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Undergraduate Resources

Welcome to the most extensive resource collection for undergraduate students from around the world. If it looks useful to you, please share it so your friends and classmates may benefit from it as well.

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​Quick Navigation

Finding a University / College

The savvy student’s guide to college education [US]
How do i choose a college? [US]
College costs: Net price vs. sticker price [US]
The 25 best online degrees [US]
The savvy student’s guide to online learning [US]
45 most asked questions about studying in Germany

Top Tip: Attend a University Fair or Open Day

‘Attending a university fair is a good chance to get a better idea of what life is really like at that university, what the application process involves, and to resolve any other questions you have.’ (QS Top Universities, 2021)

​Applications

The college application essay: Part I—Myth or fact? [US]
Do’s and don’ts: What to Include in college applications [US]
What colleges look for from students [US]
The college admissions puzzle: How the 8 main pieces fit together and affect which schools your child gets into [US]
How to write a standout college essay introduction to wow admissions committees at first glance [US]
How your student can build connections at top colleges—Even if you haven’t donated millions [US]
How to write a transfer essay: A brief guide [US]
Why do you want to go to College X? (supplemental essays) [US]
Tips for writing an effective application essay [US]
A match to be made, not a prize to be won [US]
How to write an ACT essay: Step by step example [US]
How to write a college application essay [US]
How to get into Stanford & other graduate schools [US]

Top Tip: Write a Different Essay for Each Application

‘Write a different essay for EACH of the schools you’re applying to. Why do this? It shows each school you’re applying to that you cared enough to spend the time researching and have really, really thought this through. I also think it gives you a better chance at WOW-ing the school and demonstrating why you’re a great match.’  (College Essay Guy, 2024)

IELTS & GRE Preparation​

IELTS listening tips: A common mistake in the IELTS listening module—watch out!
IELTS writing tips: The IELTS writing test: Telling the difference between formal and informal
IELTS writing tips: 4 ways to get in trouble with your IELTS writing tasks
IELTS speaking tips: An enjoyable way to raise your speaking score above 7.5
IELTS speaking recording for practice: Full IELTS speaking test, free sample #1 (with Examiner’s commentary)
BBC learning English
IELTS prep: Is it useful to memorize?
2024 IELTS preparation guide

Top Tip: Don’t Memorize for Speaking and Writing Tests

Never memorize speaking or writing answers, such as a chunk of sentences or a whole essay. Some students think that they can perform better if they memorize scripted answers and use them in the test. Actually, examiners can spot them easily and lower your score.’ (Kuangyan, 2016)

​Choosing Your Major

How to choose a college major [US]
Choosing a college major & minor [US]
What do you want to do with your life?
7 Tips for choosing a college major you’ll love [US]
The ultimate guide to choosing a college major [US]
Four steps to choosing a college major [US]
10 dumb mistakes students make when choosing a major
Choosing your major—University of Melbourne [AU]

Top Tip: Determine Whether Expectations Match Reality

‘Put your decisions in real-world context. Whether you’re attracted to something because of its promise of prosperity or because it stirs you on a deep level—neither inherently right or wrong—experts warn: Determine whether expectations match reality.’  (Gebhard, 2015)

Student Life

​Transitioning In / Getting Started

36 mistakes every fresher will make
Coping with the transition from college to university
Transitioning from undergraduate to graduate school
How graduate school is different from college
11 ways to make the most of your college experience
How to make the most out of your college degree
Eight ways to make the most out of your time at university
60 tips for getting the most out of your college education
Your first year of college: 25 strategies and tips to help you survive and thrive your freshman year and beyond
Top ten tips for surviving & thriving as a student at the University of Adelaide
11 pointers for college success from a professor (and dad)
College tips, tricks and hacks​
Ready for class day one?

Top Tip: Get Help…

‘Don’t kid yourself. If you find you are having trouble with a subject, get help right away. It’s almost impossible to turn a failing grade around with the final exam or a fantastic final paper. As soon as you get less than a solid B average in a class, make an appointment and ask your professor how you can do better.’ (Omohundro, 2024)

​Dorms

Everything you need to outfit your college dorm
40 dorm room essentials to set college students up for success

Top Tip: Don’t Pack Unnecessary Items

‘It’s important to be realistic and not overpack for college. Stick with the basics and make sure to leave room for items like a mini fridge or microwave if needed. Remember that less is more when it comes to packing for college.’ (Omohundro, 2024)

Healthy Lifestyle

Ultimate guide to staying healthy at university
How to balance your studies and social life at university

Top Tip: Make Exercise a Habit

‘Everything’s easier when you build it into your routine. Suddenly you don’t have to battle against yourself to make a healthy choice, instead it feels natural.’ (Jeff, 2024)

How to Beat Stress​

30+ extraordinarily effective ways for eliminating stress
How to relieve stress
The student’s guide to managing stress in college

Top Tip: Reinterpret

‘In the end, our feelings of stress are based on the interpretations we have made about a situation. To change that experience we must reinterpret or reframe it in a more optimal and helpful way.’ (Sicinski, 2024)

​Parties

Ways you can get away with not drinking in social situations
How to have a social life without alcohol
A freshman girl’s guide to frat parties

Top Tip: Know When to Go Home

‘It’s easy to get carried away on nights out. “Just a few drinks” can (and usually does) become many, many more … Do your best not to succumb to peer pressure and stay out longer than you intended either. You really aren’t going to miss much by going home at 1am, despite what you feel at the time.’ (Burek, 2023)

Studying Abroad​

51 free language learning websites that are almost too good to be true​
Student exchange to Europe
A complete guide to the UK for Chinese students

Top Tip: Research the Country Beforehand

‘History, traditions, cultural norms, and fun things to do are a few things you should do before studying abroad. Of course, a Google search can tell you a little about a country. But try picking up a book about your host country’s customs and culture. You can also use social media (blogs, Instagram, Tik Tok, etc.) to help you learn too.’ (White, 2021)

Relationships​

Romance / Dating​

Relationships 101: Having healthy relationships in your first year of college
Are millennials really the “hook-up generation”?
“We can still be friends”: Six ways you can stay friends after a breakup
Girls (and boys) gone wild: Commitment and infidelity during spring break

Top Tip: Do make time for your friends as much as possible

‘You might rather spend Saturday nights Skyping your long-distance bae or cuddling up on your single halls bed watching TV, but uni is also for having fun and socialising with new friends.’ (Cavill, 2018)

Friendships​

How to make friends in college or university
Examples of ways to invite people to hang out

Top Tip: Put Yourself Out of Your Comfort Zone

‘Ask your friends to come along to clubs or other events with you. But even if you’re on your own, just go along! If you feel uncomfortable when you get there you can always leave and you will be so glad that you tried. But usually, club events are incredibly welcoming places. Clubs need new members to be able to build the community stronger and they will love to bring you into the fold.’ (Griffin, 2023)

​Study / Work / Life Balance

Top 15 questions to ask yourself before dropping out of college
Tips for balancing life and study
Can you work and study … and still have a life?
31 things every college student needs to know

Top Tip: Know Your Limits

‘While you may succeed initially, it’s important to recognise when you have too much on your plate. If you’re struggling to stay on top of your studies, you may need to consider cutting back on work commitments or saying no to the occasional social outing. Likewise, it’s also important to identify when you need a break. If you find you’ve hit a wall with your essay or keep reading the same sentence over and over again, allow yourself some time to clear your head. Taking a day or afternoon off, or even just going for a walk or grabbing something to eat, can do wonders for your productivity.’ (Good Universities Guide, 2024)

​Homesickness

Homesickness: Signs, effects & 7 ways to cope

Budgeting​

A practical guide for saving money
How to pay off debt
Financial literacy orientation [US]
What If my family can’t/won’t pay the expected family contribution?
7 money saving tips for college students

Financial help while studying

Managing debt at university
How to save money: 29 tips for Filipino students 2023 [Philippines]​
11 ways to save money on college textbooks
Uni life on a budget: Money saving tricks for students
101 essential resources and tips for college freshmen

Top Tip: Create a Budget

‘I This first step to saving money is to start a budget. Having a budget is essential for students, but it’s important for all stages of life. It’s a great habit to get into and can set you up for managing your finances for years to come.’ (UTS, 2024)

Community​

How to support uni friends struggling with their mental health
5 ways that college campuses benefit from diversity, equity and inclusion programs
Why you need mentors (and why you don’t have them yet)
11 ways to create a totally shareable college experience

Personal Development​

How to break out of your shell in college

Developing Good Study Habits & Skills

General

How to Feng Shui your desk
How to develop smart study habits and improve your grades
​How to improve your long-term memory: The importance of timing and frequency
Mindfulness and meditation
A guide to the SCAMPER technique for design thinking
Two great reasons to throw away the word ‘difficult’
15 organizational tips for college students
Inbox zero for students: How to eliminate 14,625 emails in 1 hour
Test anxiety tips: 10 strategies for before and during the test
How to study in college: Focused preparation
How to study in college: The chip away strategy
Top 10 study tips to study like a Harvard student
Your assignment checklist: 13 steps to help you get a great mark
Developing good study habits really works
21 study habits from the Reddit community
How to get a 4.0 GPA and better grades, by a Harvard alumni
Six research-tested ways to study better
How to mind map for study success
The student scoop on how to get an ‘A’

Top Tip: Review More Frequently

The traditional learning model of learn > assignment > cram for exam is broken! There’s some great tips for improving your long term memory of your studies in this article, starting with ‘Review newly learned information as soon as possible after class!’ (Wong, 2011)

​Exam Preparation

Midterms: What you need to know to succeed!
The ultimate guide to final exams: 17 finals tips to thrive, not just survive this finals season
10 study hacks that will help you ace your final exams
28 tips for studying for final exams
The ultimate guide to acing oral exams
Toughest exam question: What is the best way to study?
The best way (and second best way) to study for finals

Top Tip: Write, Do Not Type

‘Is there a difference between typing your notes on a laptop (or other electronic equipment or using an app) and using a pen and paper? Research indicates there is, and physically writing things down appears to be the winner.

‘It’s a slower task, so students have to be more selective in what they’re transcribing. Researchers have also found that the mental processes involved in writing by hand mean students have a deeper understanding of the material.’ (Murdoch University, 2024)

Top Tip: Take Practice Tests

‘The more you are accustomed to sitting for a period of time, answering test questions, and pacing yourself, the more comfortable you will feel when you actually sit down to take the test.’ (Questionmark, 2014)

Maximise Productivity​

24 unconventional productivity tips you’ve never heard of
4 ways to get more done in less time
9 foolproof productivity hacks for career success
8 ways to boost your productivity

Maximising Class Time​

The Professional collegiate: The dos and don’ts of talking to professors
6 essential campus resources—Hints for wise students
15 proven tips for being successful in a college class

Top Tip: Networking

‘The connections you make in college can be just as valuable as the skills you learn and the knowledge you acquire. Knowing how to network in college can mean the difference between finding a full-time job after graduation and scrambling to find one on your own. You never know who can be instrumental in connecting you to your ideal employer or mentor.’ (Gallagher, 2024)

Beat Procrastination

6 scientific tactics to stop procrastinating
Simple guidelines to help you overcome procrastination
How to stop procrastinating on homework: 30 powerful tips that work
How to cure deep procrastination
How to overcome procrastination—Help and solutions

Top Tip: Recognise the warning signs

‘Pay attention to any thoughts of procrastination and do your best to resist the urge. If you begin to think about procrastinating, force yourself to spend a few minutes working on your task.’ (Cherry, 2024)

Time Management​

How to manage your time and boost your productivity
7 sneaky time management myths (and how to beat them)
How to create the simplest, best to-do list ever
The top 10 time management tips to work smarter, not harder
Which skills should you master?
How to study smart: 20 scientific ways to learn faster
The assignment calculator [tool]
Fixed-schedule productivity: How I accomplish a large amount of work in a small number of work hours

Top Tip: Have a Schedule

‘When your focus is damaged, your learning speed is curtailed significantly, but you’re still putting in a lot of effort. This means you may be putting in the same effort as someone who stuck with a concrete schedule, but you’re learning far less.’ (Young, 2014)​

Academic Writing

General​

Writing academically: What’s the point? (Part I)
8 tips for your academic english writing
Online writing lab (OWL) at Purdue University
Top twenty errors in undergraduate writing
Reading and writing in college
25 ways to improve your writing vocabulary
How to get over writer’s block—17 proven tips
Go with the flow: Use transition words and phrases
Seven simple tips to improve sentence writing in students—Literacy impact
How to write an academic blog
Academic writing course
Thesis writing basics: Choosing an undergraduate thesis topic
Academic language phrasebank
Can fiction and academic writing help each other?

Top Tip: Cultivate Independent Curiosity

‘One burden of academic research is that what makes you feel curious may not hold the slightest interest to many people around you. Your thesis will require you to go to extreme lengths to learn about a topic most people probably ignore. Learn to value and cultivate that curiosity independently of external affirmation. If it’s interesting to you, that’s the place to begin.’ (Dwyer, 2014)

Essay Writing

How to increase your essay word count
How to write a persuasive essay
How to parse a college essay prompt
APA style and MLA style reference comparison guide
How to study in college: Writing an effective paper
How to write dazzlingly brilliant Essays: Sharp advice for ambitious students
General essay writing tips
How to structure a law essay
10 tips for writing a killer essay
Strategies for essay writing
Monday master class: How to use a flat outline to write outstanding papers, fast
Academic genres: The critical response

Top Tip: Create a Word Bank

‘Once you have a thesis, think about your main topic and find words that relate to it in different ways. Then, branch out (broaden, diversify) your list to words that aren’t as closely related to your main topic.

‘For the example above, your primary list might include words like “books”, “reading” and “intelligent”. Your other ‘branched out” list might include “Harry Potter”, “reading by a fire” or “test scores”.

‘This process will help expand your vocabulary over time. Using these words when you write will also make your essay more vibrant (energetic, colorful).’ (Morris, 2024)

Top Tip: Active Voice

‘Active voice, wherein the subjects direct actions rather than let the actions “happen to” them—”he scored a 97%” instead of “he was given a 97%”—is a much more powerful and attention-grabbing way to write. At the same time…” (International Student, n.d.)

Academic Writing for ESL / International Students

Baby steps: 10 proven tips to write better essays in English
How to write better English sentences for IELTS

Tools & Software

An innovative writing tool to make you write effectively and efficiently
Need English writing help? These 10 top tools can save the day
Easy bib—Generate citations in MLA, APA & Chicago formats for your bibliography
Word counter
Streamline your academic writing with NVivo and EndNote

After University

21 ways to make friends in a new city
10 essential strategies to succeed in your first job
Life after graduation: Transitioning from university to the professional world
Starting your entry-level job search
13 ways to transition from student life to working life
an internship advantage is powerful. Here’s how to make it a win-win
what 9 millennials did after college (instead of starting a full-time job)
Is Your college student preparing for the world of work?

Top Tip: Adopt a Learning Mindset

‘Take the time to learn the what, why, and how of projects and processes. Ask questions, but also show some initiative through your own research. Admit to, correct and learn from any mistakes you make along the way. Reach out when you’re stuck but avoid being seen as too needy. After all, you were hired because your employer believes you have the brains to figure things out.’ (Abbajay, 2019)

Further Study

Taking the step from undergraduate to postgraduate study
Transitioning from undergraduate to postgraduate study

References

Abbajay, M. (2019, 22 April). 10 essential strategies to succeed in your first job. Forbes Magazine. https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryabbajay/2019/04/22/10-essential-strategies-to-succeed-in-your-first-job/

Burek, O. (2023, 10 August). 14 skills to help you survive university. Save the Student! https://www.savethestudent.org/freshers/13-skills-to-help-you-survive-university.html

Cavill, A. (2018, 24 August). How to survive university if you’re in a serious relationship. Cosmopolitan. https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/work/campus/a30024/university-relationship-tips/

College Essay Guy. (2024). How to Write a Successful College Transfer Essay 2024. https://www.collegeessayguy.com/blog/college-transfer-essay-examples

Dwyer, K. (2014, 7 July). Thesis writing basics: Choosing an undergraduate thesis topic. My College Advice. https://www.mycollegeadvice.org/blog/2014/7/7/thesis-writing-basics-choosing-an-undergraduate-thesis-topic#google_vignette=

Gallagher, M. (2024, 5 January). How to network in college: Making Connections Before You graduate. Forbes Advisor. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/education/student-resources/networking-in-college/

Gebhard, N. (2015, 2 October). Four steps to choosing a college major. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/02/education/edlife/four-steps-to-choosing-a-career-path.html

Good Universities Guide. (2024). Tips for balancing life and study. https://www.gooduniversitiesguide.com.au/education-blogs/student-life/tips-for-balancing-life-and-study

Griffin, A. (2023). First year feed: Top tips: Making friends. UNSW Sydney. https://www.student.unsw.edu.au/making-friends

Gulik, R. (2023, 6 October). 60 tips for getting the most out of your college education. Academic Influence. https://academicinfluence.com/inflection/college-life/tips-for-getting-most-out-of-college-education

International Student. (n.d.). General essay writing tips. https://www.internationalstudent.com/essay_writing/essay_tips/

Jeff. (2024, 25 January). How to stay healthy as a student. The Savvy Scientist. https://www.thesavvyscientist.com/how-to-stay-healthy-as-a-student/

Kuangyan. (2016, 7 October). IELTS prep: Is it useful to memorize? Magoosh Blog—IELTS Exam. https://magoosh.com/ielts/useful-memorize-ielts-prep/

Morris, R. (2024, 8 May). 10 tips to write better essays in English. FluentU. https://www.fluentu.com/blog/english/english-essay-tips/

Murdoch University. (2024, 1 March). How to take notes and study smarter. https://www.murdoch.edu.au/news/articles/the-art-of-note-taking-what-s-really-most-effective

Omohundro, N. (2023, 12 July). How to pack for college—15 dos and don’ts for your freshman. Little Family Adventure. https://littlefamilyadventure.com/how-to-pack-for-college-dorm/

QS Top Universities. (2021, 16 March). Choosing a university: five essential tips. https://www.topuniversities.com/student-info/choosing-university/choosing-university-five-essential-tips

Questionmark. (2014, 20 January). 10 reasons why practice tests help make perfect exams. https://www.questionmark.com/resources/blog/10-reasons-why-practice-tests-help-make-perfect-exams/

Sicinski, A. (2024). How to relieve stress. IQ Doodle. https://iqdoodle.com/relieve-stress

University of Technology Sydney. (2024). How to save money as a student. https://www.uts.edu.au/current-students/support/financial-help/tools-and-resources-help-money-matters/how-save-money-student

White, S. (2021, 17 July). 26 helpful study abroad tips you need to thrive. Sojournies. https://sojournies.com/study-abroad-tips/

Wong, K. (2011, 19 April). How to improve your long-term memory: The importance of timing and frequency. Princeton Tutoring Blog. https://www.princetontutoring.com/blog/2011/04/how-to-improve-your-long-term-memory/

Young, S. H. (2014, April). The three-step strategy to study hard without burning out. Scott H. Young. https://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2014/04/01/study-hard-no-burnout/

​Updated 8 August 2024