UnTXT and the University of Oxford's AI Policy - What Students Need to Know

Summary: Oxford's approach emphasises authentic scholarship and substantial personal contribution. Detection tools like UnTXT support this by helping you ensure your work reflects your own thinking and writing. Using UnTXT for self-audit aligns with Oxford's tutorial tradition of developing independent scholarship.

What Oxford's AI Policy Actually Says

Oxford is the strictest of the universities we have written up, and we are not going to soften it for you.

"Artificial intelligence can only be used within assessments where specific prior authorisation has been given."

That is the line. Not acknowledge it and you are fine — authorisation, in advance. The University's guidance also says that "there should be a clear acknowledgement of how AI has been used", and unauthorised use falls under the plagiarism procedure, whose penalties run from mark deductions up to expulsion.

Where does a detection tool sit? Oxford's guidance does not say. It does not distinguish tools that produce text from tools that only read it, and the one place it mentions spelling and grammar checkers is in the context of reasonable adjustments for disability rather than as a general carve-out.

So here is the honest position. UnTXT generates nothing — it reads a finished draft and marks passages, and produces no material that could end up in your work. On any ordinary reading, that is not "using AI within an assessment" in the sense the rule is aimed at. But Oxford has not written that down, and we are not going to tell you it has.

What we would do at Oxford, specifically. Ask first. Not because we think you are doing anything wrong, but because Oxford's own instruction is that authorisation comes in advance, and a one-line email to your tutor or course administrator before you submit costs you five minutes. Doing it afterwards costs considerably more, and at Oxford the procedure it runs through is the plagiarism one.

If you have already used it and did not ask, declare it clearly in your submission and say what you used it for. A clear acknowledgement is what the guidance asks for, and an honest declaration has never made anybody's situation worse.

Source: The University's Policies on AI — Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford, checked 7 September 2026. Your department and your course handbook may be stricter still. Where Oxford's pages and this one disagree, theirs is the one that counts.

Oxford's Tutorial Tradition & Modern Scholarship

Oxford's distinctive strength is the tutorial system—intensive engagement with your ideas, developed over weeks or terms, directly with your tutor. This tradition assumes that your assessed work represents your genuine thinking.

Generative AI changes the landscape, but Oxford's underlying principle doesn't: Your work should be authentically yours.

Using UnTXT is consistent with this tradition:

• A tutor knows your thinking and voice. If your work is heavily AI-generated, they'll notice.
• Using UnTXT proactively demonstrates you take that expectation seriously
• Auditing your own work is part of the scholarly practice Oxford values
• You're not trying to hide anything; you're ensuring authenticity

Why Oxford Students Use UnTXT

You've drafted with AI or used it for brainstorming—but you've rewritten it

Oxford doesn't forbid using technology as a tool. But your final submission should be substantially your own. UnTXT shows you which passages still have AI patterning, so you can revise them to match your authentic voice.

You're writing your first essay and you want to understand what "authentic voice" actually means

The gold passages are the ones that read as yours. Set them beside the grey ones and the difference is usually audible — that is your own scholarly voice, on the page, and it is worth knowing what it sounds like before three years of essays sand it down.

You're preparing for a tutee meeting and you want confidence that your work is genuinely yours

Your tutor knows you. They'll ask questions about your reasoning, your sources, your conclusions. If you can engage confidently in that conversation—because you wrote the work yourself—you're in good shape. UnTXT helps ensure that's the case.

How to Use UnTXT for an Oxford Assessment

1. Write your draft - Using whatever process works for you (including brainstorming with AI if that helps you think)
2. Complete the substantive rewriting - Make the work yours
3. Read the grey passages first - grey means the passage reads as machine-patterned; gold means it reads as yours
4. Re-run UnTXT to confirm the work reads as authentically yours
5. Acknowledge in your submission statement - One line noting you used UnTXT is transparent and professional

Why this matters for Oxford:

Your tutor will sense authenticity or its absence. UnTXT is a tool that helps you ensure your work is authentic before they read it.

What the Results Mean for Your Oxford Submission

UnTXT flags passages with AI characteristics. But remember: flagged doesn't mean forbidden. It means that passage warrants a second look from you.

Questions to ask about flagged passages:

• Did I write this in my own voice, or did I rely too much on sources/AI?
• If I were explaining this to my tutor in person, would I use these words?
• Is this passage specific to my argument, or is it generic?
• Does this match the voice and register of the rest of my essay?

The modules most relevant to Oxford work:

If most of your essay is green (HUMAN) with occasional flags, you're fine. If large sections are consistently flagged, it suggests passages that weren't fully assimilated into your own thinking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use AI in my Oxford work?

Oxford's policy focuses on substantial personal contribution. Most modules allow AI as a tool (like any reference or writing aid), as long as the final work is substantially yours. Check with your tutor for your specific work.

What if I quoted an AI without acknowledging it?

That's problematic. If you've quoted or paraphrased AI output, it should be cited like any other source. Many tutors will allow this, but transparency matters.

What if UnTXT flags my work but I wrote it myself?

Formal academic writing, heavy use of hedging, and certain conventions can trigger flags. Review the flagged passages. If they're genuinely yours and you can defend them, no action needed. If they feel stiff or unnatural when you read them, consider revising to match your authentic voice.

Can I use UnTXT to check my work before submitting?

Yes, absolutely. That's the primary use case. Most tutors respect this kind of self-reflection.

What if I've already submitted and I'm worried?

Reach out to your tutor if you're genuinely concerned. Most are approachable and will appreciate your honesty far more than they'd appreciate discovering a problem later.

How much does UnTXT cost?

First 1,000 words free. Most Oxford essays (typically 2,000–4,000 words) fit within that.

The Tradition of Authentic Scholarship

Oxford's strength has always rested on authentic engagement with ideas. Whether you're working with medieval manuscripts or contemporary theory, the expectation is that you're thinking yourself, not outsourcing your thinking.

Generative AI doesn't change this expectation. It just makes it more important to be intentional about your process.

Using UnTXT is part of being intentional. You're not hiding anything; you're ensuring your work genuinely represents your thinking.

If Your Work Is Questioned

If your college or department has concerns about your work's authenticity:

1. Be honest about your process - How did you research? What tools did you use? How did you write the draft?
2. Show earlier versions - If you have drafts, timeline, notes, share them
3. Engage with your tutor - They know your thinking. A conversation often clarifies immediately
4. Reference your self-audit - If you used UnTXT, mention it. It shows you took authenticity seriously
5. Discuss the flagged passages specifically - If certain sections were flagged, explain your thinking for those

Most concerns resolve through conversation. Your tutor wants to understand your process, not to catch you in a trap.

The Bottom Line

Oxford values rigorous, authentic scholarship. UnTXT helps you ensure your work meets that standard by auditing it yourself before submission.

This is consistent with Oxford's tradition: You're taking responsibility for your work's integrity, not waiting for someone else to check it.

Start for free - first 1,000 words. No payment needed. Sign up at untxt.uk

This page reflects UnTXT's understanding of University of Oxford's publicly available AI policy and tutorial tradition as of early 2026. Policy details may vary by college and subject. Always consult your college's specific guidance and your tutor for your assessment.