Best Tools & Resources for Psychology University Students (Free + Premium)
Whether you're writing your first lab report, prepping for finals, or diving into a dissertation, having the right tools can save you hours and your sanity. This curated list of psychology student tools, platforms, and study aids includes everything from free APA citation generators to research software, mental health support, and even engaging psychology podcasts. Whether you're an undergrad, postgrad, or just passionate about psychology, these resources will help you study smarter, write better, and stay organized, without breaking the bank. Most are free or student-discounted, and all are chosen for their ease of use and academic credibility.
Academic Reading & Article Platforms
Google Scholar – A free search engine for scholarly literature across all disciplines. It helps you find academic articles, theses, and books in psychology and beyond. Ideal for conducting literature reviews and discovering peer-reviewed research (e.g., by searching key terms or authors).
Ideal For: Any student needing to find credible research papers or sources for assignments.
APA PsycInfo (via APA PsycNet) – The premier database of psychology literature, indexing millions of records from 1806 to present. PsycInfo provides abstracts and references for journal articles, books, and dissertations in behavioral science. Usually accessed through your university library, it’s the go-to for comprehensive psychology research.
Ideal For: Students doing in-depth research or a dissertation who need authoritative sources in psychology.
JSTOR – A digital library of academic journals, books, and primary sources. Many psychology journals (especially older volumes and classic studies) are available here. JSTOR offers free accounts with limited reads and extensive content via university access.
Ideal For: Students looking for foundational or historical articles in psychology, or those without access to specialized databases.
BPS Research Digest – A blog by the British Psychological Society that “provides original, authoritative reports on the latest psychology research” in bite-sized, accessible articles. It digests new peer-reviewed studies into easy-to-read posts, often with practical insights.
Ideal For: Those who want to stay updated on current findings or find intriguing study examples to mention in essays, without wading through full journal papers.
Simply Psychology – A popular UK-based site offering clear overviews of psychological theories, studies, and concepts. It’s “a guide to psychology theories and studies, aimed at psychology students of all levels”. You’ll find summaries of classic experiments, developmental stages, etc., written in student-friendly language.
Ideal For: Anyone who needs a quick refresher on a theory (e.g., reinforcement vs. punishment) or an explainer of key studies when revising for exams.
Research & Academic Tools
Simply Put Psych Tools – An independent academic site offering a suite of browser-based tools to help psychology students “save time and reduce stress.” The free version (no login required) includes a fast and accurate APA 7th edition reference generator, in-text citation converter, table formatter, sample size calculator, stats test advisor, consent form builder, and more. It’s ideal for undergrads and postgrads writing lab reports or conducting research who want to simplify formatting and statistical decision-making.
For those seeking more advanced features, Simply Put Psych Premium (£6.99/month or £59.99/year) unlocks 20+ additional tools, such as APA results write-up generators, regression assumption checkers, and sampling method wizards—plus an ad-free experience. Premium users can generate entire APA-style method sections, figures, and formatted output with step-by-step guidance.
Ideal For: Students writing assignments, dissertations, theses or anyone doing research who wants a productivity boost and expert-level assistance.
Zotero – A free, open-source reference manager that helps you collect, organize, and cite research sources. Zotero lets you save papers directly from your browser, manage PDFs, and then insert citations and bibliographies into Word with one click (supports APA and thousands of other styles).
Ideal For: Students writing essays, reports, or dissertations – especially those dealing with many references. It’s a lifesaver for organizing literature and avoiding manual citation errors.
IBM SPSS Statistics – A widely used statistical software package for data analysis in psychology. It’s known for its user-friendly point-and-click interface and is commonly taught in research methods classes. SPSS can run descriptive stats, t-tests, ANOVAs, regressions, etc., and is valued for its simplicity and well-documented manuals. (Most universities provide SPSS to students, as it’s expensive to buy separately.)
Ideal For: Psychology students doing quantitative data analysis – lab reports, final-year projects – who need reliable number-crunching without steep learning curves in programming.
JASP (Free Stats Software) – A free, open-source alternative to SPSS that is user-friendly and produces APA-formatted output by default. JASP was created by academics to be familiar to SPSS users. It supports classical and Bayesian analyses, and even integrates with the Open Science Framework for transparency.
Ideal For: Students who prefer not to pay for stats software or who value APA-ready tables. Great for at-home data analysis if you no longer have SPSS, or if you want to explore Bayesian stats with an easy interface.
Qualtrics – An online survey platform for creating web-based surveys to collect research data. It’s extremely powerful (supporting complex question logic, randomization, etc.) and is often used in academic research. Many universities have institutional licenses for students.
Ideal For: Those conducting surveys or experiments online – e.g., for a dissertation study in social or cognitive psychology. Qualtrics simplifies designing professional surveys and automatically exports data for analysis.
Podcasts & YouTube Channels (Psychology)
All in the Mind (BBC Radio 4 Podcast) – A long-running weekly radio show about psychology, mental health, and neuroscience. Claudia Hammond delves into the evidence on mental health, psychology and neuroscience in each 30-minute episode. Topics range from everyday psychology (like the science of sleep or memory) to profiles of new research and interviews with experts.
Ideal For: Students who enjoy learning through audio – it brings textbook topics to life with real examples and keeps you updated on developments, especially with a UK perspective.
Hidden Brain – A highly popular NPR podcast (USA) that “helps you understand your own mind and the minds of others” by exploring the unconscious patterns driving human behavior. Hosted by science journalist Shankar Vedantam, each episode uses storytelling to illustrate psychological principles or findings – covering themes like decision-making, biases, happiness, etc.
Ideal For: Anyone curious about psychology in everyday life. It’s engaging and great for generating examples or applications of psychological concepts (which can enrich your essays).
PsychCrunch – The official podcast of the BPS Research Digest. Each episode asks whether findings from psychological science can make a difference in real life. The hosts (often psychologists) tackle a specific question (e.g., “Can video games make you smarter?”) by examining research evidence. It’s U.K.-based and grounded in research but presented in an accessible way.
Ideal For: Students who want research-backed answers to practical questions, or those seeking inspiration for research topics – it showcases how studies apply to real-world issues.
The Psychology Podcast (Scott Barry Kaufman) – An interview podcast where Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman talks with leading experts about mind, brain, behavior, and creativity. Topics span from creativity and intelligence to mental health and personal growth. Each episode is like a deep but approachable conversation with psychologists, neuroscientists, authors, etc.
Ideal For: Psychology students looking for broader context and contemporary debates. You’ll gain insights beyond the syllabus and discover names of researchers associated with various theories or findings.
CrashCourse Psychology (YouTube) – A 40-episode video series (about 10 minutes each) that provides a whirlwind tour of introductory psychology, hosted in an entertaining style. “In 40 episodes, Hank Green will teach you psychology” covering biology of behavior, cognition, development, mental disorders, social psychology, and more. It’s aligned with an AP Psych curriculum (high school level), but it serves as a superb concise review for undergrads.
Ideal For: Visual learners or anyone needing a refresher on fundamentals – for instance, before exams or when a lecture wasn’t clear, CrashCourse offers a quick, engaging recap.
SciShow Psych (YouTube) – A channel dedicated to the science of psychology and neuroscience. As they say, “SciShow Psych digs into the science of… us! It’s all about the human brain and how we interact with the world.” Episodes (typically 5–10 minutes) answer fascinating questions (e.g., the accuracy of memories, the psychology of addiction) or explain research findings, in a snappy, fact-filled way.
Ideal For: Students who want to deepen understanding of topics in a fun format. It’s great for sparking examples to use in essays or just fueling your passion for psychology outside of class.
The Psych Show (YouTube, Dr. Ali Mattu) – A channel by clinical psychologist Dr. Ali Mattu, focusing on mental health and practical psychology tips. His “fun, engaging videos make mental health issues easy to understand, and are full of simple, practical exercises to help people who might be struggling.”blog.youtube He covers everything from study techniques and dealing with stress, to explaining disorders and therapeutic concepts.
Ideal For: Students coping with the pressures of university (learn evidence-based tips for anxiety or procrastination), and those interested in clinical psychology – Dr. Mattu’s content bridges theory and self-help in a credible way.
Study Aids & Student Support Tools
Quizlet – A hugely popular online flashcard and study platform. It allows you to create your own flashcards or use millions of pre-made sets, and then study them with interactive modes (quizzes, matching games, etc.). Its free plan offers core features, while Quizlet Plus adds extras like offline access and smart study plans. Quizlet’s active recall and repetition can dramatically boost memory retention.
Ideal For: Students learning lots of terminology (think biopsychology brain parts, or psychology key terms) or revising for exams – it makes rote learning more efficient and fun.
Anki – A free, open-source flashcard program known for its spaced repetition algorithm. Anki is more minimalistic than Quizlet but very powerful: it schedules cards intelligently, so you review information at increasing intervals, right before you’d forget it. It’s great for long-term retention (many medical and psychology students swear by it). There are pre-made Anki decks for psychology topics, or you can create your own with text, images, even audio.
Ideal For: Serious students who want to memorize research studies, brain regions, or any info for the long haul. (Note: It has a learning curve, but once mastered, it’s extremely effective for retaining complex material.)
Grammarly – An AI-powered writing assistant that helps polish your academic writing. The free version checks for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors, catching those basic mistakes that a spellchecker might miss. The Premium version (optional) offers advanced suggestions for clarity, style, tone, and even plagiarism detection. Using Grammarly (as a browser plugin or Word add-in) can improve the professionalism and readability of your essays.
Ideal For: Anyone who wants to avoid losing marks on English grammar or APA style issues. It’s especially useful for non-native English speakers or when writing under time pressure – consider it a friendly proofreader for your drafts.
Purdue OWL (Online Writing Lab) – A renowned free resource with extensive guidance on academic writing. Purdue OWL’s section on APA 7th Edition style is incredibly detailed, covering everything from in-text citation formats to how to format your reference list. It also offers general writing tips, grammar guidance, and even sample papers.
Ideal For: Psychology students must write in APA style, and this site is the bible for APA rules. Whenever you’re unsure how to cite an unusual source or how to format a running head, OWL has the answer. It’s like having a writing tutor available 24/7.
Student Minds (UK) – The UK’s student mental health charity. According to its mission, “No student should be held back by their mental health.” The Student Minds website offers resources on transitioning to uni, managing mental well-being, and peer support programs. They have blogs, support group listings, and toolkits (e.g., exam stress, or how to help a friend).
Ideal For: University can be challenging – if you’re feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or low, Student Minds provides guidance and helps you find support on campus or online. It’s also useful if you’re doing a project on student mental health, as their site has reports and insights.
Notion – An all-in-one digital workspace app that many students use to stay organized. You can take notes, create to-do lists, manage revision schedules, and even build a personal wiki for your course materials. Notion offers a free Education Plus plan for students (just sign up with an academic email), allowing unlimited pages and blocks. Its flexibility means you can design your own study hub – for example, a dashboard with your timetable, deadlines, and reading lists all in one place.
Ideal For: Busy students juggling coursework, research, and personal tasks. If you like customizing your own system and want everything from lecture notes to lab data in one organized app, Notion is incredibly useful for staying on top of things.
