10 Best Apps for Students

Apps aimed at students have revolutionised the way that we study, offering access to support and resources wherever you are. This article looks at ten of the best apps available for students, based on productivity, ease of use and affordability. 

Utilising technology is a great way to improve your studying habits, and many apps are great for keeping you motivated and engaged.

Of course, there’s not just one right way to study, and apps shouldn’t replace other ways of learning. However, when used in the right way, they’re an excellent tool for students to complement their education, and we’ve picked out what we believe to be the best of the bunch!

1. OneNote: Capture and Collaborate

Microsoft’s OneNote is an incredibly useful tool for students to organise their notes, calendar entries, group projects and more, all in one place. 

It offers the ability to create notes with seamlessly integrated to-do-lists, reminders and calendars, to help you stay organised, save time and make the most out of your learning. 

A standout benefit is the option to invite other people to collaborate on your projects. It’s a great app for organising university group work, and allowing multiple people to contribute to group essays and presentations with ease.

2. Trello: Stay Organised

Trello is an app that lots of students benefit from. Much like OneNote, it encourages collaboration and allows projects to be managed with ease. 

The interface allows you to set up a timeline of tasks, and assign different users to different tasks. Each user can then track their individual progress, so the overall progression of the project is clear to everyone. 

You can also quickly set deadlines, briefs and include extra notes, to keep everyone on task, encouraging teamwork without any added hassle.

3. Quizlet: Master Your Subjects

If Quizlet isn’t already in your armoury of revision tools, it definitely should be! The app allows you to create virtual flashcards for you and your friends, turning them into quizzes and interactive games. 

Quizlet offers a variety of ways to learn – minimising the repetitiveness of revision to reinforce your knowledge in new and engaging ways. 

It also makes on-the-go revision easy as all of your flashcards are stored on your phone, making it a superb tool for exam season. 

4. Google Scholar: Access Reliable Sources

Google Scholar is  brimming with peer-reviewed scholarly articles, books and research papers, making it an essential tool for academic research and essay writing. 

Finding reliable sources is as easy as a simple Google search, and each article details the authors, contributors, publishers and more, ensuring that you can cite credible sources with ease. 

Google Scholar also contains lots of great information for those working in research roles or participating in an academic internship.

5. Forest: Boost Focus and Productivity

Forest is an innovative app to help minimise distractions and boost your productivity, allowing you to set realistic goals for focused study sessions. 

When you want to start studying, you plant an in-app virtual tree to begin your focus session. If you successfully avoid using your phone during this period, your tree grows and is planted in your virtual forest. 

However, if you leave the app before the timer runs out, the tree dies and you have to start again. It’s a simple yet creative way to keep you focused on your work, as well as giving you a visualisation of just how much time you’ve spent revising, keeping you motivated and on track!

6. Duolingo: Learn Languages Anywhere

Duolingo is a very user-friendly language-learning app with a variety of bitesize lessons to explore. The app encourages daily practice sessions with a range of short and simple exercises to keep your skills sharp.

It’s suitable for beginners as well as those with a higher language proficiency, catering to differing levels of knowledge. 

The gamified learning experience is refreshing and rewarding, empowering you to teach yourself a language from day one. 

Whether you’re looking for additional vocab practice ahead of an exam, or you’re keen to learn a new language in your free time, Duolingo’s a great app for students!

7. YouTube: Unlock Educational Videos

YouTube is bursting with educational videos on every topic imaginable! Many universities upload lectures and seminars for free, so you can access expert knowledge and teaching online.

There are thousands of hours of video available across an array of subjects – from Medicine and Law, to Politics and Business – with even the most complex of topics broken down to help students grasp new ideas. 

It’s a great way to revise because it doesn’t require a lot of effort – you can even listen while doing other tasks!

8. Headspace: Keep Calm and Relax

Finding ways to relax is an important part of living a happy and healthy life in school and beyond, and Headspace provides a multitude of ways to rest and refresh! 

Incorporating mindfulness and meditation into your routine can help to increase your focus and motivation, while reducing stress and anxiety, and boosting your mood. 

Headspace has an assortment of meditation sessions – short and long! – as well as soundscapes to sleep and study to, helping you to build healthy habits for your future.

9. Canva: Create Engaging Presentations

Canva is a powerful design tool that students can utilise to transform good work into great work! It has a user-friendly interface and plenty of guides and tutorials to help you start designing as soon as possible.

Canva also offers a range of templates, which is great for that initial bit of inspiration. It’s best used for visual presentations, infographics, posters and more, and will certainly make your work stand out!

10. Kahoot! Gamify Your Learning

The final app on our list is Kahoot! – a fun virtual quiz creator focusing on knowledge and speed. 

Kahoot! allows multiple players to join a virtual quiz room and compete against one another. Everyone can get involved, competing in a friendly environment to revise specific content or general knowledge.

These ten apps are all proven winners in helping students to learn in a variety of different and exciting ways. We encourage you to incorporate some of these apps into your study routine to see what works for you!

By Jamie Emerick

Jamie is a recent Law graduate of Trinity College, University of Oxford. Alongside his writing work with OxBright, offering first-hand advice for those looking to study Law at university, Jamie works at a MedTech firm as an IP Law Assistant, helping to manage their IP portfolio.