Study abroad advice: Tips for using AI as an international student

Whether it’s through a search engine or social media algorithm, most of us interact with artificial intelligence (AI) daily and know how useful it can be. AI can be a powerful educational tool for international students studying abroad, but it also raises questions around academic ethics.

No matter your international study program, you should understand how AI is changing the landscape of higher education. Here’s how to take advantage of AI as a learning resource without compromising your academic integrity or critical thinking.

Study abroad advice: How are students using AI at university?

Many study abroad students interact with AI through large language models (LLMs). LLMs, like ChatGPT, can answer questions, summarize texts, synthesize data and more.

Here are some of the ways students studying in the U.S. use AI to enhance their learning:

1. Studying: AI can clarify difficult concepts, create action plans for studying and generate flashcards and quizzes.
2. Language support: AI can help study abroad students improve their English language skills. AI chatbots can have conversations with you in English, quiz you on vocabulary, and review your written work for errors.
3. Research: AI can help you find articles relevant to your research and summarize dense texts.
4. Data analysis: AI can analyze large datasets, present the information in graphs and explain the key findings.

Study abroad advice: Five tips for using AI responsibly in university

In a world where LLMs can write essays, solve math problems and even code, you might feel tempted to let AI do your learning for you. Doing so, however, diminishes the value of your study abroad education and compromises your academic integrity. 

So, how can you use AI responsibly? Here are five tips for using AI:

1. Understand your school’s AI usage protocols

Every university will have a different policy on AI, and every professor will have different rules for AI usage in the classroom. Be sure to abide by the integrity standards of your study abroad program.

2. Check for accuracy

LLMs can output incomplete, biased and outdated information. They even occasionally produce entirely fabricated data in a phenomenon called “hallucination.” This means that a generative AI process may respond to prompts with content that appears real and valid but isn’t. With tools like ChatGPT, instances of partially or completely incorrect responses are widely recognized and can be easily replicated.  Make sure to fact-check all AI output.

3. Protect your privacy

AI systems store and study the data we input. Students studying in the U.S. should never input personally identifiable information such as their real name or email address.

4. Never plagiarize

While AI can help you generate ideas and proofread your work, everything you submit to your professors should be representative of your own insights and creativity. Submitting plagiarized material can have severe academic consequences. 

5. Use AI to supplement, not replace, your learning

Our most important piece of study abroad advice is to continue to engage actively with your education. To graduate with subject mastery, rather than superficial knowledge, AI should only ever assist your learning, not replace it. 

Study abroad advice: Can universities detect the usage of AI?

Tools like AssignmentGPT and TraceGPT differentiate between AI-generated and human-generated content with increasing accuracy. Though there is no foolproof way to detect AI usage, don’t underestimate how easy it is for a plagiarism detector, or even your professor, to spot signs of AI-generated content. Never risk your academic standing by submitting AI-generated material.

Study abroad advice: Borrow responsibly with MPOWER

MPOWER wants you to get the most out of your study abroad experience – whether it’s by using AI appropriately, creating a study abroad budget or searching for internship opportunities, MPOWER is here to support you at every step of your international education.

If you plan on studying in the U.S. and need extra funds, you can apply for a no-cosigner, no-collateral loan from MPOWER. MPOWER students can borrow up to US$100,000 to study at any of MPOWER’s 500+ eligible universities. Students benefit from fixed interest rates, no prepayment penalty, and the extensive student services offered through MPOWER’s Path2Success Program like free Visa support services and job search tools specific to F-1 student visa holders. 

It takes less than a minute to check your eligibility.

Final thoughts: How to use AI responsibly while studying abroad

To some, AI may seem like a shortcut to an easy A. Used wisely, however, AI can strengthen your critical thinking skills and help you develop the expertise you’ll need to succeed after graduation.

MPOWER knows the mark of academic success is not the ease with which students move through university, but what they make of their education after graduating. That’s why MPOWER offers loans based on your future potential, not just your credit history. 

Realize your potential with an international student loan from MPOWER.

Check your eligibility

Author:

Jenna Barufka

View all post by Jenna Barufka