Top 10 Apps That Truly Make Student Life Easier

Living and studying abroad is always a challenge: new languages, unfamiliar surroundings, and a completely different rhythm of life. While the problem of cultural adaptation is as old as time, today technology makes it much easier — thanks to a wide range of apps and services that help students not only adjust to their new environment but also make learning more effective and comfortable.

We’ve put together a list of the best apps for students studying abroad. These tools will become your go-to assistants in any situation — from optimizing your study routine to handling everyday tasks.

Contents:

1. Duolingo — for language learning and practice
2. Google Keep — quick notes and reminders with cross-device sync
3. Notion — an all-in-one workspace for study and beyond
4. Grammarly — write essays, emails, and texts in English with confidence
5. DeepL — translation and language comprehension tool
6. Citymapper — stress-free navigation around the city
7. Wise (TransferWise) — fast and low-cost international money transfers
8. Splitwise — split expenses with roommates or friends
9. Todoist — manage tasks, deadlines, and academic projects
10. Khan Academy — free online courses and study materials

1. Duolingo

Duolingo is one of the most popular language-learning apps that turns studying into a game. With short lessons, a points system, and achievement badges, learning becomes a daily habit rather than a chore. For students who have just arrived abroad, it’s an excellent way to adapt faster and expand their vocabulary for everyday situations.

Key features:

• Short 5–10 minute lessons, perfect for studying “on the go.”
• Gamified learning: lessons feel like mini-games that keep motivation high.
• Personalized exercises tailored to the student’s level and common mistakes.
• Over 40 languages available, from popular ones like English, German, French, and Japanese to rarer ones like Irish.
• Extra learning tools: podcasts, pronunciation practice, and listening comprehension exercises.

Why it’s one of the best apps for students:

• Great for quick morning or evening lessons: 5–10 minutes on the bus or before class to refresh your vocabulary.
• Helps improve grammar and listening skills in a fun, stress-free way.
• A handy tool when you need to quickly learn everyday vocabulary, adapt to a new country, or prepare for exams.

2. Google Keep

A simple and lightweight app for notes and reminders, Google Keep syncs with your Google account so that your notes are always accessible across devices. For a student living abroad, it’s the perfect way to keep track of ideas, assignments, exam dates, to-do lists, and other important details.

Key features:

• Instantly create text notes, checklists, and voice reminders.
• Automatic sync between phone, tablet, and computer.
• Add images and use color-coded labels for easy organization.
• Set time-based reminders to never miss a deadline or meeting.
• Share notes with classmates, friends, or roommates for group tasks.

Why it’s one of the best apps for students:

Need to quickly jot down a homework assignment or exam date? Want to create a shared grocery list with your roommates? Google Keep is the ideal app for study abroad, combining simplicity with a clean, intuitive interface. It’s one of the most convenient and practical tools for organizing study and everyday life overseas.

3. Notion

Notion is an all-in-one workspace that helps students organize both academic and personal life. It combines notes, to-do lists, calendars, lecture summaries, databases, and projects — everything is neatly structured and kept in one place, eliminating the need for multiple apps.

Key features:

• Combines notes, tasks, databases, and calendars in one interface.
• Customizable templates: study planners, habit trackers, schedules, lecture notes, and organizational pages.
• Notion AI: built-in assistant that helps write, edit, translate, summarize, and plan directly in your workspace.
• Free Education Plus plan for students, activated with a university email: includes unlimited workspaces, job application trackers, and more.
• 50% student discount on Notion AI subscription when activated through a student account.

Why it’s one of the best apps for students:

• Keeps lectures, deadlines, and projects organized in one place — perfect for managing the hectic schedule of study abroad.
• Quickly turn notes into tasks or project plans in just one click.
• AI assistant makes writing essays, translating texts, or preparing study summaries faster and more productive.

4. Grammarly

Grammarly is an intelligent writing assistant for English that checks spelling, grammar, style, tone, and even detects plagiarism or AI-generated text. It’s especially useful for students who write essays, reports, and emails, helping to make their writing clearer and more professional.

Key features:

• Comprehensive error check: grammar, punctuation, word choice, style, and readability.
• Integrates with multiple platforms: works in browsers, Google Docs, Microsoft Word, Outlook, mobile devices, and even Notion.
• AI-powered tools (Docs platform): including an AI grader (predicts expected grade), automatic citation generator, paraphrasing tool, reader reaction forecast, and real-time corrections.

Why it’s one of the best apps for students:

• Perfect for essays and motivation letters: suggests style improvements, removes redundancy, and ensures the right tone in real time.
• Quick citation and referencing: AI agent automatically formats them correctly.
• Acts as a text editor before submission: highlights weak spots and gives recommendations to boost grades.

5. DeepL

DeepL is an advanced online translator known for its high-quality translations of texts and documents. It uses neural networks trained on Linguee data, which allows it to maintain natural context and flow. For students abroad, it’s invaluable when working with academic texts, research articles, or simply communicating in a foreign language.

Key features:

• Extremely accurate translations, especially for complex and long sentences.
• Supports 30+ languages, including English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Russian, and more.
• Document translation in .docx, .pptx, and PDF formats with preserved formatting and structure.
• Custom glossaries for consistent terminology — perfect for specialized subjects.
• Integration with CAT tools like SDL Trados Studio, useful for professional-level translations.
• DeepL Write: a tool that improves writing quality by adjusting style and tone, ideal for essays and motivation letters.

Why it’s one of the best apps for students:

• Quickly translates lectures and articles, making complex academic content more understandable.
• Helps create accurate study notes and summaries without losing meaning.
• Supports clear communication with professors and classmates in a foreign language.

6. Citymapper

Citymapper is a smart city navigation app that helps you plan routes by combining public transport, walking, cycling, taxis, and e-scooters into the most efficient journey. For students abroad, it’s one of the best apps for students, making it much easier to adapt to a new city and move around stress-free.

Key features:

• Multiple route options: combines different types of transport for the fastest and most convenient path.
• Real-time updates: transport data refreshed every minute.
• Voice guidance: step-by-step navigation with spoken instructions.
• Calendar integration: syncs with your schedule for trip planning.
• Accessibility: includes information on step-free routes for people with mobility needs.

Why it’s one of the best apps for students studying abroad:

• Quickly helps you navigate an unfamiliar city: find the best routes to campus, supermarkets, or any essential place.
• Saves time by offering the most efficient journeys.
• Customizable to personal needs, making daily commutes smoother and easier.

7. Wise (formerly TransferWise)

Wise is a financial service for international money transfers with low fees and transparent exchange rates. Until 2021, it was called TransferWise, but the company rebranded to Wise to highlight its broader role — not just transfers, but also managing money globally. For students abroad, it’s an essential app for study abroad, helping to pay rent, tuition, or subscriptions and receive money from family safely and affordably.

Key features:

• International transfers to 80+ countries at the real mid-market exchange rate — fast and secure.
• Low fees and fully transparent pricing.
• Multi-currency account: hold and manage money in different currencies.
• Quick transfers between bank accounts and cards, plus online and in-store payments directly from the app.
• Transfer tracking and detailed transaction history with instant notifications.

Why it’s one of the best apps for students:

• Saves money on fees when paying for rent, tuition, or everyday expenses.
• Conveniently manage multiple currencies without hidden conversions.
• Safely send and receive money from family or friends abroad.
• Keep full control over your transfers through the app.

8. Splitwise

Splitwise is a bill-splitting and expense-tracking app that makes shared living stress-free. It’s especially useful for students living in dorms or renting an apartment with roommates. With Splitwise, you can log who paid what and let the app automatically calculate balances so there are no awkward money disputes.

Key features:

• Expense tracking: easily add payments and assign who owes what.
• Automatic balance calculation: shows who owes whom, with a clear overview of all transactions.
• Multi-currency support: perfect for students studying abroad.
• Groups and notifications: create groups with roommates or friends; the app reminds you about balances and payments.
• Integration with PayPal and Venmo: pay back debts directly in the app.

Why it’s one of the best apps for students:

• Saves time and prevents arguments over shared expenses like rent, groceries, or entertainment.
• Helps manage costs in different currencies without confusion.
• Keeps finances transparent between roommates and friends.
• Makes splitting bills simple, fair, and stress-free.

9. Todoist

Todoist is one of the most popular productivity tools and definitely among the best apps for students. It’s perfect for managing assignments, projects, and personal tasks. For students abroad, this app ensures better time management, keeping track of deadlines, and staying organized in both academic and personal life.

Key features:

• Task and project creation: organize everything by category and priority.
• Recurring tasks and reminders: never miss a deadline or repeating responsibility.
• Tags and filters: sort assignments by subject, importance, or type of work.
• Cross-device sync: access your task list from phone, tablet, or computer.
• Collaboration: share projects with classmates or roommates.

Why it’s one of the best apps for students:

• Keeps studies, personal tasks, and projects in one place.
• Reduces procrastination by reminding you of deadlines.
• Perfect for group projects with shared access.
• Tracks progress and helps prioritize what really matters.

10. Khan Academy

Khan Academy is a free educational platform with video lessons, quizzes, and practice exercises across a wide range of subjects. For international students, it offers a flexible way to review material, prepare for exams, or explore new topics at your own pace.

Key features:

• Video lessons and interactive exercises: explanations made simple and easy to understand.
• Personalized learning: courses adapt to the student’s level and goals.
• Progress tracking: detailed stats on completed lessons and assignments.
• Wide subject coverage: math, sciences, economics, programming, history, and more.
• Cross-device access: study anytime on your computer, tablet, or phone.

Why it’s one of the best apps for students:

• Great for revising subjects and preparing for exams.
• Lets you learn at your own pace, repeat tricky concepts whenever needed.
• Complements university coursework or online classes.
• 100% free access to high-quality educational resources — a must-have app for study abroad.