitted assistive tool — UC admissions lead Robert Penman has confirmed AI can help with structure and readability, but the final submission must be the student's own creation.

  • The previous AI-specific language on UC Davis's PIQ page was removed as of February 2026, making the UC system-level stance the operative guidance for undergraduate applicants.

  • UC explicitly runs PIQ responses through plagiarism detection software, signaling active compliance — applicants should treat AI polish as a finishing step, not a drafting engine.

  • The UC Davis Graduate School of Management (MBA/MSBA) has a written Statement of Application Integrity that explicitly permits AI for clarity, grammar, and readability improvements, while prohibiting AI-generated or AI-fabricated content in any part of the application.

06 Additional context

UC Davis follows the UC system-wide admissions policy. The previous AI-specific language on UC Davis's own PIQ page ('Like spell and grammar check, AI can help you write clearly') has been removed as of Feb 2026. However, UC system-level articles featuring UC Davis admissions lead Robert Penman confirm AI is permitted as an assistive tool for structure and readability, but submitted content must be the student's own. UC runs PIQ responses through plagiarism detection software. The GSM has a more explicit written AI policy allowing AI for clarity, grammar, and readability but prohibiting AI-generated content. Reclassified from (P3) to (P2) because the UC system guidance and GSM policy explicitly permit AI use for structure, readability, and clarity (beyond just brainstorming), while prohibiting wholesale generation.

07 Schools with similar policies

University of California, Merced

Line-level editing allowedNo disclosure requiredUses screening tools

University of California, Riverside

Line-level editing allowedNo disclosure requiredUses screening tools

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