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Sample AI Use Declaration for Your Dissertation

by

Academic Integrity · Vappingo

Sample AI Use Declaration for Your Dissertation

An increasing number of universities now require students to submit an AI use declaration alongside their dissertation. This guide explains what to include, what to avoid, and provides five ready-to-adapt sample declarations covering the most common scenarios.

8 min read
Updated April 2026
Vappingo Editorial Team
5
ready-to-adapt sample declarations covering the most common student scenarios
Growing
number of universities requiring AI use declarations as standard alongside dissertation submission
100%
of declarations should be honest — an inaccurate declaration is itself a form of misconduct

The spread of AI use declaration requirements reflects how quickly universities have had to adapt their assessment frameworks. Where academic integrity policies once focused almost entirely on plagiarism, they now need to account for a much broader range of AI-assisted activities — some permitted, some prohibited, and many in between.

The declaration is your formal statement of where you stand. Done honestly, it demonstrates the integrity that the requirement is designed to promote. Done inaccurately — whether by omission or misrepresentation — it constitutes a separate form of academic misconduct at most institutions that require it.

For a full guide to what universities permit and prohibit in 2026, see: University AI Policies Explained: What You Can (and Can’t) Do. For guidance on how to use AI ethically throughout your dissertation, see: How to Use AI Ethically in Your Dissertation.

1. What a declaration needs to include

Most universities do not prescribe a specific format for AI use declarations. Where a form is provided, use it. Where no form is provided, a clear written statement included at the start or end of your dissertation (check your handbook for placement guidance) should cover the following:

  • The specific tools you used, named individually (e.g. Grammarly, Elicit, ChatGPT) rather than described generically as “AI tools.”
  • The purpose for which each tool was used — what stage of the process and what task it performed.
  • A confirmation that your submitted writing is your own — that no AI tool generated text that appears in the dissertation.
  • Any professional editing or proofreading you received, including human proofreading services, if your institution requires this to be declared.
Before writing your declaration: Check your course handbook and your university’s academic integrity policy for any specific requirements. Some institutions provide a template. Some specify where the declaration should appear in the document. Some require it only for certain types of AI use. Your handbook is the definitive source.

2. Five sample declarations, ready to adapt

Copy the sample that most closely matches your situation and adapt the tool names and descriptions to reflect what you actually used. Replace all bracketed placeholder text.

Scenario A: Grammar checker only

Minimal AI use

AI Use Declaration

In preparing this dissertation, I used the following AI-assisted tool:

Grammarly (grammarly.com): Used throughout the drafting and revision process
to identify grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and punctuation issues.
All suggested corrections were reviewed individually and accepted or rejected
based on my own judgment.

No AI tool was used to generate, rewrite, or substantially alter any text
that appears in this dissertation. The research, argument, analysis, and
writing are entirely my own original work.

[Your name]
[Date]

Use this if: you only used Grammarly, ProWritingAid, or a similar grammar-checking tool. Adjust the tool name as needed.

Scenario B: Academic research tools and grammar checking

Research support

AI Use Declaration

In preparing this dissertation, I used the following AI-assisted tools:

Elicit (elicit.com): Used during the literature review phase to identify
relevant peer-reviewed papers and extract key findings for initial
comparison. All sources identified via Elicit were located, read in full,
and independently verified before being cited in this dissertation.

Semantic Scholar (semanticscholar.org): Used to supplement Google Scholar
searches for academic sources. All cited papers were verified against the
original publication records.

Grammarly (grammarly.com): Used to identify grammatical errors and style
inconsistencies in my own writing. All suggestions were reviewed and acted
upon individually.

No AI tool was used to generate text that appears in this dissertation. The
research question, argument, analysis, conclusions, and all submitted writing
are my own original work.

[Your name]
[Date]

Use this if: you used AI research tools to find and scan sources alongside grammar checking. Adjust tool names to match what you actually used.

Scenario C: Planning, research, and grammar support

Broad support tools

AI Use Declaration

In preparing this dissertation, I used the following AI-assisted tools:

Elicit (elicit.com): Used during the literature review to identify and
compare academic sources. All sources were independently verified and read
before being cited.

ChatGPT (openai.com): Used at the planning stage to stress-test my research
question and explore potential weaknesses in my argument. Also used to
explain methodological concepts I found difficult to understand. No
ChatGPT output was incorporated into my dissertation text.

Grammarly (grammarly.com): Used to identify grammatical and spelling errors
in my own drafts. All suggestions reviewed individually.

Vappingo Dissertation Proofreading Service (vappingo.com): My completed
dissertation was reviewed by a professional human editor for grammar,
clarity, and citation formatting prior to submission. A Certificate of
Human Editing is attached.

The research, argument, analysis, and all submitted writing are my own
original work.

[Your name]
[Date]

Use this if: you used a combination of planning support, research tools, grammar checking, and professional proofreading. Adapt as needed.

Scenario D: Significant AI support, no generated text submitted

Extensive AI support

AI Use Declaration

In preparing this dissertation, I used the following AI-assisted tools
at various stages of the research and writing process:

Literature review: Elicit and Consensus were used to identify relevant
papers and compare findings across studies. All sources were verified and
read before citation.

Research planning: [Tool name] was used to develop an initial research
plan and outline. The final research question, dissertation structure,
and argument were developed through my own critical engagement with the
literature.

Concept clarification: ChatGPT was used on multiple occasions to explain
methodological terms and theoretical frameworks I encountered in the
literature. This assisted my understanding but did not contribute text
to the dissertation.

Grammar and style: Grammarly Premium was used throughout drafting and
revision to identify errors and inconsistencies in my writing.

Professional proofreading: My dissertation was professionally proofread
by Vappingo (vappingo.com) prior to submission. A Certificate of Human
Editing confirming this review is attached.

I confirm that all text submitted in this dissertation was written by me.
No AI tool generated any portion of the submitted work. The research,
argument, analysis, and conclusions are my own original intellectual
contribution.

[Your name]
[Date]

Use this if: AI tools played a significant role in supporting your research and planning process, but you wrote every word of the dissertation yourself.

Scenario E: No AI use

No AI tools used

AI Use Declaration

I confirm that I did not use any generative AI tools, AI writing assistants,
or AI-powered research tools in the preparation of this dissertation,
including but not limited to ChatGPT, Grammarly, Elicit, Copilot, or any
similar tool.

The research, argument, analysis, writing, and all submitted content are
entirely my own original work.

[Your name]
[Date]

Use this only if you genuinely used no AI tools of any kind. Note that if your institution treats grammar checkers as AI tools (some do), Grammarly use would need to be declared even if minimal.

3. Common declaration mistakes to avoid

►Being too vague

Declarations that say “I used AI tools for research assistance” without naming the tools or describing how they were used are unhelpful and may be flagged for clarification. Be specific: name each tool and describe each use.

►Under-declaring to avoid scrutiny

If your university requires a declaration, omitting tools you used — even tools whose use was permitted — is itself a form of misconduct. Declare everything you used, accurately. Permitted use declared honestly is not a problem. Undisclosed use, however minor, carries risk.

►Conflating AI research tools with AI writing tools

Using Elicit to find sources is categorically different from using ChatGPT to write paragraphs. Your declaration should reflect this distinction clearly. Describe what each tool actually did in your process, not just that you “used AI.”

►Forgetting to declare professional proofreading

Some institutions ask students to declare any third-party assistance, including professional proofreading. Check your handbook. If declaration is required, include it. Professional human proofreading is permitted everywhere — declaring it demonstrates transparency, not wrongdoing.

✍️

Dissertation Proofreading Services · Vappingo

Dissertation Proofreading Services: Fast, Affordable, Expert Editors

Whatever AI tools you used to support your research and writing, Vappingo’s professional human editors provide the final review that no automated tool can replicate. Grammar, argument clarity, citation formatting, academic tone — all checked by a qualified human expert before you submit. Fast turnaround, all subjects, all citation styles, fully compliant with university academic integrity standards worldwide.

Get your dissertation proofread →

4. Strengthening your submission with a Certificate of Human Editing

In an environment where AI detection tools are increasingly deployed by universities, submitting proof that your dissertation was reviewed by a qualified human editor is a meaningful additional assurance — for you, and for your institution.

🎉

Vappingo · Professional Dissertation Proofreading

Certificate of Human Editing

When Vappingo proofreads your dissertation, we issue a Certificate of Human Editing confirming that your work was reviewed by a qualified human editor — not an AI tool. The certificate records the editor’s credentials, the date of review, and the scope of the proofreading service provided.

You can include this certificate with your dissertation submission as evidence that any proofreading was conducted by a human professional. In institutions where AI detection concerns have raised questions about the origin of polished writing, this certificate provides clear, credible documentation that the improvement to your text came from human expertise, not AI assistance.

The certificate is provided automatically with every Vappingo dissertation proofreading order.

Get your dissertation proofread and certified →

Frequently asked questions

►Does every university require an AI use declaration?

Not yet, but the number requiring one is growing rapidly. Check your course handbook and your university’s academic integrity guidance. If no declaration is required, you may still choose to include one voluntarily — it demonstrates transparency and is never penalized.

►Do I need to declare Grammarly use?

It depends on your institution. Many universities treat grammar checkers as writing support tools equivalent to spell-checkers and do not require their declaration. Others require declaration of any AI-assisted tool. Check your handbook. When in doubt, declare it — listing Grammarly in a declaration causes no harm and demonstrates care.

►What if I used an AI tool before I knew it needed to be declared?

Declare it honestly. An accurate declaration of permitted AI use — even if you did not initially realize a declaration was required — is treated very differently from a discovered undisclosed use. Contact your supervisor or student support office if you are uncertain how to handle this.

►Should I declare professional proofreading in my AI declaration?

Professional human proofreading is not AI use and should not appear in an AI use declaration unless your institution specifically asks you to declare all third-party assistance. Check your handbook. If third-party assistance requires declaration, mention your Vappingo proofread and attach the Certificate of Human Editing. If only AI use requires declaration, professional proofreading does not belong in the AI statement.

►Can I submit a Vappingo Certificate of Human Editing with my dissertation?

Yes. The certificate is provided with every Vappingo dissertation proofreading order. It confirms that your dissertation was reviewed by a qualified human editor, which may be appended to your submission as evidence of human-conducted proofreading. Check your institution’s guidance on supporting documents for any specific submission requirements.