Whether you're searching for graduate schools or are ready to get started, graduate school can be tough. But thankfully, there are many apps that can make it a bit easier.
We’ve compiled a list of must-have apps for graduate studies that will help you research, keep up with math, and even pay for school! These apps are available on both iPhone and Android.
1. Canvas Student
Most graduate schools run on the Canvas platform. Canvas is an all-in-one dashboard to submit assignments, view grades, and collaborate with other students. And while Canvas is popular, most people aren’t aware that Canvas is also available as an app.
Most schools give you desktop login details, but few mention that you can also download the app and access your coursework on the go. In fact, many reviews of this app mention they had no idea it even existed. With it, you can receive alerts when grades are submitted, get notified of due dates, and see updates about any classroom changes instantly on your device.
The app's notifications are customizable to fit your needs. If your school or class is using Canvas, this app is a must-download!
Download: Canvas Student for iOS | Android (Free)
2. Power Planner
Every graduate student needs some sort of planner. Most juggle work and school simultaneously, along with potential family obligations. Staying organized helps you avoid missing assignments and keep your grades up.
There are dozens of to-do list apps and planners available for both iPhone and Android, but the best has always been Power Planner. It offers an incredibly simple interface and is available across platforms, so you can use it on any device and catch right back up.
Power Planner has a great color-coding feature to better organize your class and work schedules, without taking up tons of space and looking too busy.
It also includes a GPA calculator embedded into the planner, so you can see what assignments should take priority. This is one of the most useful features available on any planner app. Plus, it's ad-free.
Download: Power Planner for iOS | Android (Free, premium version available)
3. Mos
Mos advertises itself as a banking app for students, but it’s so much more than that. Aside from its zero-fee debit card, it also gives you access to the largest private scholarship pool in the United States.
Most scholarship websites just list contest scholarships that are highly competitive. Mos lists actual scholarships, which usually require an essay or transcript verification to apply. While this sounds like extra work, the odds of getting these scholarships are much higher than when entering a contest.
Mos also has more scholarship opportunities for graduate students than any other scholarship site. Its database makes searching for scholarships easy and you can sort by your current year in school, field, and any special abilities.
Download: Mos for iOS | Android (Free)
4. Photomath
For those who consider math one of their weakest subjects, this app is a blessing. Photomath makes it easy to solve math equations, which is obviously handy for statistics or research classes. Simply take a picture of a math problem and the app will walk you step-by-step through how to solve it. It supports algebra, geometry, calculus, and trigonometry equations.
Even if you’re a math whiz, you can still benefit from this app as it has a speedy homework-checking option, ensuring you got the right answer.
Download: Photomath for iOS | Android (Free, subscription available)
5. Paperpile
Most graduate programs require reading and writing research papers eventually. And while a lot of graduate schools provide a database of peer-reviewed articles, the databases can be a bit tricky or time-consuming to navigate. This is why we recommend Paperpile.
Paperpile gives you access to over 20,000 journals and allows you to save PDFs right to your device, making it easy to organize all your research papers. The annotation and note-taking features allow you to use your Apple Pencil, if you have one.
It’s also incredibly handy to have research pulled up on your phone or tablet, while you are typing on your computer, without having to go back and forth. When you’re ready to cite, you can log into your Paperpile account on your desktop and grab that information.
Download: Paperpile for iOS | Android (Free, subscription available)
6. Academia.edu
Another great research app, Academia.edu is a huge help to many graduate students, especially in the fields of social sciences and humanities.
While Paperpile is great for finding research and writing research papers, Academia.edu is better for coming up with your own research ideas. It doesn’t have as many research papers as Paperpile, but the research it does contain is new and relevant, showing you current research on ideas in your field.
You can read these research papers and look for ideas that need more testing or confirmation. Then you can choose to contribute to existing research or come up with your own unique ideas related to them.
If you’re a graduate student at a school with a competitive research department, you might want to check out Academia.edu.
Download: Academia.edu for iOS | Android (Free, subscription available)
7. Speechify
In grad school, one of the most time-consuming activities you’ll come across is reading. It's a huge requirement for graduate school, and depending on your field, you'll often have to read through several books for each class. With most graduate students also having a job and family obligations, you might not have enough free time to dive into a book and read it thoroughly.
Thankfully, Speechify solves this problem. Speechify allows you to import a book, PDF, or even a picture and have it read back to you. This is great for car rides, as you can listen to your books while on your way to school or work. It also comes in handy for reviewing lectures before a test. After all, you can listen faster than you can read, and some people comprehend audio better than written words.
Speechify is free to try, but you'll need to subscribe to keep using it. If you decide it’s worth it for your learning style, it will definitely make a difference.
Download: Speechify for iOS | Android (Subscription required, free trial available)
Get a Personal Graduate School Assistant
Graduate school can be tough, but is definitely worth it to accomplish your career goals. The apps mentioned above can help make graduate school just a little bit easier by helping you manage your schedule, research, and finances.
It's no joke that graduate school is time-consuming—many students consider it the busiest time in their life. Whenever you get a break, be sure to check out these apps.