University of San DiegoAI Policy for Admissions
- PermissionCan you use AI?Brainstorming only
- DisclosureMust you disclose AI use?No disclosure required
- ComplianceHow is it verified?Manual review possible
Quick Answer: Can you use AI at University of San Diego?
University of San Diego permits limited AI assistance during the application process — specifically for early-stage idea generation and basic writing mechanics — but prohibits using AI to draft, structure, or substantively shape your essays. The expectation is that every submitted essay genuinely reflects your own voice and experience.
Disclosure: University of San Diego does not require applicants to formally disclose their use of AI tools, so no attestation or declaration is needed when submitting your application.
Compliance: University of San Diego does not currently employ automated detection tools; instead, admissions readers are trained to identify writing that feels inauthentic or inconsistent with a student's personal voice, and the policy relies primarily on applicant integrity.
Generally safe
- Ask AI to explain a concept or provide background context that helps you think through what you want to say — as long as the writing itself remains yours.
- Run your finished, self-written draft through a spell-checker or grammar tool to catch surface-level errors.
- Consult AI to better understand general admissions processes, application timelines, or what strong personal statements typically accomplish.
Things to Avoid
- Avoid using AI as a translation layer — if you write more comfortably in another language, do not have AI convert a full essay into English in place of writing it yourself.
- Do not submit an essay that was written in large part or entirely by an AI tool, even if you lightly edited it afterward.
- Avoid using AI to create any kind of outline or structural framework that you then fill in — the organization of your essay should come from your own thinking.
- Verified Feb 2026
“The personal statement and supplemental essays are your opportunity to share your story in your own words”
USD Member Questions - Verified Feb 2026
“AI tools like ChatGPT can be helpful in many settings, but when it comes to your college essays, using them”
USD Member Questions - Verified Feb 2026
“These uses blur the line between assistance and misrepresentation and don't reflect the level of integrity we expect”
USD Member Questions - Verified Feb 2026
“The ones that stand out aren't perfect. Rather, they are personal, thoughtful and real.”
USD Member Questions
Allowed Uses
- grammar/spell check
- brainstorming questions or topic ideas
- researching general admissions or application strategies
Not Allowed
- submitting essays written entirely or mostly by AI
- having AI create an outline or structure to fill in
- adopting AI-generated language that doesn't reflect personal tone
- translating full essays using AI rather than writing directly in English
- https://www.sandiego.edu/admission-and-aid/undergraduate/apply/application-requirements.php
- https://www.sandiego.edu/admission-and-aid/undergraduate/apply/
- https://www.sandiego.edu/admission-and-aid/undergraduate/apply/decision-faq.php
- https://www.sandiego.edu/admission-and-aid/graduate/
- https://graduate.catalog.sandiego.edu/academics/admissions
- https://onlinedegrees.sandiego.edu/admissions/how-to-apply/
The policy draws a clear line between AI as a thinking aid (permitted) and AI as a writing aid (prohibited) — brainstorming and grammar checks are in bounds, but drafting, outlining, and language adoption are not.
USD has a named 'Using AI Responsibly in Your USD Application' section on its undergraduate admissions page, signaling a proactive and explicit stance rather than a blanket prohibition.
No formal disclosure requirement exists, and no detection software is referenced; compliance is soft and based on admissions readers recognizing when essays lack authentic student voice.
For law applicants, USD School of Law operates under LSAC CAS platform terms as a baseline, with USD Law maintaining its own separate academic AI rules for enrolled students — prospective law applicants should monitor for any application-specific guidance layered on top.
USD has an explicit 'Using AI Responsibly in Your USD Application' section on their USD Member Questions page, linked from the undergraduate application requirements. Policy allows brainstorming and grammar checks but prohibits AI-generated drafts, outlines, language, and translations. No formal disclosure requirement or detection tools mentioned; compliance is soft, based on integrity expectations and readers recognizing authentic voice. Policy applies to undergraduate admissions only; no equivalent AI policy found for graduate admissions.
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