Access support depends on whether you are a new or existing student.   

• If you are a new student, please ensure that the ten steps of registration are completed and your IT account is activated before seeking any other support.  
• If you are an existing student, then please create a Connect ticket request so a member of our IT team can look into this for you. 

Check your assessment brief and the information for your unit in Canvas first. 

If you’re still unsure, please contact your Unit Lead in the first instance.

If you have a general question about using AI in assessment, or would like to talk through the guidance, you can also speak to the Library at a drop-in.

• AI tools in assessment – a guide to help you understand the University's policy on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in assessed work. 

• AI in Teaching and Learning policy – the full policy document.

• Get started with Copilot Chat -This guide introduces Copilot Chat, exploring how and why you might want to use it at university. 

Need more help?

• In-person digital support is available through the Library’s Digital Support Service.
• Microsoft Copilot Academy - Microsoft Copilot learning platform 

• Using Generative AI in your learning - Resources to support your understanding using AI as a student, focusing on important considerations such as academic integrity, referencing, and copyright. 

Want to talk it through?

• You can also get help at a Library drop-in. 

AI can support career exploration, job searching, applications and interview preparation, and help you understand how employers are using AI and the skills they value.

1. AI and you: careers, jobs and applications - overview of using AI across your career journey 
2. Using AI for applications - CVs, cover letters and employer expectations 
3. Considerations when using AI - accuracy, privacy, over-reliance and responsible use

When you use Copilot with your University account, your prompts, responses and uploaded content stay within the University’s Microsoft 365 environment and are protected by the University’s agreement with Microsoft.

Different rules may apply to other AI tools, so check University guidance before sharing personal, sensitive or confidential information.

Have a general question about AI and privacy? 

You can also speak to the Library at a drop-in. 

If you believe that a data protection incident has occurred, contact the Information Governance Office immediately on 0161 275 7789 or by emailing information.governance@manchester.ac.uk outside office hours. 

Student Support Hubs can help you find the right University service.

Find your Student Support Hub. 

Yes. Copilot Chat is already available to University of Manchester students. 

To get started, open Copilot Chat and sign in with your University account. 

If you have trouble signing in or accessing Copilot, please see the help and support section above. 

No. Copilot Chat and Microsoft 365 Copilot are related, but they are not the same.  

Copilot Chat is already available to students through your University account. It is an AI chat experience that works with public web information and information you provide. 

Licensed Microsoft 365 Copilot adds deeper integration with Microsoft 365 apps and can work across University emails, files, chats and meetings that you already have permission to access.

Find out more: Copilot Chat and Microsoft 365 Copilot: what’s the difference? 

All students already have access to Copilot Chat. A limited first phase of licensed Microsoft 365 Copilot access is planned for February 2027, ahead of the wider student rollout planned for September 2027.

As a University of Manchester student, Copilot Chat offers several advantages over many publicly available AI tools: 

• Your data is protected - when you use Copilot Chat through your University login, your conversations and uploaded files are protected by the University’s Microsoft 365 agreement;
• Your conversations are not used to train AI models - information you enter into Copilot Chat (when logged in through your University credentials) is not used to train the underlying AI system but this is not always the case for other AI tools;
• It is a university-approved tool - the University recommends Copilot Chat for AI-related work because it aligns with institutional security and privacy requirements;
• Your usage is not capped – unlike some AI tools that limit the number of messages or require payment for increased usage, Copilot Chat allows for extensive use without hitting a usage cap;
• You can choose your AI model - within Copilot Chat, you can select from different AI models, including OpenAI models, without leaving Copilot Chat. 

It depends on the assessment. Always check your assessment brief first. 

Every assessment is assigned an AI category explaining what use of AI is allowed. 

You remain responsible for the work you submit and for following the instructions for your assessment. 

If anything is unclear, ask your Unit Lead. 

• AI tools in assessment – a guide to help you understand the University's policy on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in assessed work. 

• AI in Teaching and Learning policy – the full policy document.

Not automatically. 

AI can produce information that sounds convincing but is inaccurate, incomplete or fabricated. It can also reflect bias. 

Check important claims and sources yourself and use your own knowledge and judgement. 

• Using generative AI in your learning 

Make sure you’ve read and engaged with our AI resources to ensure that you’re championing responsible and ethical AI use. These guides are designed to offer clear guidance to AI in your assessments, how to build effective AI habits and developing your understanding.

• Using Generative AI in your learning
• Get started with Copilot Chat 

Ask questions or ask for an idea or difficult concept to be explained in another way. 

Create practice questions that you can use to check your knowledge. 

Use Copilot Chat as one tool to help you revisit information or organise notes and ideas you have already developed. 

Ask yourself: 

1. What skills is this task meant to help me develop? 
2. Would using AI replace part of the learning I am supposed to do myself? 

For assessed work, always check your assessment instructions first.

Be careful what information you share with AI tools, particularly personal, sensitive or confidential information. Also think before uploading or pasting material created by someone else, such as journal articles, book chapters, datasets or images, as copyright may apply.

When you use Microsoft 365 through your University account, your data remains under the University’s control. Microsoft processes it to provide and support the service and does not use University content for advertising, profiling or other secondary purposes. 

Copilot works within the existing Microsoft 365 environment and respects the same permissions and access controls. 

Other AI tools may handle information differently. Always follow University guidance and your assessment instructions before sharing information or material with an AI tool. 

• Read the University AI Guidelines 

• Copyright and generative AI