Policies aren’t universal across schools
The rule that applied last semester is not automatically the rule that applies now, even if the assignment looks similar.
Why the assumption is so easy to make
Once you have learned one instructor’s or one school’s rule, it feels like general knowledge rather than a specific policy. Transferring schools, switching instructors, or even moving between two classes in the same term can each carry a different rule underneath a similar-looking assignment.
Check per class, not per habit
Read the actual policy for each course rather than defaulting to what worked before, even within the same semester. A habit that was fine in one class can be exactly the thing another class’s policy prohibits.
If the policy genuinely isn’t stated
Ask, rather than assume the most permissive reading. An instructor who has not written a policy down usually still has an expectation, and asking directly avoids a guess going the wrong way in either direction.
This applies to disclosure requirements too
Some schools require disclosure of any AI use; others only restrict specific uses without requiring it be stated. See how to disclose clearly once you know which kind of policy you are actually working under.