Check University of Texas at Austin AI Policy Online

Check University of Texas at Austin's official AI guidance, academic-integrity rules, disclosure requirements, and course-specific restrictions before using generative AI.

Verified from official university sources

Quick Policy Overview

AI Allowed Depends

Depends; graduate authorship has a restrictive default

Disclosure Depends

Depends; committee approval required for thesis/dissertation use

Instructor Overrides Yes

Instructors set the rules for their own courses.

Last Updated November 2023

Teaching policy primer updated November 2023; graduate guidance current

Data Status Verified

Checked against official university sources.

1. Summary

UT Austin considers AI use dishonest when it violates instructor expectations. Graduate guidance separately prohibits generative AI in theses and dissertations unless the advisory committee authorizes it.

Hybrid Check primary source.

Use scope: Depends; graduate authorship has a restrictive default.

Disclosure: Depends; committee approval required for thesis/dissertation use.

Instructor/course rules can override the general university guidance.

Integrity: Unauthorized or misleading AI use may be treated as an academic integrity issue under university rules.

Check primary source.

2. Why Check This Policy

UT Austin requires a context check beyond the syllabus. A use allowed in coursework may still be prohibited in a thesis, and even permitted research use may be limited to university-contracted tools when non-public data is involved.

3. When AI Is Commonly Allowed

Research support only where course rules permit it.

Only if your instructor allows it for the specific assignment.

4. When AI Is Commonly Restricted

Any use that an instructor, school, or program explicitly prohibits.

Always check your course syllabus for specific restrictions.

5. Disclosure Requirements

Depends; committee approval required for thesis/dissertation use.

Disclosure depends on the course, school, or assignment rule. If AI use is allowed, instructors may still require attribution or a statement of use.

Where AI use is permitted, disclosure usually takes one of these forms:

A statement or acknowledgement in your submission
A citation of the AI tool, in the format your course requires
A short methods note describing how AI was used

Follow the exact format your instructor or department requires.

6. Sources & References

Official AI policy fisd.utexas.edu — generative ai teaching and learning policies

Academic integrity policy guides.lib.utexas.edu — academic integrity

Department & school policies provost.utexas.edu — ai authorship for graduate education security.utexas.edu — ai tools

7. FAQ

Can I use AI for assignments?

Research support only where course rules permit it.

Do I need to disclose AI use?

Depends; committee approval required for thesis/dissertation use.

Can an instructor set stricter rules?

Yes. Course-level or instructor-level rules can be stricter than general guidance.

What happens if I break the rules?

Unauthorized or misleading AI use may be treated as an academic integrity issue under university rules. Check primary source.