Check Washington University in St. Louis AI Policy Online

Check Washington University in St. Louis'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 on instructor

Disclosure Depends

Depends on course; acknowledgment commonly expected

Instructor Overrides Yes

Instructors set the rules for their own courses.

Last Updated December 19, 2025

Student guide updated December 19, 2025

Data Status Verified

Checked against official university sources.

1. Summary

WashU directs students to course expectations and warns that AI may create plagiarism or fabricated information. Teaching resources provide policy language ranging from prohibition to selected use.

Hybrid Check primary source.

Use scope: Depends on instructor.

Disclosure: Depends on course; acknowledgment commonly expected.

Instructor/course rules can override the general university guidance.

Integrity: WashU directs students to course expectations and warns that AI may create plagiarism or fabricated information.

Check primary source.

2. Why Check This Policy

WashU's own guidance tells students to ask before using AI, while its learning-center material takes a broad view of plagiarism that can include AI-generated ideas, outlines, grammar edits, and images. The exact course rule is therefore essential.

3. When AI Is Commonly Allowed

Outlining when permitted by the instructor.

Only if your instructor allows it for the specific assignment.

4. When AI Is Commonly Restricted

AI use that falls under plagiarism or similar misconduct rules.

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

Always check your course syllabus for specific restrictions.

5. Disclosure Requirements

Depends on course; acknowledgment commonly expected.

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 ai.wustl.edu it.wustl.edu — ai

Academic integrity policy provost.washu.edu — academic integrity

Department & school policies ctl.wustl.edu — language for course policies on artificial intelligence ai ctl.wustl.edu — chatgpt and other ai composition tools a guide for students

7. FAQ

Can I use AI for assignments?

Outlining when permitted by the instructor.

Do I need to disclose AI use?

Depends on course; acknowledgment commonly expected.

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?

WashU directs students to course expectations and warns that AI may create plagiarism or fabricated information.