No matter what level of schooling you’re at, a student planner is essential. This tool helps you track assignments, due dates, upcoming tests, and projects. The best academic planners make it easy to stay organized and finish your work on time.
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Our top choice for the best student planner is the Centered Student Planner. This is a great grad school planner thanks to its coaching, guidance, and positive layout. It sets itself apart from most college planners with its encouragement.
The Centered Student Planner
Designed by a professor, this planner offers key organizational tools along with positive reinforcement!
- Available in 5 colors with a clip-in bookmark
- Visual weekly and monthly spreads to track your assignments
- Patient guidance and encouragement as you go
- 50 weekly to-do lists included
- Won’t appeal to people seeking an undated planner
The 8 Best Student Planners for College & Grad School
The Centered Student Planner
The Centered Student Planner is the top college planner choice on the market. It uses psychology to help motivate you and organize your tasks. The horizontal layout helps you to visualize your time, so you can utilize your free time to the greatest effect.
Available in 5 colors, this durable and high-quality student planner covers the 2023-2024 school year. Every design includes a linen cover and heavy paper that’s resistant to bleeding. As you move through the year, the planner offers guidance and coaching to help you through the ups and downs.
Specs
- Size: 7”x9”
- Length: 2023-2024 academic year
- Dated or Undated: Dated
- Features: Bookmark, weekly and monthly spreads, 50 to-do lists
The Centered Student Planner
Designed by a professor, this planner offers key organizational tools along with positive reinforcement!
- Available in 5 colors with a clip-in bookmark
- Visual weekly and monthly spreads to track your assignments
- Patient guidance and encouragement as you go
- 50 weekly to-do lists included
- Won’t appeal to people seeking an undated planner
Digital Student Planner
This digital planner is the best choice for college students who prefer to organize their lives through an iPad. You’ll have the PDF available as soon as you download it. There are three color schemes to choose from, as well as your choice of six colors. The purchase also includes a zipped folder of 485 stickers that can be integrated into Goodnotes.
This planner isn’t meant to be used as a daily agenda. But it will help you keep track of your yearly to-dos, broad weekly planning, basic timetables, and classes. There are also free note pages and several section dividers.
For more digital student planner ideas, check out these 5 Best GoodNotes Planners for Ipads.
Specs
- Size: Digital PDF file
- Length: One year
- Dated or Undated: Undated
- Features: Digital PDF, 6 covers, 3 color schemes, digital stickers, weekly planning
Digital STUDENT Planner School Goodnotes Planner Student | Etsy
Compatible with Goodnotes and Notability, this digital student planner is easy to use and customize!
- Digital PDF compatible with Goodnotes and Notability
- Weekly plans and timetables with key dates
- Several free note pages with multiple line and grid styles
- 6 covers, 5 included dividers, and 485 digital stickers in a zipped folder
- Not made for daily use, so it supplements a daily planner
Erin Condren Academic Planner
If you’re in grad school, this academic planner is a must-have. The sturdy binding uses a laminate cover and plated aluminum coil. Inside, the pages are heavy Mohawk paper that’s resistant to bleeding. You also get two basic sticker sheets along with a holiday sticker sheet.
In addition to the monthly and weekly spreads, there are places to record monthly productivity notes. You also have detailed pages to track exams and projects over time. In grad school, that’s a godsend. There are 40 lined pages for notes at the end of the planner that can be used for whatever you need.
Specs
- Size: 7”x9”
- Length: One year
- Dated or Undated: Dated
- Features: Class schedule, monthly and weekly spreads, project and exam pages, notes
Academic Planner | School Agenda | Erin Condren
Organized and effective, this helpful planner can be built with multiple sizes and binding options!
- 2 sizes, 2 bindings, extra pages available
- 4 note pages after every month
- Weekly, monthly, and yearly planning
- Project and assignment tracking
- May be too many options for some people
Indeme Pocket Planner
This pocket planner is just 6.3 inches in length and 3.8 inches wide, making it easy to slip into a pocket or purse. It runs from July 2023 to June 2024. There is a pen holder to keep track of your writing utensils, along with an elastic closure, pocket, and page divider.
Inside, you’ll find monthly pages that give you a broad overview of the coming month. The weekly pages allow you to take notes for your daily plans and obligations. There are two ribbon bookmarks and a dozen monthly tabs. The planner comes in a beautiful gift box, making it an excellent choice if you’re looking for a gift
Specs
- Size: 3.8”x6.3”
- Length: July 2023 to June 2024
- Dated or Undated: Dated
- Features: Pocket size, monthly and weekly pages, pen holder, elastic closure, bookmarks
2023-2024 Planner: Weekly & Monthly Planner with Gift Box
This dated pocket planner is a great choice for anyone who needs a compact day-to-day planner!
- Small enough to hold in a pocket or purse
- Monthly and weekly pages to track plans
- Pen holder, 2 bookmarks, and elastic closure
- Comes in beautiful gift box, making it an ideal gift
- May be too small to keep track of hectic assignment loads
Live Whale Academic Planner
The Live Whale student planner is designed to help you take charge of your life. In addition to the usual monthly and weekly spreads, it also lets you schedule your days down to the hour. If you need to figure out how to finish your assignments without burning out, this tool is a huge help.
There are other helpful tools included as well. For example, you can use a daily gratitude journal to reflect, a vision board to follow your goals, and an expense tracker to handle your budget. A pen loop lets you keep your pen safe, while a hidden pocket can hold loose papers and other items.
Specs
- Size: 8.3”x5.5”
- Length: One year
- Dated or Undated: Undated
- Features: Scheduling, daily and monthly planning, hourly planning, vision board
Live Whale Non Dated Weekly Planner, 12 Month Personal Planner
With special scheduling tools that let you plan your days by the hour, this is a perfect time management planner!
- Detailed hourly, weekly, and monthly planning tools
- Includes a gratitude journal, expense tracker, and vision board
- Undated and flexible enough for any student’s needs
- Comes with a hidden pocket, pen loop, and reinforced corners
- Wellness features might not appeal to everyone
Lemome Faux Leather Student Planner
The Lemome planner is a beautifully-bound item available in four different colors. It follows the 2023-2024 school year from July 2023 to June of 2024. Every month has a monthly spread with notes, while you can also make more detailed daily plans with the weekly spreads. Holidays are already highlighted in the schedule.
The weekly view makes it easy to keep track of everything you’re doing each week. Whether you’re tracking projects, exams, or assignments, the spread helps you divide your time. The planner itself has a durable hardcover with an elastic closure and two bookmarks. Inside is a reference guide and interior pocket that can hold your papers.
Specs
- Size: 5.75”x8.25”
- Length: July 2023 to June 2024
- Dated or Undated: Dated
- Features: Notes pages, bookmarks, inner pocket, pen holder, weekly and monthly spreads
Weekly & Monthly Planner 2023-2024 with Calendar Stickers
With a number of different colors and beautiful binding, this student planner is a great way to keep your papers safe!
- Weekly and monthly planning pages with space for notes
- 4 cover colors available
- Sturdy hardcover with an elastic closure and inside pocket
- 88 pages with calendar stickers and 2 bookmarks
- Not as many detailed organizer sheets as some options
Smart Planner Pro Undated Daily Planner
This undated planner covers 13 months and has 52 weekly spreads. You can choose from ten different cover colors, ranging from black to bright yellow to orange to blue to red. Whether you want a neutral tone or a bright jewel tone, there’s something that will suit you.
In addition to the monthly and weekly spreads, there are also sections for notes, affirmations, and habit tracking. You can use the planner to stay on top of daily tasks while working toward long-term goals. It also comes with three bookmarks and an expandable inside pocket for maximum storage.
Specs
- Size: A5
- Length: 13 months
- Dated or Undated: Undated
- Features: Weekly and monthly spreads, expandable inside pocket, bookmarks, elastic closure
Smart Planner Pro Small 8.6 x 5.7 inches (A5) Undated Agenda Daily Planner
This smart planner uses a scientific approach to help you organize to your heart’s content!
- 13 undated months with 52 weekly spreads
- Available with 10 bright and neutral cover colors
- Comes with an expanding inside pocket and 3 bookmarks
- Includes affirmations, notes, and goals pages
- Not the cheapest item on the list
Academic Student Planner Buying Guide
What Should a College Planner Have?
A college planner should have enough organizational tools to keep you on track. Some options, like the Smart Planner, use science to help keep you motivated and organized.
You’ll need to be able to keep track of daily and weekly assignments. You also need to follow your class schedule, plan projects, and have space for notes. Some academic planners are designed to work alongside daily planners, like the Digital Planner.
Deciding Between a Digital Planner, PDF Download, or Printed
The right planner will depend on your needs. Some people prefer digital planners that can be accessed through apps. Others prefer a PDF download that can then be printed or annotated through apps like Goodnotes.
Printed planners are already hardbound. These come with a finite number of pages, but they’re also often more durable than DIY planners. You can find printed planners that also come with bookmarks and interior pockets, like the Lemome Faux Leather planner.
Dated or Undated Planners?
Dated planners like the Lemome weekly/monthly planner allow you to follow a specific schedule and are much more convenient for those looking to get started with their planner right away. They also have major holidays and potentially other reminders outlined for you already.
Undated planners are more flexible, so you can make the most of the pages. But you will need to fill in the dates by hand, which some people find inconvenient.
How to Bind a PDF Planner Yourself
Binding a PDF planner is a project that varies. You’ll need to decide what kind of binding to use. The easiest option is to put the printed PDF pages into an actual binder.
There are other options as well. Some Youtube tutorials can walk you through attaching a spiral binding and cover to your planner without a machine.
For an even more in-depth craft project, you might explore glue bindings as well.
Planner Accessories
Planner accessories can be used to add an extra layer of organization and visual coding. Some people use writing utensils like the iBayam journal pens, which have 18 different colors to write in. You might also highlight with different colors from an Amazon Basics pack.
iBayam Journal Planner Pens Colored Pens
Smart fine line coloring pens make for a great way to jazz up your planner and organizer.
Carrying around that many writing utensils might be a pain, though. It’s easy for them to get trapped at the bottom of your backpack. That’s why accessories like the iSuperb pencil case are also so helpful.
College & Grad School Planners FAQ
Do you need a planner for college?
Yes. College daily planners will make it a lot easier to keep track of your schedule, assignments, and projects.
Are there any academic planners online for free?
There are some online academic planner templates that you can access and customize for free. But investing in a high quality student planner is a good idea.
How much does it cost to print a planner PDF?
Printing a PDF only costs as much as the paper or printing services, usually around $9-$20. But you might also need to pay to access the PDF in the first place.
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Bottom Line
College and grad school can both be hectic. A student planner is one of the most important organizational tools you have. The best planners will help you track your schedule, assignments, and projects.
Our top pick for the best student planner is the Centered Student Planner. It’s flexible enough to conform to many different areas of study. At the same time, it has the organizational tools and motivation you need to finish your tasks on time.
The Centered Student Planner
Designed by a professor, this planner offers key organizational tools along with positive reinforcement!
- Available in 5 colors with a clip-in bookmark
- Visual weekly and monthly spreads to track your assignments
- Patient guidance and encouragement as you go
- 50 weekly to-do lists included
- Won’t appeal to people seeking an undated planner
