How to create a study planner in Microsoft 365

What a study planner really is (and why digital wins)

A study planner is more than a schedule. A good planner answers three core questions:

1. What do I need to do? (assignments, exams, readings)
2. When will I do it? (specific days and time blocks)
3. Where does everything live? (tasks, notes, deadlines)

Digital planners work better than paper because they’re:

• Easy to update when deadlines change
• Accessible across phone, tablet, and laptop
• Connected to reminders, calendars, and notes

Microsoft 365 brings these pieces together, making it easier to build a study planner that stays flexible and realistic throughout the semester.

Start with a ready-made layout in Word

You don’t have to build a study planner from scratch. Microsoft Word includes templates for weekly schedules, calendars, and trackers and these layouts make excellent starting points for a study planner. The key is to search templates by the type of planning you need, then adapt the layout to your courses and deadlines.

Where to find templates

In Word:

1. Select File > New.
2. Use the search bar and try:
• – assignment tracker
• – weekly schedule
• – student planner
• – calendar
• – to-do list

These templates provide a structure you can quickly customize into a study planner.

How to personalize your study template

Once you open a template:

• Replace placeholder text with your course names
• Add assignment deadlines and exam dates
• Block out realistic study windows (between classes, evenings, weekends)
• Add light color-coding (optional, but helpful)

Pro tip: Save your customized file as a reusable version (like “My Study Planner”) and duplicate it each week or semester.

Build a smarter study schedule with Excel

Excel is ideal if you like structure or want an organized way to manage workload. It helps you see deadlines clearly, sort tasks by priority, and keep everything in one streamlined place.

Start with a simple table

Create columns such as:

• Subject
• Task
• Due Date
• Priority
• Status

Update the table throughout the week to instantly see what’s done and what still needs attention.

Make your Excel planner more effective

• Sort by due date or priority
• Filter tasks due this week
• Use light color‑coding (one color per class)
• Add conditional formatting to highlight urgent tasks
• Create a weekly planning sheet with columns for Day, Study Task, Time Needed, and Notes

Excel works well because it’s easy to reorganize when deadlines shift, or your week gets crowded.

Use OneNote as your notetaking app for studying

A strong study system depends on organized, easy-to-find notes. OneNote keeps class materials centralized, searchable, and easy to review.

Set up OneNote for classes

• Create one notebook for your semester (for example, Fall 2025)
• Add sections for each class
• Create pages for lectures, readings, slides, and study guides

OneNote features you’ll actually use

• Type, handwrite, or sketch notes
• Paste screenshots or PDFs
• Record audio during lectures
• Tag notes as Important, To Review, or Question

Why OneNote speeds up studying

• Search once and instantly find every related note
• Keep class notes + slides + research in one spot
• Create quick study summaries as you review material

Use Copilot to plan, prioritize, and review faster

Copilot in Microsoft 365¹ helps you move faster from planning to studying. Use it to outline your workload, break down assignments, and turn notes into study materials.

Copilot prompts for planning

In Word or Excel¹, try prompts like:

• “Create a weekly study plan based on these assignments and due dates.”
• “Break this project into smaller tasks with suggested deadlines.”
• “Help me prioritize these tasks based on due dates and estimated time.”
• “Build a study schedule around these class times and work shifts.”

Copilot¹ helps reduce planning time so you can focus more on learning.

Achieve Amazing with Microsoft 365 for Students

College and University students can get 3 free months of Microsoft 365 Personal, then just $4.99/month. Terms apply.

Learn more

Keep deadlines front and center with Outlook

Outlook turns your study planner into a schedule you’ll actually follow. By placing assignments, exams, and study blocks on a calendar you already check, deadlines become harder to miss, and easier to plan around.

Add deadlines and exam dates

• Open Outlook Calendar.
• Select New Event.
• Add the assignment or exam name.
• Set a reminder: 1-3 days ahead works great.
• Add links to your OneNote notes or files (optional but powerful).

Seeing deadlines in your daily calendar makes planning feel more concrete and less stressful.

Bring it all together with Microsoft 365 for students

A flexible Microsoft 365 study system might look like this:

• Search templates in Word and customize a weekly schedule or assignment tracker
• Use Excel to track tasks, deadlines, and priorities in one organized view
• Take and organize notes in OneNote
• Use Copilot¹ to plan faster and review more efficiently
• Track reminders and deadlines in Outlook

Each tool has a clear role, but they work best together. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s consistency and clarity.

Study smarter with tools that adapt to you

Studying efficiently isn’t about rigid schedules or complicated systems. It’s about using tools that adapt to how you learn and live.

With Microsoft 365, you can build a study planner that keeps you organized, reduces stress, and helps you move forward—one realistic week at a time.

Explore Microsoft 365 tools and templates to create a study system that works for you.

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