Notion for Students: Mastering Notion for College

Leave a Comment / Study & Learning Skills / By
Assignment tracker in Notion for students showing course relation, due dates, status, and priority columns

Notion for students: Want one place to keep syllabi, assignments, readings, and deadlines perfectly in sync? This friendly, step-by-step guide shows you how to build a clean Notion workspace for the semester—with course templates, assignment tracking, and a smart link to your Google Calendar. It’s written for real students, with no fluff, and optimized for search, so your future self (and your friends) can find it quickly.

https://mindlifeup.com/study-planner-assignments/: Notion for Students: Mastering Notion for College

TL;DR (what you’ll build)

A quick Notion for students snapshot of what you’ll build:

  • A Semester HQ page with a Courses database and an Assignments database.
  • Reusable Course Template that auto-creates weekly pages, reading lists, and grading weights.
  • Assignment Tracker with filters (by course, due date, status) + a “Next 7 Days” view.
  • A practical Google Calendar workflow so time blocks and deadlines show up on your phone.

1) Set up your Semester HQ in Notion for Students

In Notion for students, your Semester HQ holds two databases: Courses and Assignments.

A) Courses (database)

Properties

  • Name (Title) – e.g., “CS101 – Intro to Programming”
  • Professor (Text)
  • Credits (Number)
  • Schedule (Text) – e.g., “Mon/Wed 10:00–11:15”
  • Syllabus (File/URL)
  • Grade Weighting (Multi-select) – e.g., Exams, Labs, Project
  • Office Hours (Text)
  • Course Color (Select) – purely visual, helps with views

B) Assignments (database)

Properties

  • Title (Title)
  • Course (Relation → Courses)
  • Type (Select) – Homework, Quiz, Lab, Project, Exam, Reading
  • Due (Date)
  • Status (Select) – Not started, In progress, Waiting, Submitted, Graded
  • Priority (Select) – High, Medium, Low
  • Weight % (Number) – optional
  • Estimated Time (h) (Number)
  • Actual Time (h) (Number)
  • Notes (Text)

Helpful formulas (add as Formula properties)

  • Days Left
    dateBetween(prop(“Due”), now(), “days”)
    (Add a filter “Days Left ≥ 0” to hide past items.)
  • Overdue?
    now() > prop(“Due”) ? “⚠️ Overdue” : “”
  • Focus Score (simple prioritization)
    if(prop(“Priority”) == “High”, 3, if(prop(“Priority”) == “Medium”, 2, 1)) + if(empty(prop(“Due”)), 0, 1)

2) Build your reusable Course Template (one click per class)

This course template is the backbone of Notion for students—one click per class.

A) Quick Info (callout)

  • Professor, email, office hours, location
  • Links: LMS page, Zoom/Meet, shared drive folder

B) Weekly Hub (database view)

  • Link your Assignments database and filter: Course contains Current Page.
  • Create views:
    • By Due Date (List) – sorted ascending by Due.
    • This Week (Board) – grouped by Status
    • Readings (Table) – filter Type = Reading
    • Exams (Calendar) – filter Type = Exam

C) Lecture Notes (sub-database or simple child pages)

  • Template buttons: “New Lecture Note” → auto-title as Week X – Topic
  • Suggested headings in each note: Objectives • Key Ideas • Examples • Summary • Questions

D) Grading & Progress (rollups)

  • Add a Rollup (to Assignments) for Weight % and Status to track completion.
  • Optional Formula:
    round(100 * toNumber(sum(if(prop(“Status”) == “Graded”, prop(“Weight %”), 0))) / max(1, sum(prop(“Weight %”))))
    Label it “% Graded Completed” for a quick pulse.

Now, for each course, hit New → Course Template – Standard, fill in quick info once, and you’re set.

3) Create an Assignment Tracker you’ll actually use

A focused assignment tracker is where Notion for students really shines.

Open Assignments and add these saved views:

  • Next 7 Days (List)
    Filters: Due is within the next 1 week AND Status is not Submitted
    Sort: Due ascending, then Priority (High→Low)
  • By Course (Board)
    Group by Course relation. Drag-and-drop tasks between statuses.
  • Today Focus (Table)
    Filters: Due is on or before today OR Priority = High
    Show columns: Title, Course, Due, Status, Estimated Time
  • Calendar (Calendar)
    Dates: Due. Great for a quick “what’s coming when” glance.

Pro tip: add a “New Assignment” template with default Status = Not started, and a page layout like:

  • Requirements checklist
  • Rubric link
  • Mini plan: “To finish in 3 steps…”
  • Time estimate (write it before you start—then compare with Actual Time)

4) Connect Google Calendar the practical way

For Notion for students, Google Calendar acts as your time map while Notion stays the source of truth.

There are two reliable workflows students love: (Assignment Deadline Reminders with Notion and Email for Students & Teachers, n.d.)

Option A — Time-blocking first, then link to Notion.

  1. Create time blocks in Google Calendar for study sessions (“Finish CS101 Lab – 2h”).
  2. Paste the event link into the corresponding Notion assignment page (add a URL property called Calendar Event).
  3. In Notion, add a Calendar view filtered by assignments with a Due date—this gives you deadlines; your Google Calendar holds the work blocks.

Option B — Plan in Notion, mirror to Calendar.

  • When you add a Due date, also create a manual Calendar event (tip: use the same title and include the Notion page URL in the event description for a quick jump).
  • If you prefer automation, set up a simple “Notion → Calendar” workflow with your favorite automation tool (e.g., when Status changes to In progress, create a calendar event for a 90-minute block). Keep it minimal so it doesn’t break in exam week.

Keep it simple: Notion is your source of truth for content (what to do, instructions, files). Google Calendar is your time map (when you’ll do it). Linking the two with URLs is fast, reliable, and mobile-friendly. (Introducing Notion Calendar: an integrated calendar for work and life, 2024)

5) A 10-minute quick start (do this once)

  1. Create Courses & Assignments databases (as above).
  2. Add Course Template – Standard and one New Assignment template.
  3. Enter your classes (5 minutes).
  4. Add the next two weeks of assignments from syllabi (3 minutes).
  5. Make 3 saved views: Next 7 Days, Today Focus, Calendar (2 minutes).
    Open Notion each morning → check Today Focus → pick 1–3 tasks → block time in Google Calendar.

After this 10-minute setup, Notion for students feels effortless.

6) Smart filters you’ll thank yourself for

  • Hide completed stuff: Status is not Submitted AND Status is not Graded.
  • Show high-impact items: Priority = High OR Type in (Exam, Project)
  • Lighten weekends: Due is within the next 2 weeks AND dateRange(Due) excludes Saturday/Sunday (or just visually skip in Calendar view)

7) Common mistakes (and quick fixes)

  • Common Notions for students’ mistakes include having too many properties and not conducting weekly reviews.
  • One giant page for everything → Use databases + views. They scale better than long pages.
  • No weekly review → Every Friday, open By Course (Board), move statuses, and time-block next week.
  • Forgetting mobile → Star Semester HQ and open Next 7 Days on your phone. Tap to mark progress between classes.

8) Example: a clean student workflow (daily routine)

  1. Morning (5 min): Open Today Focus → choose top 3 tasks → block time in Google Calendar.
  2. Study session: Open the assignment page, follow your mini-plan, and check off the checklist.
  3. End of session (2 min): Update Status and Actual Time. Add any blockers in Notes.
  4. Evening (5 min): Open Next 7 Days → spot surprises → adjust time blocks.

9) SEO extras (for your blog/portfolio)

  • Primary keywords: Notion for students, student workflow, Notion templates, assignment tracker, Google Calendar
  • Long-tail ideas:
    • “How to organize college courses with Notion”
    • “Best Notion template for college assignments”
    • “link Notion assignments to Google Calendar”
  • Meta description (copy-paste):
    “Build a semester-ready Notion workspace for college: course templates, assignment tracker, and a simple Google Calendar workflow to stay on top of deadlines.”
  • Suggested slug: notion-student-workflow-semester-template

10) Copy-paste starter templates (fast setup)

Assignment Types (Select): Homework, Quiz, Lab, Project, Exam, Reading
Status (Select): Not started, In progress, Waiting, Submitted, Graded
Views to create: Today Focus (Table), Next 7 Days (List), By Course (Board), Calendar (Calendar)
Course Template sections: Quick Info • Weekly Hub (linked Assignments) • Lecture Notes • Grading & Progress

Final tip

Perfect is the enemy of done. Start with Courses, Assignments, and three views. Use it for a week, then tune the properties. Notion shines when it matches your brain, not the other way around.

FAQ — Notion for Students

Q1) Is Notion for students good for tracking assignments?
Yes. Create an Assignments database with Due, Status, Priority, and Course relation, then add “Next 7 Days” and “Today Focus” views.

Q2) How do I link Google Calendar with Notion for students?
Use a simple workflow: keep deadlines in Notion and create time blocks in Google Calendar. Paste the event URL in your assignment page (and vice versa).

Q3) What’s the fastest way to set up a semester workspace?
Make two databases—Courses and Assignments—then add a reusable Course Template. Create saved views: Next 7 Days, Today Focus, Calendar.

Q4) Do I need paid Notion features for this?
No. Everything here works on the free plan. Paid plans help with larger uploads, advanced permissions, and big teams, but aren’t required.

Q5) How should I organize lecture notes in Notion?
Use a Lecture Notes template per class: Objectives → Key Ideas → Examples → Summary → Questions. Tag each note by Week/Topic and relate to the Course.

Q6) What’s a good weekly review in Notion for students?
Every Friday: open By Course (Board), move statuses, check overdue tasks, and block next week’s study sessions on Google Calendar.

Q7) Can I use Notion on mobile without losing speed?
Yes. Star Semester HQ, keep views light (List/Table over heavy Gallery), and use checklists inside assignment pages for quick updates between classes.

Q8) How do I avoid clutter and over-engineering?
Keep only essential properties (Title, Course, Due, Status, Priority). Start simple, then add formulas (Days Left) and rollups after a week of real use.

References

  • Intro to Databases — Notion Help Center. Overview of core concepts and how items/properties function. Notion.
  • Create a Database — Notion Help Center. Steps to build databases, views, filters, and sorts. Notion.
  • What is a Database? — Notion Help Center. Introduction to pages, properties, and multiple views. Notion.
  • Relations & Rollups — Notion Help Center. How to connect Courses ⇄ , Assignments, and aggregate data. Notion+1
  • Calendar View — Notion Help Center. Guide to adding and customizing calendar views for deadlines. Notion+1.
  • Embeds, Bookmarks & Link Mentions — Notion Help Center. Embedding a view-only Google Calendar in Notion pages. Notion.
  • Use Notion Calendar with Notion — Notion Help Center. Instructions for linking databases and limitations. Notion.
  • Notion Calendar Settings — Notion Help Center. Options for display, navigation, and week setup. Notion.

Additional How-To Guides (3rd-party)

  • Unito — How to Embed Google Calendar in Notion (3 Methods). Walkthrough with screenshots and caveats. Unito.
  • NotionApps — Embed Google Calendar in Notion (2025). Updated guide comparing embed options and issues. NotionApps.
  • Thomas Frank — Notion Databases: Beginner’s Guide. Primer on database views and workflow tips. Thomas Frank.
  • Notion VIP — Relations & Rollups Explained. Examples of how and when to use relations and rollups. Notion VIP.
Scroll to Top