As a student, you need to capitalise on all the great digital tools available to you. Because, as it happens, some of the best educational tools out there today can fit into the palm of your hand — right there on the home screen of your smartphone!

Here is a list of some of the best free apps available to students:

1.   Any.Do

Any.Do

Any.Do allows you to organise your tasks, create to-do lists, and keep your calendar synchronised across all your devices.  This app is great for students who need to balance the responsibilities of work, family, and studies.

Some cool features include that you can use voice-automation to create tasks, change the priority of your entries, and shake your device to remove all completed tasks from your lists.

2.   Dropbox

Dropbox

Dropbox revolutionised cloud-based document sharing on PC, and it has managed to shift its amazing features seamlessly onto its mobile apps. And now you can install it on your smartphone or tablet too!

Dropbox allows you to access any files saved to any of your Dropbox locations from anywhere in the world at any time. It is perfect for homework or assignments that you need to work on from different locations or devices, as well as for co-ordinating group projects.

What makes Dropbox unique is that it always keeps all your files locally updated with the latest saved version — regardless of where you saved it from.

3. Office Lens

Ever wish you could convert printed documents, writing and whiteboard screens into editable text on your smartphone or PC? Office Lens is a free Microsoft app which allows you to do just this.

After taking a photo of written text, you can convert it into Microsoft Word, PDF and PowerPoint files, which you can then edit and save. Your days of frantically writing down whiteboard text or typing out written notes are over!

4. Dictionary.com

Dictionary App

As a student, you should always aim to use the correct words (and spell them correctly, too!). Dictionary.com is the perfect free English dictionary app. You can use it offline, expand your vocabulary with ‘Word of the Day’, or use the Thesaurus function to pick impressive synonyms and avoid repeating the same boring words in your assignments.

5. Forest

Forest App

For those who get distracted by their phones when they need to study, Forest is a fresh and beautifully designed app. What does it do? Each time you sit down to study, you can plant a little tree in the Forest app to keep you from playing with your phone. The tree takes 30 minutes to grow, and if you try to exit the app (to use your phone) before the 30 minutes is over, your cute little tree will die!

6. Cram

Cram

Cram is an easy-to-use flashcard app that will help you study for your exams. You can download flashcard sets from the website, or create your own. A cool feature is that you can choose from two different study modes: Memorize, and Card mode. It even has a cram option to supercharge your study session.

7. RealCalc Scientific Calculator

RealCalc app

Are you a mathematics, engineering, or science student? Now you never have to worry about leaving your scientific calculator at home again! It even has features such as result history, built-in help, and physics constants tables.

8. Google Apps

Google Apps

You can’t get by without Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides. These are great cloud-based ‘Office’ apps accessible from any online device. You will be able to: take notes, draw diagrams, create spreadsheets or presentations, and share documents. And the great thing is that it will all be linked up with your G+ and Gmail accounts.

We’ve put together a whole guide to help you use Google Apps for studying. Simply click on the link below to download your FREE ‘Study with Google Apps’ e-book:

9. Mint

Mint App

Many students struggle to manage their money — especially those trying to fund their studies by taking on a part-time job! Mint is an awesome app to help you manage and track your budget on-the-go with your smartphone. Why is this so awesome? All your finances are in one place: your budget, your savings, and your bank account balance. It also automatically categorises your banking and credit card transactions and builds charts that show you how and where you are spending your money.

10. SimpleMind+

SimpleMind App

SimpleMind is a simple mind mapping app that lets you co-ordinate your mind maps between your computer and your smart device. The great thing about this app is that it is practical and simple to use.

11. Evernote

Evernote

Evernote allows you to write notes; make checklists; organise articles, docs, and photos; and share all of this with other people. It really is an all-in-one workspace with countless features (though many of them are reserved for premium customers).

12. GoConqr

GoConqr

GoConqr is a multi-dimensional learning app. It allows you to do everything from making mind maps, flashcards and quizzes, to taking notes.

Bonus App!

Do you struggle to get up in the morning to study? Well, those days are over now! Alarmy (Sleep If U Can) is an alarm clock that has been dubbed the “World’s Most Annoying Alarm App”. Why is this? Because to turn your alarm off, you have to go take a picture of a certain room in your house… and that does not include your bedroom.

Sleep if You Can App

Want to receive more great study tips, tricks, advice, and resources?

Click here for free access to Oxbridge Academy’s Online Library

First published on 19 June 2015 and updated by Dale Hes