AI in admissions: how to use it responsibly in your application
We explore best practice when it comes to using AI for your application to Imperial Business School
The use of AI tools such as ChatGPT, has grown exponentially over the last few years. As a result, AI in university admissions has become increasingly common, with applicants using them to shape their personal statements, essays, interview preparation and interviews.
As a Business School at the forefront of innovation, we understand the appeal: AI can help spark ideas, check grammar and refine structure. But authenticity remains essential and there’s an important line between using AI as a tool and relying on it as a substitute for your own voice.
In this blog, we explore how to use AI responsibly while ensuring your application represents who you are and what you want to achieve.
So, what’s the issue?
At Imperial Business School, we’re looking for unique thinkers, problem-solvers and future leaders who aren’t afraid to be themselves. We’re looking for you; your ideas, your motivations, your experiences and your potential. When an application is heavily written or shaped by AI, we lose the ability to understand who you really are.
AI-generated content can often sound generic, over-polished, or oddly impersonal. It lacks the subtlety and depth that comes from someone reflecting honestly on their journey. In a competitive process, this can work against you; rather than helping you stand out, it can cause you to lose the individuality and unique qualities that set you apart.
What we do encourage
We’re not against using technology, far from it. Many of our programmes explore how AI and data science are transforming industries. But when it comes to your application, think of AI the way you might think of a spellchecker or a friend reading over your essay: helpful in small doses, but not the main author.
Here are a few acceptable (and encouraged) ways to use AI:
- Structure: getting tips on how to organise your personal statement
- Proofreading: catching typos or awkward phrasing
- Idea generation: generating prompts to reflect on your experience or career goals
But the ideas, the reflection and the tone? That should be your own.
Why authenticity matters in your professional life
Outside of your application, authenticity matters greatly in your professional life – both now and in the future. Being able to effectively communicate your own ideas in a business setting, without relying on AI to come up with those ideas, develops leaders who can effectively communicate, collaborate and make clear decisions under pressure.
Relying on your own voice to articulate your thoughts shows self-awareness, integrity and confidence – all qualities that matter just as much in the workplace as they do in your application.
What we’re looking for in our video interview
As part of the application, you’ll complete a short video interview through our secure platform. This is your opportunity to speak directly to us (without the pressure of a live panel and to demonstrate your communication style, motivation and fit for the programme). We want to hear you, not a rehearsed script or AI-generated phrasing. Reading from prepared answers or relying on AI tools during the recording is not permitted and, in many cases, can be detected.
More importantly, it works against your ability to show genuine presence and personality. The strongest videos are conversational, natural and reflective. We are not evaluating cinematic quality, we are evaluating authenticity, clarity of thought and your ability to articulate your goals in your own words.
Applying with integrity
At Imperial Business School we take a holistic view of each applicant, looking beyond grades and test scores to understand your motivations, experiences and potential. As we look at written statements, interviews and scholarship applications, we want to ensure that what we see represents you, not a machine.
We’ve introduced new ways to detect AI-generated content and are continuously adapting our review process. But more than that, we want to create a culture of honesty, effort and ownership because those qualities make great students, future leaders and members of our community.
AI is here to stay and, used wisely, it’s a powerful tool. But when it comes to your application, we encourage you to be human. Tell us your story, your way. That’s what will stand out.
Top tips for using AI responsibly in your application
- Be yourself, not a persona: avoid overly polished or “corporate-sounding” language. Our teams can quickly recognise content that doesn’t match a candidate’s genuine communication style.
- Use AI thoughtfully but sparingly: it’s fine to brainstorm or check structure, but write your own sentences. If a sentence doesn’t feel like something you would naturally say, rewrite it until it does.
- Reflect before you write: start with bullet points in your own words before opening any tools. Your story will be stronger when it comes from genuine reflection.
- Prepare for the video interview like a conversation: practise key themes, not scripts. Focus on clarity, motivation and relevance rather than memorising lines.
- Don’t read during the video interview: reading is immediately visible and creates a stilted delivery. Instead, keep brief prompts off camera if needed, and speak naturally.
- Show your thinking: whether in your statement or your video, explain why you want this programme, why now, and why Imperial. Substance matters more than style.
- Keep consistency across components: your writing, your interview and any scholarship submissions should sound like the same person. Consistency is a strong marker of authenticity.
- Remember what we value: integrity, curiosity and self-awareness are as important as technical ability. Let these come through in your application.
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