ChatGPT Custom Instructions for Students: 12 Setups

ChatGPT custom instructions for students work when they tell the model your courses, honesty rules, and how to coach from your notes. Use them to set quiz mode, APA citation habits, and a clear ban on ghostwriting graded submissions. Paste only your real classes and policies, then keep submitting your own work. Below are 12 copy-paste setups plus a flagship builder.

Your school's academic integrity rules and each course's AI policy always come first.

Academic integrity note: these prompts are study aids. They must not replace your school's honor code. Do not submit model-written essays as your own.

Prompts for the About you box

1. Course roster blurb

Summarize my level [level] and courses [list] in under 400 characters for ChatGPT custom instructions. No invented majors.

2. Schedule and tools

Add my study windows [schedule] and tools [tools] to this About blurb [paste]. Keep it factual.

3. Preference line

Encode preferences [prefs] as short rules for explanations and examples. Ban topics in [NoInvent].

Prompts for How to respond

4. Coach-not-ghostwrite rule

Write a response rule that allows outlines from my notes but refuses full graded essays or discussion posts for submission.

5. Citation honesty

Add rules for citation style [style]: never invent sources; ask me for missing bibliographic fields.

6. Quiz mode

Define a quiz mode: ask [N] questions from my notes [how I will paste], wait for answers, then explain misses.

7. Language practice mode

Define a gentle correction mode for [language]: correct after each turn with a one-line reason. Keep my level [level].

Prompts for weekly use

8. Integrity checklist

Make a 6-line checklist I can paste into every chat about submitting my own work and no invented citations.

9. Starter prompts pack

From courses [list], write 3 starter prompts that match HelpModes [modes].

10. Midterm study switch

Temporarily adapt my custom instructions for exam week on [topics]. Keep honesty rules. Remove essay drafting help.

11. Group project boundary

Add a rule for group work: help me outline my section from my notes only; do not write teammates' parts.

12. Settings audit

Audit these custom instructions [paste] for ghostwriting risk, invented policies, or clinical advice. Rewrite unsafe lines.

Build full instructions with the flagship prompt

The Student Custom Instructions from Courses Goals returns both ChatGPT instruction boxes, starter prompts, and an integrity checklist. Its biology sophomore example keeps APA for Writing 201, blocks invented citations, and stops before final Genetics answers unless asked to check work.

Related prompts

For honesty-first settings, see ChatGPT honesty custom instructions and Custom instructions builder from work profile. Coursework coaching: College discussion post coach and ChatGPT Prompts for High School Students.

Related: Custom instructions for GPT-5.

Find more in the AI Tools category, look through Browse, or post your own on Share.