Whether AI is allowed in a term paper (Hausarbeit) is not decided by a single nationwide rule but by your university’s examination regulations (Prüfungsordnung) together with your lecturer’s instructions. Using examples from guidelines of German universities, this guide shows what applies there, what you should disclose, and when use can be treated as cheating.
Short answer: AI in a term paper is allowed if your university and the lecturer permit it. It then usually has to be declared, depending on the university in a declaration or a tool list. If you conceal use that must be declared or is prohibited, you risk being graded as cheating, in the extreme case with a fail (5.0). Your own examination regulations are what counts. Last updated: October 2026.
The key points
- Your university’s examination regulations and the lecturer’s instructions take precedence over any guideline. Ask before you write, ideally in writing.
- According to the University of Potsdam’s guidance, lecturers can allow AI, presuppose it, work around it by adapting the assessment, or prohibit it.
- Several universities require a declaration or tool list; at Bremen University of Applied Sciences it applies to every assessed piece of work.
- You bear full responsibility for the content, including invented sources and wrong statements by the AI.
- Do not enter personal data of third parties or unpublished research data into public AI services.
Who decides whether AI is allowed in a term paper?
Examination law lies with the federal states and universities. What binds you is therefore the examination regulations of your degree programme, supplementary faculty rules and the lecturer’s instructions in the seminar. Guidelines and handouts explain these rules but do not replace them. FH Wedel states the order explicitly: its examination procedure regulations take precedence over the supervisor’s instructions, which take precedence over the guideline.
The table below shows examples from published documents. Your university may differ, so your own examination regulations apply.
| University | Document and date | Statement on term papers |
|---|---|---|
| University of Potsdam | Guidance “KI und Prüfungen”, version 1.1, 28 May 2026 | Lecturers decide whether AI is allowed, presupposed or prohibited. Short AI passages must be marked, and a tool list with name, version, date and affected passages is recommended. The declaration of independent work is recommended but not mandatory. |
| Bremen University of Applied Sciences | Page “KI-Transparenz in Ihren Lehrveranstaltungen”, retrieved October 2026 | For every assessed piece of work, expressly including term papers, an AI declaration of independent work under § 7 AT-BPO and AT-MPO is required. Work not correctly labelled counts as cheating under § 16(2). |
| FernUniversität in Hagen | Recommendations, post dated 16 March 2026 | The chapter “KI und Prüfungen” was updated and includes a model declaration of independent work. The basis is the rectorate’s guideline. The concrete rules are in the linked recommendations. |
What do you have to disclose in a term paper?
What exactly must be disclosed is set by your university. Commonly required are: which tool you used, in which version and when, for what, and at which points in the paper. The Potsdam document recommends a tool list; in Bremen the declaration serves this purpose. Whatever the format, you still cite ideas from sources by the usual rules, as explained in the guide on citing sources. AI output is no substitute for a citation, and plagiarism rules still apply (how to avoid plagiarism).
When does AI use become cheating?
Cheating typically exists when you use an unauthorised aid or conceal use that must be declared. The University of Potsdam names the grade “insufficient” (5.0) as the consequence. As indications, the document lists invented sources, shifts in style, superficiality and a lack of current references. Where suspicion is justified, a clarifying conversation about how the paper came about is recommended. AI detectors are considered unreliable there because they only output probabilities. The burden of proof lies with the examiners.
A case from the courts
According to a news4teachers report dated 30 July 2026, the Administrative Court of Kassel (case no. 7 K 2515/25.KS) upheld a university’s decision. A master’s student had submitted a term paper in administrative law and declared that he wrote it himself. He later admitted using an AI tool to check and revise texts and largely adopting its suggestions. The paper contained footnotes to non-existent court decisions. The university graded it 5.0 and excluded him from the retake. According to the report, what mattered was that the signed declaration of independent work was untrue. That the examination regulations contained no explicit AI ban played no role, the report says. This is a single case based on a press report, not legal advice.
Which uses are less critical, which are risky?
The table is an orientation drawn from the documents named. It does not replace your university’s rules.
| Use | Orientation | What you should do |
|---|---|---|
| Spelling and grammar check | According to the press report on the Kassel case, treated differently from substantive revision | Still check whether your rules cover this too |
| Collecting ideas, drafting an outline | Depends on the lecturer’s decision (Potsdam) | Ask beforehand and keep the answer on record |
| Searching for literature | AI invents sources, which counts as an indication of cheating (Potsdam) | Open every source in the original and cite it |
| Generating or rewording text | If not disclosed, this can count as cheating (Kassel, Potsdam) | Use only if allowed, and mark it |
| Summarising literature | You remain responsible for accuracy (Potsdam) | Check against the original text |
What applies to data protection and checking outputs?
In its guideline for theses, FH Wedel names two points that carry over to term papers: personal data of third parties and confidential data do not belong in publicly accessible AI systems, and you bear full responsibility for all adopted results, including hallucinations and invented sources. The University of Potsdam puts it similarly: students bear full responsibility for the accuracy of the content. Copyright and licensing law must also be observed.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to submit an AI declaration with every term paper?
That depends on the university. In Bremen the AI declaration of independent work is provided for every assessed piece of work. In Potsdam it is recommended but not mandatory. Ask the examination office or the lecturer.
Can lecturers tell whether I used AI?
Technical detectors are considered unreliable in the Potsdam guidance. Examiners look instead for indications such as invented sources, shifts in style or superficiality and may hold a clarifying conversation. Do not count on going unnoticed.
What happens if I am accused of using AI?
The consequences follow the examination regulations. A 5.0 or exclusion from the retake are named. Contact the student advisory service or the examination board early. In a formal procedure, legal advice can make sense.
May the lecturer grade my work with AI?
The Potsdam guidance states that grading must be done independently by the examiners because AI grading leads to grading errors. Questions about your individual case are for the examination office.
What if the examination regulations say nothing about AI?
Then the lecturer’s instruction counts. According to the press report on the Kassel case, the signed declaration of independent work was enough even without an explicit AI ban. Clarify use beforehand and keep the answer in writing.
What to do now
- Read the examination regulations and the examination office’s notes on aids and cheating.
- Ask the lecturer before you start whether and for what AI is allowed, and keep the answer in writing.
- Keep a list from the start with tool, version, date, purpose and location in the paper.
- Check every source and figure in the original before adopting it.
- Sign the declaration only if it matches your actual use.
Related guides
- AI Use in Studies: Rules, Disclosure and Tools
- Learning with AI: Opportunities and Risks for Students
- How to Avoid Plagiarism in Your Academic Work
- Citing Sources at University: The Key Rules
- AI tools for students
Sources: University of Potsdam, guidance on AI and examinations, v1.1 (28 May 2026) · Bremen University of Applied Sciences, AI transparency in courses (October 2026) · FernUniversität in Hagen, update of recommendations (16 March 2026) · news4teachers, report on the Kassel court decision (30 July 2026) · FH Wedel, guideline for theses with AI (8 July 2026)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
