University of Bern: AI Rules for Theses
It depends on your lecturer and institute. At the University of Bern, lecturers define the authorised aids and may require an adapted declaration of authenticity. Where AI is allowed, the legal service's guidance recommends naming the AI tool in that declaration. Some institutes go further: History, for example, requires a signed AI declaration for BA and MA theses.
What the official text says
These are the university's own words, quoted as published. Where the original is French, the third column paraphrases it; it is not a translation.
| Source | Official wording (verbatim) | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Uni Bern legal service: guidance on the declaration incl. AI (EN/DE, 8 Oct 2025)Source 1 | Lecturers define the authorized aids and may also require students to submit an adapted declaration of authenticity in this regard. | Your lecturer sets the allowed aids and can ask for an adapted declaration. |
What you have to do
Ask your supervisor before you start writing and keep a short log of every AI use (tool, date, task, what you kept). The declaration is much easier to fill in from a log than from memory.
If AI is allowed, use an adapted declaration of authenticity that names the AI tool. Check your institute's page: History, for example, has its own mandatory declaration.
What the rule leaves open
We cite the bilingual EN/DE edition of 8 Oct 2025. Per-faculty forms were not checked.
Questions this guide answers
Every answer below is assembled from the dated fields on this page. Nothing is written separately for search.
Can I use AI in my Bern thesis?
Only if your lecturer allows it as an aid.
What do I declare?
An adapted declaration of authenticity naming the AI tool, if your lecturer or institute requires it.