Why the rules come first
In Level 1 you saw that AI can help your learning, or quietly harm it. Here's the next question to ask: is a particular use even allowed?
This matters more than you might think. Two students can do almost the same thing with AI. One is fine and the other has broken the rules. Often the only difference is what their course allows.
So in this level we'll find your rules, read them properly and turn them into something you can use. No guessing.
Think of it like layers of road signs
Think about driving. There are national speed limits, then local signs, then the temporary sign by the roadworks. You follow the most specific sign in front of you.
AI rules for students work the same way. They come in layers.
- National or awarding-body rules. If you're taking GCSEs, A levels or other UK qualifications, this layer is the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ).
- Your institution's policy. This covers your school, college or university as a whole.
- Your subject, module or assignment. This is the brief for one piece of work.
So which layer wins? The most specific one, as long as it sits inside the rules above it. If your university allows AI in general but your essay brief says "no AI", then it's no AI.
What JCQ says about coursework
If you're at sixth form or college, this part is for you. JCQ publishes guidance called AI Use in Assessments: Your role in protecting the integrity of qualifications. The current version took effect on 30 April 2025.
It covers non-exam assessment (NEA), coursework and other work your teachers mark. The core idea is simple: teachers must only accept work that is genuinely your own. If you misuse AI so that the work you hand in is no longer yours, that counts as malpractice.
What does misuse look like? JCQ's examples include:
- copying or paraphrasing AI-generated content, in sections or as whole answers, so the work stops being yours
- using AI to do parts of the assessment, so the analysis, evaluation or calculations aren't yours
- not acknowledging AI when you used it as a source of information
- incomplete or poor acknowledgement of AI
- handing in references or bibliographies that are deliberately incomplete or misleading
Notice something? Several of these are about honesty, not just use. Even a permitted use can turn into misuse if you hide it.
So how do you acknowledge it? Under JCQ guidance you name the AI tool and give the date the content was generated. You also keep a copy of the questions you asked and what the AI produced, in a non-editable form such as a screenshot, and you add a short explanation of how you used it.
What if a teacher isn't confident the work is yours? Then they shouldn't accept it as it stands. You'll also sign a declaration that the work is your own, and a false declaration is itself malpractice.
The consequences are real. They range from a warning or losing marks right up to disqualification, and even being barred from taking qualifications for a number of years. JCQ also expects every centre to have a policy that explains AI use and misuse, so your school or college should have one you can read.
What universities do
At university there's no single body like JCQ. Each university writes its own academic integrity policy.
There's some common ground, though. In July 2023 the 24 Russell Group universities agreed shared principles on generative AI. These include helping students become AI-literate and upholding academic rigour and integrity. All 24 reviewed their academic conduct policies so they make clear where AI use isn't appropriate.
Many universities now label each assessment. UCL is a good example. It uses three categories:
- Not permitted. You can't use AI at all, for example in in-person exams or oral assessments.
- Assistive role. You can use AI in a limited, critical way, but you stay the author of your own work.
- Integral role. AI is a main tool you're expected to use as part of the task.
Your university may use different names. The idea is the same, though: the rules can change from one assignment to the next.
Your rules hunt: where to look
So where do you actually find all this? Try these places:
- your student handbook or virtual learning environment (Moodle, Teams, Google Classroom and so on)
- your institution's academic integrity, malpractice or AI policy page
- the exams officer's page, for JCQ information
- each module guide and assignment brief
Can't find it, or does it seem unclear? Ask your teacher or module leader, and get the answer in writing if you can. "I didn't know" won't protect you, but "I asked and was told yes" usually will.
Make your one-page rules summary
Now let's make this useful. For each subject or module, write one page with four headings.
- Allowed. For example: "I can use AI to explain topics I'm revising."
- Restricted. For example: "I can use it for brainstorming only if I acknowledge it."
- Banned. For example: "No AI in the NEA write-up."
- How to declare. The tool name, the date, screenshots, and where the declaration goes.
Add the source and date for each rule, too. Policies get updated, so check them again at the start of each term.
Your task: Pick your two biggest subjects or modules right now. Find their rules and fill in a one-page summary for each.
Checklist:
- Found the institution-wide AI policy
- Checked JCQ guidance, if you take UK qualifications
- Read each module guide or brief
- Sorted rules into allowed, restricted and banned
- Wrote down how to declare AI use
- Asked about anything unclear
Key takeaways
- Rules come in layers. Follow the most specific one that applies to you.
- JCQ treats AI misuse in coursework and NEA as malpractice, and hiding or poorly acknowledging AI use counts as misuse.
- Acknowledge AI properly: name the tool, give the date, keep screenshots and explain how you used it.
- Universities set their own policies, often using categories that change from one assessment to the next.
- Your one-page rules summary turns policy into everyday decisions.