Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools are now a common part of study, work and everyday problem-solving. You may use AI to organise ideas, check your writing or help prepare for assessments.
These guidelines explain how you can use AI responsibly when applying for the Home Affairs Graduate Development Program (GDP). They help ensure your application reflects your own capability, judgement and experience.
Our Principles
When applying for a role in the Department of Home Affairs, we expect applicants to:
- act with honesty and integrity
- demonstrate their own skills and potential
- compete fairly on merit
- provide work that reflects their genuine experience.
AI can support your preparation. However, it must not replace your thinking or complete tasks that assess your suitability for the GDP.
Appropriate Ways to Use AI
You may use AI in ways that help you prepare or organise your thoughts such as:
Learning and preparing
- researching the Department, the APS and the nature of graduate roles
- using AI to explain terminology the reader may be unfamiliar with
- brainstorming ideas before you begin writing your application.
Improving your writing
- checking spelling, grammar, phrasing or readability
- reformatting or shortening content that
you wrote
- clarifying structure or flow in
your responses.
Practising for assessments
- rehearsing interview questions or mock scenarios
- asking AI to pose hypothetical challenges so you can practise behavioural responses.
These uses are acceptable because you remain the author of your examples, ideas and claims.
Why Responsible Use Matters
Home Affairs graduates work in an environment where trust, accountability and ethical behaviour are essential.
How you approach the recruitment process provides an early indication of your:
- judgement and integrity
- respect for
APS Values
- willingness to take accountability for your work.
How we verify applications
We may verify the authenticity of applications by:
- reviewing your written responses against your interview performance
- asking for more detail about your examples
- confirming your employment history or qualifications
- checking consistency across different stages of the process
- confirming information with your referees.
If you are unsure whether a particular use of AI is appropriate during the recruitment process, contact:
entry.programs@homeaffairs.gov.au.
