Studying isn’t just a matter of reading books and websites and remembering what they say. There are various ways to ensure that the knowledge sticks in your head in time for exams or that important essay that’s due soon.
Your iPhone and iPad offers a wealth of options, and we’ve rounded up 10 of the best solutions for making your study time more interesting.
1. iTunes U (Free)
Where there’s an opportunity, Apple usually has an app dealing with it. iTunes U is the study aid for all students or people simply keen to learn more. The app offers the world’s largest collection of free education content, including public courses from leading universities, as well as individual lessons and assignments.
2. Exam Vocabulary Builder (Free)
Expanding your vocabulary is a key part of making your essays and exam papers look better in the eyes of an examiner. This app offers a flashcard style approach to boosting your vocabulary, alongside definitions, synonyms and example sentences. A quiz feature helps test your knowledge, plus there’s a repetition mode for speedy memorization.
3. Khan Academy (Free) 
Khan Academy works a lot like iTunes U, offering a wealth of free learning resources. The app provides you with over 10,000 videos and explanations for subjects as varied as math, science, economics, history and more. Thousands of practice questions are available, ensuring you’re set up for any kind of test.
4. Brainscape (Free) 
Flashcards are a great way to learn things fast. Brainscape enables you to make your own flashcards as well as utilize ones already created by other students and teachers around the world. That means over 1 million subjects are catered for here with some diverse topics included. A subscription fee is required to get the most, but it’s worth it for speedy learning.
5. SimpleMind+ (Free) 
Mind mapping is a useful way of organizing your thoughts. It might be a little convoluted at first but it’s a great way of figuring things out and even generating new ideas. SimpleMind+ is an easy to use app for creating mind maps on your iOS device. You can easily add a wealth of different media to your topic, providing you with a great basis for the subject you’re studying.
6. iStudiez LITE (Free)
Studying isn’t just a matter of remembering stuff, but also about managing your time effectively. iStudiez is an app that will track all your time. Simply input your schedule and courses, leaving the app to figure out how best to use your time. By adding your grades, it’ll keep an eye on how your GPA is doing, as well as inform you of upcoming deadlines.
7. WolframAlpha ($2.99) 
WolframAlpha is an incredible source of knowledge and computing power. Think of it as a very smart version of Google. It offers a vast collection of algorithms covering most areas of mathematics, physics, chemistry and engineering. Alongside that is a knowledge base for earth sciences, life sciences, as well as information on organizations, sports and many more subjects. It’s a hugely valuable resource.
8. EasyBib (Free) 
Bibliographies are one of the more tedious parts of a paper to write. EasyBib makes it, well, easy. Simply search for your book or website, or scan the book barcode, and EasyBib does the hard work. It’ll instantly create an accurate citation with an option to use one of over 7,000 recognized citation styles. 56 different source types are catered for too.
9. Photomath (Free) 
Photomath takes out all the hard work when it comes to solving math problems. Simply take a photo of the question and the app dishes out detailed step-by-step instructions as well as the correct answer. It supports everything from simple arithmetic to trigonometry, exponential and logarithmic functions. It’s a real timesaver.
10. GradeProof (Free) 
GradeProof helps improve your writing. It analyzes your work, identifying grammatical issues, and helping you avoid simple mistakes. Looking at your choice of words and phrasing structure, it suggests ways in which you can improve the quality of your writing, as well as pointing out any issues with spelling or grammar. Consider it your own personal editor.