We have put together a list of apps we think you should consider downloading if you are a student at the University of Plymouth. These include study apps, mental wellbeing apps, budgeting apps, and student deals and discount apps!
University of Plymouth apps:
University of Plymouth Students’ Union app: Our SU app has been designed to try and help students get the most out of their time at the University of Plymouth. Get updates, events, offers, and discounts on your phone! You can also use this app to provide feedback to help us to continue to improve the student experience for yourself and for others.
University of Plymouth app: Full of helpful University information that is easily accessible wherever you are, this is your guide to campus life.
Budgeting apps:
Budgeting apps can help you to manage your money as a student and help you to save in the most efficient way.
Money Lover: This free app works across all devices and allows you to track your money and manage your spending. It will also notify you of any recurring transactions, such as your student accommodation bills, before they leave your account.
Money Dashboard: This app allows you to categorise your spending and shows you all incoming and outgoing amounts on a dashboard chart, making it easy to see what you are spending in different areas.
HyperJar*: This is a free payments and budgeting tool which also has a function for group-shared outgoing costs, for example, if you split bills with your student house mates.
You can read more about what you need to know about budgeting as a student here, as well as tips on making money last here. You may also find our guide to student bank accounts helpful if you are yet to set up a student bank account.
Remember, you can access free financial advice at the SU at anytime.
As a University of Plymouth student, you have access to the SU Advice team who are highly experienced and can offer free, impartial, and confidential financial advice to any student who needs it. This includes advice on budgeting, discounts, travel, healthcare, welfare benefits and childcare costs to help make sure you are getting the best value for money.
SU Advice can also help you to navigate and understand Student Finance England (SFE), including your tuition fee loans, maintenance loans, and if you qualify for any bursaries or additional grants.
Our SU Advice team are here to support all University of Plymouth students, whether they are a new student, returning student, postgraduate or international student: we are here to offer information and guidance to ensure you understand your outgoing fees and available financial support.
Find out more about SU Advice and how they can help you here.
Mental wellbeing apps:
There are some great apps that support your wellbeing, which offer guided meditation based on the latest scientific research. We have selected some of the best apps that are free or discounted for students.
Unmind: Unmind is a mental health platform that empowers you to proactively improve your mental well-being. Using scientifically backed assessments, tools and training you can measure and manage your personal mental health needs, including digital programmes designed to help with stress, sleep, coping, connection, fulfilment and nutrition. Unmind is free for students for 12 months via UniDays.
Balance app: This award-winning meditation app is great for individuals who want to focus on their sleeping habits, reduce stress, and achieve more with balance. Free for your first year when you download the app.
Headspace: Headspace is a 'science-backed app' for mindfulness and meditation, providing unique tools and resources to help reduce stress, build resilience, and aid better sleep. They offer limited free features for you to try. As a student, you can get Headspace for just £7.99 a year.
Forest app: Forest is an app that help you to stay focused. How does it work? When you need to stay focused, plant a free. Your tree will grow while you focus on your work. Leaving the app half way through will mean your tree will die. Stay focused daily and turn hard work into a land of lush forest.
Read our top 10 tips for taking care of your mental health here and where to access support on campus here.
Our SU Advice team can also offer practical advice on taking care of your wellbeing and signpost your to services provided by the university and external service in Plymouth.
Student discounts and deals apps:
Saving money doesn’t always mean having to settle for cheap products and frozen foods you don’t particularly enjoy; there are other ways to stretch your budget further by accessing student-only discounts and deals!
Here are just three of the top sites for student discounts, deals, and freebies that we recommend you look into...
UNiDAYS: UNiDAYS is a discount site and app available for free to students worldwide! Any current student (+16) in higher education can sign up at any point with no cost and immediately access 100s of discounted deals on products and services!
Totum: Totum is the new name for the NUS extra card and is also available as an app. It offers hundreds of UK discounts of top, big brands and small brands. It is the number one student discount card and app giving students access to huge offers from food and essentials, to travel and technology, as well as fashion and beauty, health, and fitness and more!
Student Beans: Student Beans is a global student loyalty network helping students to save money and what you need and what you enjoy. They provide hundreds of student discounts from thousands of stores both online and in-store. Get codes instantly with the Student Beans app!
Read more about these apps and accessing student-only discount and deals here.
Travel apps:
If you plan to travel often, you should also ask about student discounts on public transport, i.e., buses and trains.
The 16-25 Railcard gives you 1/3 off most train fares throughout Great Britain. As the name suggests, the Railcard is only available for people aged between 16 and 25. However, you can also apply for one if you’re a mature student in full-time study, as long as you’re eligible.
A Stagecoach Student Bus Passes in Plymouth offers students around 50% off on bus travel. Browse ticket types and purchase your student bus pass here.
Plymouth Citybus app: This app is a great way to buy tickers on the go and offers everything you need to get around Plymouth.
Stagecoach app: This app allows you to plan your journey, check live bus times and buy tickets.
Great Western Railway app: This app allows you to find and plan your train journeys, access live times, and purchase tickets.
Need A Cab app: Order a taxi, cancel bookings, track your vehicle on a map, get alerts when your driver has arrived, see the name of your driver and vehicle.
Use the UPSU Taxi Scheme with Need a Cab:
If you need to get home from a night out but have run out of cash or lost your card, you can use the SU Taxi Scheme with Need A Cab. To use the Safe Taxi Scheme, ring 01752 666222 and they will contact you when they arrive, making you aware of their car model and registration number, ensuring you feel safe and secure and know where to go. Use your Student ID to “pay” for your taxi ride and collect it and pay the next day from the SU.
Living in Plymouth apps:
Plymouth Trails app: This app turns your phone into a personal tour guide of Plymouth and allows you discover new trails that take you on a journey of our Ocean City’s incredible history.
Plymouth Live: Get the latest news from Plymouth Live, with breaking news, sports, traffic alerts, and what’s on in Plymouth.
Plymouth Active: Book fitness classes and activities, including public and student swimming sessions at the Life Centre and a timetable of Tinside Lido.