How to create a study schedule in high school

Learning how to create a timetable for study is an essential skill to develop in high school.

Consistent study helps your brain retain information, preparing you for university and your future career. Making a study timetable will assist you in forming a positive routine so you can better balance your learning with your social life. But where should you start? Let’s cover the basics first.

What is a study schedule?

When we talk about a study schedule, plan or timetable for high school, we’re talking about the time you commit to learning outside of school hours and how you structure it. This is different to your typical homework time, as it involves revising what you learnt in class so you can commit it to memory.

Having a study schedule will help you feel prepared for exams, where you need to be able to recall facts, figures and theories on the spot. It also assists with avoiding last-minute cramming and stress, which is extra beneficial during exam time when you may already be feeling a little anxious.

How to plan for studying  

There are a few things for you to consider before you make a study timetable that will dictate how you plan your study time outside of school hours.

What time of day are you most alert?

Do you concentrate best in the morning, afternoon or evening? If your brain is most active in the morning, you may want to schedule in an hour or so of study time before school. Alternatively, those who find it easiest to settle into revision after the school day is out of the way might fit in study in the afternoon or evening around homework.

When do you have other commitments?

Whether it’s sport, music practice or Scouts, you likely have other things you need to do in the mornings and evenings outside of school. These will need to be factored into your study timetable. You may have more time for study on some days than others. A good study schedule is about balance. If you have no time for revision on Wednesdays, for example, schedule in an extra half hour or so of revision on Thursday instead.

What kind of environment do you need for studying?

Where you plan on studying may also impact when you allocate time to it. If you work better in the local library than at home, for example, you may need to fit your study timetable around the library opening hours. Similarly, if you work better at home when your siblings aren’t running about the house, you could study during the hours they’re at after-school sport.

Do you want to study on the weekends?

Whether or not you study on the weekends is up to you. If you’re in Year 11 or 12, you may find you need the extra 2 days a week to fit in more revision. Think about your other commitments and whether you have time to unwind after school and before bed, or if your weekends are busy with various events. Make sure you’re leaving enough space in your schedule to switch off from schoolwork or study throughout the week and on the weekend – it’s important to rest and spend time doing the things you enjoy too.

How to make a good schedule for studying

Once you’ve considered all these things, it’s time to create a study timetable that works for you. There are some great study timetable makers out there – it could be as simple as whipping one up in Word, or you could opt to use an app to map your time. You may want to inject a little fun into the exercise and get creative in Canva. Whichever way you choose to create your timetable, following these simple steps will help make it one you actually stick to:

1. Create a table of your week, where the top row is either Monday – Friday or Monday – Sunday (depending on whether you intend to study on weekends). In the left-hand column, use a row per hour from the time you typically wake up until the time you go to bed.
2. Start by filling in the cells with your school timetable – enter in the times you have classes, followed by your extracurricular activities and commitments like piano lessons, soccer practice, worship, etc.
3. Don’t forget about meal and break times! Put in school recess and lunch. If your family always have dinner at a particular time, pop that in too. Even if you don’t have regular mealtimes, try to schedule this in anyway – it’s important to ensure your body (and brain) stay fuelled and healthy; otherwise, you won’t retain any of the information you’re studying.
4. Allocate time to homework each day. Your teachers will be able to provide you with guidance on how much time you should be spending on homework for your subjects. Remember that subjects you find more challenging than others may require more time.
5. Looking at your timetable, you may now be wondering when on earth you’ll have time for study. Don’t try and wedge two hours of study in at 10pm on a weeknight (unless you’re a certified night owl 🦉 who thrives during the moonlit hours). Start with short study sessions – a half hour one morning, twenty minutes the next afternoon, etc. – and work your way up to longer periods as you get in the swing of it. Remember you can make use of the weekends if your weekdays are quite full.

You should now have a shiny new study timetable to trial. It might look something a bit like this:

However, everyone’s study timetable will be different, as it’s meant to work for YOU. Your teachers will make recommendations on how long you spend on homework and study each day based on your year level and subjects, so it’s always best to check in with them for guidance.

Once you’ve created your study schedule and you’re ready to get stuck into revision, read up on how to create good study habits, and delve into our tips on how to study each of your high school subjects so you can ace your exams.