The college experience is a whirlwind of deadlines, exams, and social commitments. And, hopefully, you’re able to somehow squeeze in enough sleep as well. To put it simply, it can be a challenge to juggle these demands.
It’s for this reason that the humble calendar app should become your BFF. Even if it’s not as exciting as TikTok or Subway Surfers, it’s an essential tool for both your academic and personal lives.
At the same time, with so many calendar apps out there, choosing the right one can feel like another test in itself. Because you already have a packed schedule, we have the 12 best college calendar apps for you to choose from.
1. Calendar
Wanna make your college experience less stressful? Calendar can help you do that.
What is it like trying to schedule a time with your microbiology class study group? Using Calendar’s Find a Time feature, you can schedule a meeting in seconds. You can then enter multiple people’s calendars, see when they’re available or busy, and then create an event based on those times via a smart scheduling link.
You can also add location options, such as a physical address, phone number, or Zoom link. Moreover, if this event is recurring, Calendar will add it automatically thanks to the power of machine learning.
In a nutshell, Calendar prevents calendar conflicts and makes scheduling as painless as possible. Also, it eliminates those annoying back-and-forths when scheduling meetings with classmates, like study sessions. The app is available on Google Play as well as the App Store can connect with Google Calendar and Microsoft Calendar.
2. Google Calendar
Let’s face it, you probably already have the free Google Calendar installed. It’s for good reason, too.
Most users are familiar with its intuitive interface, seamless integration with other Google services (Docs, Gmail, etc.), and availability on multiple platforms (desktop, mobile, web). Creating calendars for study groups, assigning reminders, and color-coding events is a breeze with this app. Additionally, you can seamlessly turn to-dos into calendar events by integrating with Google Tasks.
The benefits are even greater if Gmail is your primary email address. Calendar events can be created automatically based on the emails you receive. For example, when you book things like airline tickets or concert tickets, your calendar will be updated.
3. Apple Calendar
In case you’re all in on Apple products, Apple Calendar is probably your calendar of choice. This isn’t a bad thing. In the end, it syncs your events across iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac, and whatever shiny device Apple will come up with next.
As far as scheduling goes, Apple Calendar does a solid enough job. It reduces the time and effort required to enter events manually by allowing you to insert events directly from emails and text messages. Plus, like most Apple products, it’s clean, fast, and well-functioning.
There may not be as many options as other calendar apps, but the free Apple Calendar is well-suited for your basic scheduling tasks.
4. Microsoft To Do
Few planner apps are better for college students than this one. Why? It is simple to use and allows assignments to be sorted into lists. For instance, you can create sections called “Home”, “Lab”, and “Work.”. For each section, you can create sub-tasks as well. As an example, you can include tasks such as “Find sources,” “Upload pictures,” etc. in a biology project.
Among the most valuable features of this application is saving unchecked actions from yesterday. Using this option, you can easily see which tasks need to be moved to other days or to “My Day.”
By prioritizing tasks, setting due dates, and getting reminders, Microsoft To-Do can help students manage their time and tasks. Also, Teams can be used for free by students and teachers from K-12 to collegiate level with a valid school email address.
5. My Study Life
Most calendar apps target busy professionals, but My Study Life caters specifically to students. Because of this, you won’t find some features in other calendar apps.
My Study Life has innovative scheduling features to help you stay on top of your classes and extracurricular activities. With My Study Life, you can also keep track of your classes no matter how they change during the week. There is even a section dedicated to scheduling your exams.
In addition to synchronizing your schedule across devices, My Study Life works offline as well. You’ll always have access to your classes and assignments regardless of location or internet connection. The My Study Life app is available on Android, iOS, and the Web.
6. iStudiez Pro
IStudiez Pro is an award-winning, highly-rated planner app made just for students. And it’s easy to see why.
You just need to enter your class schedule — along with the professor’s name, contact information, and office hours. To make it visually interesting and easier to scan, you can color code your classes.
With the “Week view,” you can plan your time and prepare for classes that are coming up. You can view tasks and scheduled items for today in the “Day view.” It is possible to add assignments, their due dates, and specific tasks associated with each class.
iStudiez Pro’s Full Version even lets you keep track of your GPA on a regular basis. As you get graded assignments back, enter them. The GPA tracker on iStudiez does the math for you. By keeping this information between semesters, you can keep an eye on the big picture.
You can download the app for free on Android, iOS, and the web. It costs $2.99 on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store for the Pro version.
7. Fantastical
Trying to find a better calendar app for your Mac or iOS device? If so, Fantastical might be right for you.
Among Fantastical’s main strengths is its deep integration with Apple. That means no matter what device you use, Fantastical keeps your calendar up-to-date. It works on Macs, iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches.
In addition, you can easily create events while on the go with the app’s powerful natural language processing. Using geofenced reminders, you can get reminders only when you are at a specific location, for example.
Last but not least, Fantastical also integrates with iCloud, Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar, and many other calendar apps. The app is fully localized for multilingual users or workplaces for English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Japanese.
For individuals, Fantastical costs $4.75 per month.
8. myHomework
Nothing is confusing about this app, it’s very easy to use. As such, you’ll have a friendly assistant who keeps track of your academic life without any tech hassles. In contrast to many student planner apps, myHomework can be accessed regardless of Wi-Fi availability. In addition, it works on multiple devices, including computers, tablets, and phones.
Regardless of whether you are online or offline, you always have your schedule at hand – events, homework, exams, you name it.
Thanks to those handy reminders, you’ll never forget.
In short, myHomework is one of the best planner apps for tracking assignments and organizing subjects if you want a friendly, no-fuss solution.
9. Power Planner
For students, Power Planner is an excellent time management app. You can view assignments, enter your class schedule, track your GPA, and view your assignments. A constant stream of new features and bug fixes is being added to this application by its developers.
Specifically, thanks to its advanced GPA calculator, this planner app is ideal for students. Also included is a “What if?” option that calculates the points you need to get a particular grade for tasks. In addition, the application notifies users of upcoming events.
For $1.99, you can upgrade to the paid version with more features. You can, for instance, keep track of your GPA from semester to semester.
Power Planner is available for iOS, Android, and Windows.
10. Todoist
Companies like Amazon and Disney use Todoist as a project planner and to-do list. College students will also find it useful, however.
The reason? The Todoist app uses natural language processing to create tasks. As an example, Todoist can convert your words into an actionable task titled “Biology assignment,” which is due at 9 PM on Thursday.
Moreover, you can create a reminder, add labels, and add notes. As well as creating projects, sharing tasks, and delegating tasks, Todoist allows you to collaborate with others. A few other key features include:
- Due dates & reminders
- Labels and filters
- Recurring tasks
- Available on multiple devices
There is a version of the app and Pro for $4/month.
11. Classify
Classify’s intuitive design ensures you’ll never miss a deadline again. Students can manage their daily schedules by using this cross-platform planner app.
The Classify-School Planner is also extremely easy to use. Its intuitive design allows activities to be easily created, edited, and deleted in seconds.
Among its most unique features, however, is its built-in Pomodoro Timer. In addition, the timetables help you know exactly where you need to be at any given moment. And you can also share your homework and events with your classmates.
Classify is available on the App Store and Google Play.
12. Shovel
You can use Shovel – Study Planner for free to create a time-blocking study planner to help you throughout your college years. Combining time management and task management lets you know what needs to be done next.
Students who want more control over their study habits will benefit most from this app. A unique feature of the planner is the way it considers your deadlines in a comprehensive way. Additionally, Shovel employs a time-blocking strategy which can be especially useful for students with ADHD or bipolar disorder who want a structured study routine.
In addition to importing tasks from other apps, you can sync your school calendar and school system. In addition to organization, Shovel offers predictive analytics so students can plan ahead and adjust their course of study accordingly.
FAQs
What are the benefits of using a calendar app for college students?
Calendar apps help you stay organized, manage your time effectively, avoid missed deadlines, and achieve better academic performance. They can also help you balance your studies with social life and other activities.
What features are important for a college student calendar app?
You should look for features such as:
- Multiple calendar views. There are day, week, month, and year views for different planning requirements.
- Color coding. Organizing events according to class, study sessions, and social events.
- Reminders. The option to set reminders for upcoming exams, deadlines, and appointments.
- To-do lists. Ability to integrate tasks within events or separate them for better organization.
- Sharing and collaboration. Your calendar can be shared with classmates for study sessions or group projects.
- Cloud syncing. Your calendar can be accessed across devices and updated anywhere.
- Integrations. Connecting with other apps like productivity tools, note-taking applications, or email is an option.
How can I efficiently schedule my classes, study sessions, and extracurricular activities?
You can color code categories, set recurring events for regular classes/activities, block time for study sessions, and chunk out tasks with time-blocking techniques.
What can I do to stay on top of deadlines and assignments?
Setting reminders and notifications for deadlines is the best option. Also, you can add notes/attachments to events with details about assignments and track progress with checklists.
How can I collaborate with friends and study groups using a calendar app?
You can share your calendar with friends/groups, create and edit events together, schedule study sessions, and set reminders for group projects. Some calendar apps even allow you to communicate through chat features.
Image Credit: Helena Lopes; Pexels
Matt Rowe
Matt Rowe is a current Marketing Student at Brigham Young University. He has worked in Product Marketing, Field Marketing, Data Analytics, and Digital Marketing. Matt is fluent in Cambodian, and is interested in productivity and leadership.