In this post, I’m going to share the best apps for college students, with the 19 apps every student should download to stay on top of their semester.
We get it, you have a million and one things to do. College is an environment that is overflowing with opportunities. It’s great to take advantage of what college has to offer by letting your interests guide you.
However, with so much going on, it can be tricky to keep up. You have classes, appointments, sorority socials, date functions, roommate bonding, laundry…. and that doesn’t even sum it all up.
In college, it can become very overwhelming to keep track of it all. You need to find ways to stay organized and use resources to make your life a little easier whenever possible.
One of your top resources is… your phone! Is anyone surprised? I mean, we all have our phones nearby 24/7. Your phone is your confidante, your calendar, your alarm clock, and more. You need to make sure you’re using it for more than just scrolling through College Fashion and your socials.
We know how important it is to stay on top of your grind, especially with the spring semester coming right around the corner. Its time to gear up, fashionistas.
Check out these apps every college student has to download onto their phone asap!
Table of Contents
Google Docs
Google Docs (iPhone / Android) is like the backup of the backup and is definitely an essential app to keep on hand.
All of your documents get stored to the cloud, so you’ll have your essays, assignments, resumes, and cover letters everywhere you go. Bonus: If you left your laptop at home, you can still get work done on your phone or tablet.
Uber/Lyft
Uber (iPhone / Android) is definitely an app that every college student needs in their phone. Lyft (iPhone / Android) is another popular alternative.
Getting around any college town can definitely be a hassle. The public transportation and parking situations are not always reliable and you need to have a way to get around if no one is around to give you a ride.
These driving apps are super smart to have on your phone in case you’re ever in serious need of a ride. They’re especially great for nights out, when rides can be unpredictable and people may be drinking.
Canvas/Blackboard
Whether your institution uses Canvas (iPhone / Android), Blackboard (iPhone / Android) or any other kind of platform, you need to have it on your phone.
It’s so important to have phone access to the place where you submit assignments, check syllabi, and see your grades. With notifications on, you can find out whenever your professor has opened an assignment or uploaded grades. This app will keep you on track of what’s going on throughout the entire semester.
Outlook Mail
Most college institutions function on Outlook, and if this is your school, you definitely need the Outlook app (iPhone / Android).
This is the platform you will use to receive notifications from your college and communicate with your professors and peers.
With this app, you enable yourself to engage in quick communication, which is really important in a college atmosphere.
Dictionary/Synonyms
No college student’s phone would be complete without Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary (iPhone / Android).
There must be at least 100 essays written each semester. (Ok… maybe not 100, but a lot.) When writing these papers, it’s great to have a dictionary and synonym database to access. You can quickly look up the word you need and get moving.
Quizlet
Quizlet (iPhone / Android) is an awesome app for studying.
With this must-have app for college students, you can create an entire set of flashcards on your phone and study anywhere.
The best part is, this app allows students to publish their flashcards and make their set public. So, you can look for flashcards for your class that another student already created, saving you the work.
GroupMe/Slack
When you get involved on campus in classes and clubs, these groups often use GroupMe (iPhone / Android) and Slack (iPhone / Android) to communicate.
These group chats will help you keep up with what’s going on in your schedule. It’s great to be able to communicate with the people on your campus.
Instacart
If you live in a dorm and don’t have a car (or just don’t feel like going out to a grocery store), definitely download Instacart (iPhone / Android).
It can be tricky to get groceries when you’re relying on your busy roommate for a ride, or you have a million things to get done and food is the last thing on your mind. Get this app and have your groceries delivered straight to your building.
Venmo
Whether you forgot your wallet at home, want to split the cost of a pizza with your roommate, or you are donating to a campus fundraiser, Venmo (iPhone / Android) is essential.
This app lets you instantly send money through a username system. This app is a lifesaver at times!
MyFitnessPal
If you need a way to stay organized about your fitness and eating habits, get MyFitnessPal (iPhone / Android)!
You can keep track of your meals throughout the day and find accessible workouts on the app to stay focused on your fitness journey.
Canva
If you’re ever in need of designing a poster to promote a club or event, download Canva (iPhone / Android). This is the best app for creating all kinds of fliers and presentations.
Canva is awesome because it is very user-friendly and has beautiful pre-made designs. We even use it here at CF to create a lot of our graphics for the site — it’s fantastic for blogging and social media!
Pocket Schedule Planner
Pocket Schedule Planner (iPhone) is a planner app specifically made for college students.
You can input your class schedule into the app, take notes, keep track of assignments for each class, schedule events, and more. For those who like to keep everything in one place, this is definitely the right app for you.
My Laundry
My Laundry (iPhone / Android) is a college app that caters to college students doing their laundry!
You can keep track of your laundry from your phone as well as other features that make it so much easier to get your laundry done.
Mint
Mint (iPhone / Android) is a must-have app for college students interested in budgeting or just saving money while in college. It’s an amazing app to start using to take control of your finances while still in school.
As we all know, going to college means keeping track of your money for the first time. While this can be intimidating, it’s important you have a method for keeping track of your spending patterns. Mint is perfect because it allows you to budget your monthly spending and set goals. This will really help you get through the semesters, and your future after college.
1Password
If you have trouble keeping track of passwords or important numbers in your life, 1Password (iPhone / Android) is the solution.
This app was made to store your passwords, and it automatically links with your web browser. So all of your passwords are secure and available for you to access with a single tap on your screen. The days of forgetting your important passwords are over!
Clue: Period Tracker
Keeping track of your period can be seriously annoying, but in this day and age it’s never been easier.
The Clue Period tracker app (iPhone / Android) does more than just keep track of when your flow is on its way. This app also tracks your days and ovulation and notifies you of important days during your cycle.
Habitica
Making lists and keeping track of your duties can be boring. Habitica (iPhone / Android) makes your daily tasks exciting by turning your to-do list into a virtual game. Staying motivated and achieving your goals just got a little bit more fun.
This app makes all of your daily responsibilities into little power-ups of sorts, that give you gold and let you buy rewards. You can also join guilds and fight monsters. As the monsters are conquered, so are your tasks.
Acorns
If you want to start investing, or if saving money just isn’t your specialty, the app Acorns (iPhone / Android) is here to help.
Acorns automatically invests the spare change of your purchases into stocks. As you spend your money, the app rounds your purchases to the nearest dollar. The more you’re spending, the more money you can earn!
Headspace
Although summer is approaching, that doesn’t mean that life still isn’t a little bit stressful. Headspace (iPhone / Android) is the go-to app for relaxation.
The app helps train your mind by teaching you meditations and how to apply them to your life. For example, you can apply your relaxation techniques to relationships or other stressful areas in your life.
Get downloading…
These apps for college students are so important when on campus. They will help you stay organized and on top of your grind. Turn on the notifications and be in control of how your semester pans out.
What’s your favorite app for college students? Any popular ones that we missed? Let us know in the comments down below.