Can I Use ChatGPT for My TMA? SUSS and OU Rules on Declaring AI

Almost every student we talk to has asked themselves the same thing: can I use ChatGPT for my assignment, or will I get into trouble? The answer at both SUSS and the Open University is “it depends on the assessment, and you must be open about it”. Neither university bans generative AI outright, and neither allows you to hand in AI-produced text as your own work.

This guide sets out what each university says, what a declaration normally involves and how to use AI tools without putting your TMA at risk. Policies in this area change often and can differ between courses, so treat this as a starting point and always check your course guide, module website and TMA instructions for the current rules.

Can I use ChatGPT for my assignment at all?

In most cases, some use is allowed, but within limits that your university and your module set. Two principles run through the guidance at both SUSS and the OU:

• The work you submit must be your own. Presenting AI-generated text, ideas or analysis as if you produced them is treated as an academic conduct issue, in the same way as copying from a book or website.
• Any permitted use must be acknowledged. If you use a tool in a way that shapes your assignment, you are expected to say so in the format your university asks for.

Where those two principles meet, there is a lot of room for legitimate use: understanding a concept, brainstorming angles, checking your plan or getting language feedback, where your assessment allows it.

What are the Open University’s rules on generative AI for TMAs?

The OU’s student guidance uses three categories, set for each assessment:

Category	What it means	Do you need to acknowledge use?
Category 1	You must not use generative AI for this assessment	Not applicable: any use is a breach
Category 2	You may use generative AI, but you do not have to; the assessment or module website may say which uses are allowed	Yes, for any use beyond the exceptions below
Category 3	You are required to use generative AI as part of the task	Yes, you must still acknowledge how you used it

The category is shown in the assessment itself or on the module’s Assessment tab. If no category is stated, the guidance says to assume Category 2, but to check with your tutor.

The OU’s wider position is that you must not submit work as your own if you did not produce it, whether a person or a technology generated it. Doing so falls under its existing plagiarism and academic conduct rules.

How do OU students acknowledge AI use?

• Reference any AI-generated output you use, following the Cite Them Right Harvard guidance for generative AI.
• Add an appendix summarising your use: the conversation you had with the tool and what you did with its outputs. Put your prompts in quotation marks.
• Keep a record of the conversation in case your tutor asks to see it.
• You do not normally need to report AI used only for spelling and grammar correction, or as an agreed reasonable adjustment, unless the assessment says otherwise.

The OU also advises students never to upload OU materials, including module materials, into AI tools, never to enter personal or confidential information, and never to copy an AI output straight into an assignment.

What does SUSS say about using AI tools in TMAs?

SUSS has issued a student statement on AI-generated responses in assessments. Its key points are that students remain responsible for everything they submit, including where AI use is explicitly permitted, and that any idea that is not original, including ideas from generative AI tools, must be acknowledged.

That statement asks students who use AI to set out their use in a table showing:

• the name of the AI tool used;
• how they used it, including the prompts;
• the full output the tool gave; and
• which part of the output they adapted for the assignment.

It also warns that AI tools can give inaccurate or biased responses, so you must check anything you rely on. Where a marker suspects a submission is not entirely the student’s own, SUSS may hold a viva voce, an oral discussion, to establish authorship.

Guidance in this area is changing quickly, and the emphasis is on whether students can show understanding and ownership of the work they submit. What is permitted depends on each assessment’s requirements, so your course guide and TMA brief take priority. Check them for the exact rules and declaration format on your course.

How do I write an AI declaration for my TMA?

Use whatever format your university or module provides. If you need to build one yourself within those rules, a clear declaration usually covers the same ground.

A worked example (for a module that permits AI use)

Item	Example entry
Tool	ChatGPT (state the version if known)
When used	Planning stage, before drafting
Prompt(s)	“Explain the difference between transactional and transformational leadership in simple terms.”
Output	Full response saved and attached as instructed
What I did with it	Used it to check my understanding before reading the module unit. No AI text appears in my answer; all explanations are my own and referenced to module materials.

Be accurate and specific. A vague line such as “AI was used for support” can raise more questions than it answers.

Which uses of AI are usually safe, and which are risky?

Always defer to your assessment’s rules, but as a general guide where AI is permitted:

• Lower risk: asking a tool to explain a concept you then check against module materials; generating practice questions to test yourself; getting suggestions on how to organise your own notes; spelling and grammar checks where allowed.
• Higher risk: asking a tool to write paragraphs or whole answers; pasting your draft in and accepting a rewrite; using AI to paraphrase sources; relying on references a tool provides, which can be invented or wrong.
• Not allowed: any AI use on a Category 1 OU assessment or a SUSS assessment that prohibits it; failing to declare use where declaration is required.

A good test: could you explain and defend every sentence of your TMA in a conversation with your tutor? If not, something needs rewriting in your own words.

What happens if I use AI without declaring it?

At both universities, undeclared or prohibited use is handled under academic conduct procedures. Outcomes depend on the case and on the university’s policy, and can range from a requirement to resubmit to a mark penalty or more serious action. You may be asked to discuss your work so the university can check that you understand it.

Being flagged by detection software is a different matter. If your work has been flagged as AI-written and you did not misuse AI, see our help for TMAs flagged for AI. For questions about text matching and similarity percentages, read what Turnitin similarity score is acceptable for a TMA.

Do I need to reference ChatGPT like a book or article?

If you quote or use AI output and your assessment permits it, yes, you need a citation in the style your module uses. OU students should follow the Cite Them Right Harvard guidance on generative AI, which our guide to Cite Them Right Harvard for OU TMAs explains alongside other source types. SUSS students should follow the referencing style and AI instructions in their course guide.

Remember that a citation does not make AI content your own analysis. Tutors mark your thinking, so keep any quoted AI output short and make sure the argument is yours.

Where can I get help using AI within my university’s rules?

If you are unsure whether your planned use is allowed, ask your tutor first. That is always the safest route. If you want feedback on a draft you have written yourself, including whether your declaration and referencing are clear, our tutors support SUSS students in Singapore and Open University students in the UK with explanations and draft feedback. We do not write or submit TMAs for students, and you should follow your university’s academic integrity and AI rules at every stage.