Can you get expelled for using AI? Here is where universities draw the line.

In 2023, universities banned AI. In 2025, they are tentatively teaching it. But for students, this "grey area" is terrifying. If you use ChatGPT to outline an essay, is that cheating? What if you use it just to fix your grammar

Here is the definitive guide to staying safe.

The "AI Spectrum": What is Allowed?

Most universities now categorize AI use into three tiers. Note: Always check your specific course syllabus first.

🟢 Green Light (Allowed): Brainstorming topics, outlining structures, checking grammar, explaining complex concepts, and summarizing long readings.
🟡 Yellow Light (Caution): Generating code (often allowed in CS classes if cited), rewriting paragraphs to change the tone.
🔴 Red Light (Forbidden): Copy-pasting entire essays, using AI to generate citations (they are often fake), and letting AI do the "critical thinking" for you.

How AI Detectors Work (and Fail)

Tools like Turnitin claim to detect AI writing, but they are not perfect. They work by analyzing "perplexity" (how unpredictable a sentence is) and "burstiness" (variation in sentence structure).

The Risk: If you write very generic, flat sentences, you might get flagged as AI even if you wrote it yourself.
The Solution: Inject your own "voice," personal anecdotes, and specific class references into your writing.

Tools like Turnitin claim to detect AI writing, but they are not perfect. They work by analyzing "perplexity" (how unpredictable a sentence is) and "burstiness" (variation in sentence structure).

The Risk: If you write very generic, flat sentences, you might get flagged as AI even if you wrote it yourself.
The Solution: inject your own "voice," personal anecdotes, and specific class references into your writing.

How to Cite AI Correctly

If you use AI, transparency is your best defense. Major citation styles now have formats for AI:

APA Style: OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model]. [suspicious link removed]
MLA Style: "Describe the symbolism in The Great Gatsby" prompt. ChatGPT, 13 Feb. version, OpenAI, 8 Mar. 2025, https://www.google.com/search?q=chat.openai.com/chat.