Planning and organisation

Get ready to study with the Study Development team's planning and organisation tips.

Studying at university requires you to organise your time independently and be responsible for self-study. Here are some strategies and resources that can support you and help you to adapt and organise your independent study time.

Jump to:

• Find time to study
• Get ready for academic classes
• Book a tutorial

Find time to study

Managing your time at university is vital, from attending lectures and completing module assignments to making time for personal commitments such as part time employment or participating in social and leisure activities.

Managing your time effectively enables you to meet academic deadlines, complete tasks to the best of your ability, reduce stress and anxiety, and enjoy learning and achieving.

At university you may find you have a lot of free time around attending academic classes. To make the most of this time, use the Study Development independent study planner. You can find this on our Skills guides page under the 'Time management' heading.

On the study planner block out time for:

• All lectures, workshops and seminars over each semester.
• Any part time employment and leisure activities as well as socialising with family or friends.
• Independent study time sessions to work on lecture or assignment tasks for each module.

For example, independent study sessions scheduled on Tuesdays and Wednesdays are when you will work on module 1 tasks. Independent study sessions that occur Thursday afternoons and Saturdays are when you will work on module 2 tasks. Thursday mornings and Friday's independent study time is when you will work on module 3 tasks. Make sure you include short breaks during study periods.

For support strategies on self-study, prioritising tasks and time management go to the Developing independent study skills page.

Get ready for academic classes

Be ready for academic lectures and classes the night before by creating your own home exit station. 

Identify and organise everything you will need the day before for university and pack it in your bag. This enables you to save time in the mornings so you can focus on getting ready, having breakfast, picking up your pre-packed university bag and heading out to classes.

How to create a home exit station

• Choose a location near or next to your front door where you can place your university bag. Make sure it's somewhere you will clearly see it in the morning.
• Look at your university timetable or study planner and identify the night before what classes and independent study you will do during the next day.
• Pack any module folders, academic texts, reading and writing materials, or a laptop. In one of the compartments in your university bag, you can also pack any medicine, a money wallet, a water bottle and house keys.
• Place your university bag at your home exit station the night before.