How to track application deadlines as a graduate student

Learn how graduate students can list, check and follow application deadlines for scholarships, funding and programs, so no date is missed.

By CDings · 2026-10-22

CDings is published by the makers of Raise Buddy and ProductCost, which are compared here alongside other tools.

To track application deadlines as a graduate student, list every deadline in one place, copy each date from the program's own page, and set reminders well before each one. Raise Buddy is one option for keeping track of funding applications, but it does not send applications for you. ^[1]

Option	What it does	Cost
Raise Buddy Free plan ^[1]	Opens programs up to $1,000. ^[1]	Free. ^[1]
Raise Buddy Plus plan ^[1]	Opens programs up to $5,000. ^[1]	$14.99 a month. ^[1]
Raise Buddy Pro plan ^[1]	Opens every program, with advisors' review and AI connection. ^[1]	$199 a month. ^[1]

What you need before you start

Gather the details a deadline list needs before you begin, so each date can be matched to the right program. Keep the name of each program, the office or funder that runs it, the place where you submit, and the deadline in the funder's own words.

Note whether each item is for admission, a scholarship, a fellowship, a research grant or a tuition waiver, because each may have its own dates and documents. Keep your enrollment status, field of study and residency details close at hand, since many programs ask for them. Write down the names of the people who will write recommendation letters and the date each letter is due.

Record the time zone each deadline uses. A single master list, kept in one place and checked each week, makes it easier to see which dates are close and which need more work.

Step by step

Collect every source. Write down each program, scholarship, fellowship and grant you are considering, along with its official page.

Copy the deadline from the source. Record the date, the time and the time zone exactly as the funder or school states them, not from memory or a forum post.

Note what is due with it. List the documents, letters, transcripts, forms and fees each application needs, and the date each one must be ready.

Separate hard and soft dates. Mark which dates are final submission deadlines and which are early consideration or internal dates.

Check the rules again. Confirm that each program still accepts your field, degree stage and residency before you spend time on it.

Set reminders well before each date. Place a reminder early enough to gather missing items, and another shortly before the deadline.

Confirm unclear dates. Contact the program office or funder when a date, time zone or document list is not clear on its page.

Track each application's status. Record when each application was sent, what confirmation you received, and what action comes next.

Review the list each week. Remove finished items, add new ones, and check whether any deadline has changed.

Tools that can do it

Several kinds of tools can help a graduate student keep track of deadlines. Each suits a different part of the job, so check what each one does before you choose.

A personal calendar or task list. A calendar or to-do app lets you enter a date and set a reminder. Check whether it shows time zones and repeats reminders, because deadlines often differ by location.

A spreadsheet. A spreadsheet can hold one row per application, with columns for the deadline, the documents needed and the status. Check that the file is shared only with people who should see it.

Your graduate school and funding offices. These offices often publish their own deadline lists and can confirm dates. Check whether a list is current before you rely on it.

Raise Buddy. Raise Buddy is made by the team that publishes this site. Its focus is funding, meaning grants, loans, credits and prizes, so it is useful for the deadlines that come with funding applications. You paste your website or describe what you do, and it lists grants, loans, credits, prizes and other funding you may be able to apply for. ^[1] It keeps track of where each of your applications stands, but you apply on the funder's own site. ^[1] Each match says whether you can apply, what one step stands in the way, or what is unclear, using the funder's own words. ^[1] The web app needs nothing installed, and the app works on the web and on phones. ^[1] ^[1] Only English is shown for now. ^[1] The Free plan opens programs up to $1,000, Plus is $14.99 a month and opens programs up to $5,000, and Pro is $199 a month with every program, advisors' review and AI connection. ^[1]

Common mistakes to avoid

Trusting a secondhand date. A date copied from a forum or an old post may be out of date. Check the program's own page.

Forgetting the time zone. A deadline set in another country may close earlier in your local time than you expect.

Missing a document that arrives late. Recommendation letters and transcripts often come from other people or offices, so request them early.

Mixing up dates for different stages. An early consideration date and a final deadline are not the same, so label both.

Keeping the list in several places. When dates live in many notes and inboxes, one of them is usually wrong. Keep one master list.

Waiting for a reminder to start. Reminders only help if there is time left to act on them, so begin work well before the date.

Frequently asked questions

How can a graduate student track application deadlines in one place?

Create a single list with one row for each program. Include the official deadline, the time zone, the documents required and the current status. Copy each date directly from the program's own page and check it again before setting reminders. Review the list every week, remove finished items and add new ones as you find them. Keeping everything in one place prevents conflicting dates from spreading across notes and emails.

Does Raise Buddy submit graduate applications for a student?

No. Raise Buddy keeps track of where each of your applications stands, but you apply on the funder's own site. ^[1] The student still needs to read the requirements, prepare answers, gather documents and send the application through the process the funder requires. Raise Buddy can help organize that work, but the final submission is always made by the student on the funder's site.

Does Raise Buddy list funding a graduate student may apply for?

Yes. You paste a website or describe the work, and Raise Buddy lists grants, loans, credits, prizes and other funding that may be open to apply for. ^[1] The list is a starting point. Each listed program still has its own rules, deadlines and documents, so check them on the funder's page before deciding whether to apply.

How much does Raise Buddy cost for a graduate student?

The Free plan opens programs up to $1,000, Plus is $14.99 a month and opens programs up to $5,000, and Pro is $199 a month with every program, advisors' review and AI connection. ^[1] The first three matches in each section open on every plan. ^[1] A guest's search list stops after the first 5 matches. ^[1]

Can Raise Buddy check whether a student is eligible before applying?

Yes. Each match says whether you can apply, what one step stands in the way, or what is unclear, using the funder's own words. ^[1] This helps a student see which deadlines are worth tracking before spending time on an application. The student should still confirm the requirements on the funder's site, because the funder's rules decide who may apply.

Free plan opens programs up to $1,000; Plus is $14.99 a month (up to $5,000); Pro is $199 a month (every program, advisors' review, AI connection). The first three matches in each section open on every plan. ^[1]

Try Raise Buddy

Sources

Raise Buddy's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)