Undated Academic Year Planner:
36 free Word templates

September to August, reusable for any year, portrait & landscape. Works
with Word and Google Docs. Free to download, edit and print.

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Download fully customizable and easily printable academic year planner templates in Microsoft Word format (.docx), running from September to August to cover a complete academic year. 36 designs, all undated, all free to download, with no sign-up required and no waiting for next year's version.
Undated is the point of this page. Nothing here carries a year, which means the same planner works for this academic year, the next one and the one after that: print a fresh copy each September and the sheet is current again. It also means you are not tied to any one institution's calendar, which is what makes these templates useful to visiting faculty, part-time students, tutors and anyone whose year does not start when the registrar says it does.
One thing worth knowing before you choose: every template on this page color-codes the two calendar years it spans. September through December carry a pale lavender heading, January through August a stronger purple one. On an undated planner that is not decoration. With no year printed anywhere, the change of color at January is the only thing telling you that you have crossed into the next calendar year, four months into the academic one.
If you want a planner with the actual dates already filled in for a specific year, that is a different sheet: see the dated academic year calendars for 2026/27, which show every date, every weekday and every US federal holiday for that year. Use those when you need the year itself; use the planners below when you need the structure and will supply the year yourself.
The academic year is not the school year. These planners run September to August, a month later than the undated school year planners, which is the span most colleges and universities work to and the reason a September start matters: fall semester opens the year, spring closes the teaching, and the summer sits at the end rather than being split across it.

Free to download, editable, no sign-up

Every .docx file here is free to download and free to use, with no registration and no email address required. The files open in Microsoft Word on Windows and Mac, in Google Docs straight in your browser and in LibreOffice Writer, drop into the syllabi, course packs and department handbooks you already write, and can be saved as a PDF when you want to send the finished planner out unchanged.

Three kinds of undated planner

The 36 templates are grouped below by family, because picking the right family matters more than picking the right orientation - and unlike orientation, you cannot tell the families apart from the thumbnail. What separates them is how much of the calendar is printed for you:
  • Numbered days (11 templates)
    Every month is numbered 1 to 31 with no weekdays attached, which is what lets the same sheet serve any year, and the 31st is grayed out on the months that do not have one. Best where the date is what people refer to: submission deadlines, exam dates, grant closing dates, invoice dates.
  • Aligned weekdays (9 templates)
    Sunday through Saturday printed in fixed repeating order with no date numbers anywhere, and the weekends shaded: Saturdays pale yellow, Sundays pale orange. Six of the nine run the weekdays as rows across the month columns, so the weekends read as horizontal bands; the other three run them as columns, so the weekends read as vertical stripes. Either way, a lecture, lab or seminar that repeats weekly falls in a straight line. Best for building a teaching schedule rather than recording dates.
  • Month headings only (16 templates)
    Twelve labeled spaces and nothing else, ruled for writing or left open. These are list and goal sheets rather than calendars: what has to be finished by December, what the thesis chapter plan looks like by month. Best for syllabus outlines, research milestones, reading lists and anything that belongs to a month but not to a day.

What to use an academic year planner for

  • Faculty and course planning
    Lay out the teaching year before it starts: lecture and seminar blocks, the syllabus week by week, assessment points, office hours, grading windows and the weeks you are away at conferences. A landscape sheet on a department wall keeps everyone working from one plan; a portrait one drops into a course file.
  • Students and coursework
    A blank year planner for a binder, a dorm wall or a study carrel, with assignment deadlines, midterms and finals, reading periods and lab sessions in one place. The two-page and four-page layouts leave enough room to write what is actually due rather than just marking that something is.
  • Departments, registrars and administration
    Registration and enrollment windows, orientation, add and drop deadlines, exam boards, faculty meetings, open days and commencement all sit on a single sheet, which makes it straightforward to see what clashes before anything is scheduled. Free to copy for every member of the department.
  • Research, theses and long projects
    A twelve-month view suits work measured in months rather than days: thesis chapters, fieldwork windows, grant application and reporting deadlines, conference abstract dates, sabbatical planning. The linear and quarterly layouts show how long a phase actually runs.
  • Goals, targets and progress
    The goal planner and list layouts turn the academic year into twelve labeled spaces: what you want finished by each month, papers to read, skills to sign off, credits to accumulate. Undated, so a fresh copy starts a fresh year whenever you decide it does.

How to use this academic year planner in Word and Google Docs

Each planner is a .docx file that opens in Microsoft Word, Google Docs and LibreOffice Writer, so you can type notes straight in and write as much as a month actually needs rather than fitting it into a box. Upload it to Google Drive and it opens as an academic year planner in Google Docs, ready to share with colleagues for comments or edits. Add your institution logo and colors alongside the existing design, print it on US Letter paper, or drop the finished planner into a syllabus, course pack or department handbook you are already writing. If you would rather block out whole runs of days than write into them, the Excel and Google Sheets edition lets you shade a semester or a reading period in a single action, and the print-ready PDF version is the one to take when nothing needs typing at all.

Terms of Use

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Academic year planners for Microsoft Word
with numbered days (11 templates)

Every month numbered 1 to 31, no weekdays attached, so the same sheet works in any year.
Landscape layouts first, then portrait.
Change to:  PDF (.pdf)   ·   Excel (.xlsx)   
View large imageDownload Template 1: Academic year wall planner in Microsoft Word format, landscape, 1 page, numbered days
Academic year wall planner,
landscape, 1 page, numbered days

Template 1 (Word)
Academic year wall planner
landscape, 1 page, numbered days

The academic year wall planner
Twelve month columns across one landscape sheet, each numbered 1 to 31 and running September through August. Every date is printed for you, but no weekday is attached to any of them, and that is exactly what lets one sheet serve any year. Where a month has no 31st, the cell is grayed out rather than left ambiguous. Wide enough to pin up in a department office and read from across the room.

  • 1 page, landscape orientation (horizontal)
  • twelve numbered month columns, 1 to 31, running left to right across the sheet
  • shows months and dates (but no days of the week)
  • runs from September 1 to August 31
  • undated: no year printed, so the same planner works for every academic year
  • the 31st grayed out on the months that do not have one
  • September to December headed in pale lavender, January to August in purple, so the change of calendar year shows at a glance
  • suits a department wall, a faculty office or a shared bulletin board
  • an editable academic year planner for Word and Google Docs: type your semester dates straight into the days
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 1
View large imageDownload Template 2: Academic year planner in Microsoft Word format, landscape, 1 page, dates at each side
Academic year planner,
landscape, 1 page, dates down both sides

Template 2 (Word)
Academic year planner
landscape, 1 page, dates down both sides

The wall planner with dates down both edges
The same twelve-column landscape year, but with the day numbers moved out to the margins: 1 to 31 down the left edge and repeated down the right, leaving every cell in between completely clear. On a sheet this wide that matters twice over. You can pick up a row from whichever edge you happen to be standing nearest, and nothing printed is competing with what you write.

  • 1 page, landscape orientation (horizontal)
  • day numbers in the margins only, so the twelve month columns stay completely clear to write in
  • shows months and dates (but no days of the week)
  • dates repeated at each side of the page
  • runs from September 1 to August 31
  • undated: no year printed, so the same planner works for every academic year
  • the 31st grayed out on the months that do not have one
  • September to December headed in pale lavender, January to August in purple
  • write full sentences into a day in Word or Google Docs, rather than fitting it into a box
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 2
View large imageDownload Template 3: Academic year planner on 2 pages in Microsoft Word format, landscape
Half-year academic planner,
landscape, 2 pages, six months per sheet

Template 3 (Word)
Half-year academic planner
landscape, 2 pages, six months per sheet

The half-year planner with room to write
September to February on the first sheet, March to August on the second, six numbered month columns to each. Halving the year roughly doubles the width of every column, which is what you want when entries go in by hand rather than being glanced at. Watch for the January column: it turns purple in the fifth position of the first sheet, which is where the calendar year changes.

  • page orientation: landscape (horizontal)
  • year on 2 pages, six months / half a year to a page
  • six numbered month columns per sheet, roughly twice the width of the one-page version
  • shows months and dates (but no days of the week)
  • September to February on page one, March to August on page two
  • the calendar year changes at the purple January column, partway across the first sheet
  • runs from September 1 to August 31
  • undated: no year printed, so the same planner works for every academic year
  • works as a wall chart with both sheets pinned up together
  • open it as an academic year planner in Google Docs and share it for colleagues to comment on
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 3
View large imageDownload Template 4: Academic year planner over 4 quarters in Microsoft Word format, landscape, 4 pages
Quarterly academic planner,
landscape, 4 pages, one quarter per sheet

Template 4 (Word)
Quarterly academic planner
landscape, 4 pages, one quarter per sheet

The quarterly planner with the biggest writing space
Four landscape sheets headed Q1 through Q4, three numbered month columns to each, starting September, October and November. These columns are wider than anything else on the page by a clear margin, which makes this the one to take when a day needs a sentence rather than a word. Print all four in September, or one at a time and swap the sheet as each quarter turns.

  • page orientation: landscape (horizontal)
  • year on 4 pages, three months / one quarter to a page
  • Q1 covers September, October and November, and the quarters run on from there
  • shows months and dates (but no days of the week)
  • the widest day columns of any layout here
  • runs from September 1 to August 31
  • undated: no year printed, so the same planner works for every academic year
  • print all four at the start of the year, or one at a time and replace it as the year moves on
  • edit in Microsoft Word, Google Docs or LibreOffice Writer, on a laptop, tablet or phone
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 4
View large imageDownload Template 5: Academic year planner in Microsoft Word format, landscape, 1 page, linear
Linear academic year planner,
landscape, 1 page, days in a row

Template 5 (Word)
Linear academic year planner
landscape, 1 page, days in a row

The linear academic year timeline
This one turns the grid on its side: the months run down the left as rows, and the day numbers 1 to 31 run across the top and are repeated along the bottom. Read across a row and you have one month end to end; read down a column and you are comparing the same date across all twelve. That makes duration visible in a way a month grid never manages, which is why it suits syllabus mapping, thesis chapters and anything measured in weeks.

  • 1 page, landscape orientation (horizontal)
  • months as rows down the left, day numbers 1 to 31 as columns across the top and repeated along the bottom
  • shows months and dates (but no days of the week)
  • runs from September 1 to August 31
  • undated: no year printed, so the same planner works for every academic year
  • grayed cells mark the days a month does not have
  • reads as a timeline, so the length of a module, project or semester is easy to measure
  • suits syllabus mapping, research phases and long coursework projects
  • September to December in pale lavender, January to August in purple
  • save it as a Google Doc so the whole department can edit the same copy
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 5
View large imageDownload Template 6: Academic year planner in Microsoft Word format, landscape, 1 page, year at a glance, numbered days
Year at a glance academic planner,
landscape, 1 page, numbered days

Template 6 (Word)
Year at a glance academic planner
landscape, 1 page, numbered days

The classic year at a glance, with dates
Twelve month blocks arranged four across and three down, each running 1 to 7, then 8 to 14, and so on to 31. An undated planner cannot line the days up under weekday headings, so the numbers sit in a plain seven-per-row grid instead: quick to read, and honest about what it is. A reference sheet rather than a writing surface.

  • 1 page, landscape orientation (horizontal)
  • twelve month blocks arranged four across and three down
  • seven numbers to a row: 1 to 7, 8 to 14, and so on to 31
  • shows months and dates (but no days of the week)
  • runs from September 1 to August 31
  • undated: no year printed, so the same planner works for every academic year
  • a quick reference sheet for checking dates rather than writing entries in
  • compact enough to hand out to a seminar group or file inside a course pack
  • the counterpart to template 16, which shows weekdays instead of numbered days
  • works the same in Google Docs as in Word, so nobody needs a particular program installed
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 6
View large imageDownload Template 7: Academic year planner in Microsoft Word format, portrait, 1 page, two half-year blocks
Academic year planner,
portrait, 1 page, two half-year blocks

Template 7 (Word)
Academic year planner
portrait, 1 page, two half-year blocks

The portrait year in two blocks
The full year on one portrait page: six numbered month columns in the upper block, September to February, and six in the lower, March to August. Portrait fits where landscape will not: a binder, a course folder, a notebook, the narrow strip of wall beside a door. The two-block split keeps the columns wide enough to write in rather than squeezing twelve across a narrow sheet.

  • 1 page, portrait orientation (vertical)
  • year divided into two half-year / six-month blocks
  • six numbered month columns per block, September to February above and March to August below
  • shows months and dates (but no days of the week)
  • runs from September 1 to August 31
  • undated: no year printed, so the same planner works for every academic year
  • portrait format fits a binder, a course folder or a notebook without folding
  • September to December in pale lavender, January to August in purple
  • an editable academic year planner in Google Docs for anyone without Word installed
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 7
View large imageDownload Template 8: Academic year planner in Microsoft Word format, portrait, 1 page, dates at each side
Student year planner,
portrait, 1 page, dates down both sides

Template 8 (Word)
Student year planner
portrait, 1 page, dates down both sides

The student year planner
A portrait year with the day numbers pushed out to both margins and all twelve month columns left clear. The month names are abbreviated to keep the columns as wide as a portrait sheet allows, and repeating the numbers on the right means a row stays easy to follow whichever side you read from. Sized for a ring binder or a course folder.

  • 1 page, portrait orientation (vertical)
  • day numbers in both margins, twelve abbreviated month columns left clear for your entries
  • shows months and dates (but no days of the week)
  • runs from September 1 to August 31
  • undated: no year printed, so the same planner works for every academic year
  • suits a binder, a dorm wall or a study carrel
  • for assignment deadlines, midterms and finals, reading periods and lab sessions
  • reprint an updated copy from Word or Google Docs the moment the schedule changes
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 8
View large imageDownload Template 9: Academic year planner on 2 pages in Microsoft Word format, portrait
Half-year university planner,
portrait, 2 pages, six months per sheet

Template 9 (Word)
Half-year university planner
portrait, 2 pages, six months per sheet

The half-year portrait planner
Six numbered month columns to each portrait page, September to February on the first and March to August on the second. Half the months on a sheet means roughly twice the column width of the single-page portrait layouts, which is the difference between marking that something is due and writing what it is. Two sheets cover the year and still slot into a binder.

  • page orientation: portrait (vertical)
  • year on 2 pages, six months / half a year to a page
  • September to February on page one, March to August on page two
  • shows months and dates (but no days of the week)
  • runs from September 1 to August 31
  • undated: no year printed, so the same planner works for every academic year
  • roughly twice the column width of the single-page portrait layouts
  • suits student planners, course packs and study walls
  • paste it into a syllabus, a course pack or a Google Doc for your students
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 9
View large imageDownload Template 10: Academic year planner over 4 quarters in Microsoft Word format, portrait, 4 pages
Quarterly planner for colleges,
portrait, 4 pages, one quarter per sheet

Template 10 (Word)
Quarterly planner for colleges
portrait, 4 pages, one quarter per sheet

The quarterly portrait planner
One quarter to each portrait page, four sheets for the year, headed Q1 through Q4 and starting September, October and November. The rows are the tallest of the numbered portrait layouts and the columns the widest, so this is the one for detailed planning a term at a time rather than a year at a glance.

  • page orientation: portrait (vertical)
  • year on 4 pages, three months / one quarter to a page
  • Q1 covers September, October and November, and the quarters run on from there
  • shows months and dates (but no days of the week)
  • runs from September 1 to August 31
  • undated: no year printed, so the same planner works for every academic year
  • the tallest rows and widest columns of the numbered portrait layouts
  • for assessment schedules, coursework deadlines and department programs
  • add your institution logo and colors alongside the existing design, in Word or Google Docs
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 10
View large imageDownload Template 11: Academic year planner in Microsoft Word format, portrait, 1 page, year at a glance, numbered days
Year at a glance planner,
portrait, 1 page, numbered days

Template 11 (Word)
Year at a glance planner
portrait, 1 page, numbered days

The portrait year at a glance, with dates
The same twelve numbered month blocks as template 6, arranged three across and four down to suit a portrait sheet. Seven numbers to a row, no weekdays attached, no year printed. A sheet for checking dates rather than recording them, and small enough to hand out or file at the front of a course pack.

  • 1 page, portrait orientation (vertical)
  • twelve month blocks arranged three across and four down
  • seven numbers to a row: 1 to 7, 8 to 14, and so on to 31
  • shows months and dates (but no days of the week)
  • runs from September 1 to August 31
  • undated: no year printed, so the same planner works for every academic year
  • a quick reference sheet, small enough to hand out or file in a course pack
  • the counterpart to template 20, which shows weekdays instead of numbered days
  • an editable academic year planner in Google Docs for anyone without Word installed
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 11

Academic year planners for Microsoft Word
with aligned weekdays (9 templates)

Sunday through Saturday in fixed repeating order, no dates at all, weekends shaded yellow and orange.
Landscape layouts first, then portrait.
Change to:  PDF (.pdf)   ·   Excel (.xlsx)   
View large imageDownload Template 12: Undated academic planner in Microsoft Word format, landscape, 1 page, days aligned
Undated academic planner,
landscape, 1 page, weekdays aligned

Template 12 (Word)
Undated academic planner
landscape, 1 page, weekdays aligned

The weekday planner with rows that line up
Twelve month columns across the sheet, with the weekdays running down both edges as rows: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and on through six repeating weeks. Saturdays sit on a pale yellow band and Sundays on pale orange, so the weekends read as clean horizontal stripes straight across all twelve months. There is not a single date number on the sheet, which is what makes it usable forever.

  • 1 page, landscape orientation (horizontal)
  • weekdays as rows, month names as columns, so a weekly commitment runs straight across the sheet
  • days aligned horizontally (same days of the week next to each other)
  • Sunday start
  • shows months and days of the week (but no dates)
  • weekday abbreviations repeated down both edges of the page
  • Saturdays shaded pale yellow and Sundays pale orange, so the weekends are visible without reading a single label
  • runs from September to August
  • built for scheduling a repeating weekly timetable of lectures, labs and seminars
  • type course names straight into the weekly slots, in Word or Google Docs
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 12
View large imageDownload Template 13: Academic year planner on 2 pages in Microsoft Word format, landscape, days aligned
Semester planner,
landscape, 2 pages, weekdays aligned

Template 13 (Word)
Semester planner
landscape, 2 pages, weekdays aligned

The semester planner with aligned weekdays
Six month columns to each landscape sheet, September to February and March to August, with the weekdays as rows down both edges and the weekends shaded. One sheet per half of the year, each reading as a single repeating weekly pattern, which suits a teaching schedule that holds steady through a semester and changes at the break.

  • page orientation: landscape (horizontal)
  • year on 2 pages, six months / half a year to a page
  • weekdays as rows across six month columns per sheet
  • days aligned horizontally (same days of the week next to each other)
  • Sunday start
  • shows months and days of the week (but no dates)
  • weekday abbreviations repeated down both edges of the page
  • Saturdays shaded pale yellow and Sundays pale orange
  • runs from September to August
  • one sheet per semester, each a clean weekly grid to build a teaching schedule on
  • drop the finished sheet into a syllabus you are already writing, in Word or Google Docs
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 13
View large imageDownload Template 14: Academic year planner over 4 quarters in Microsoft Word format, landscape, 4 pages, days aligned
Quarter-by-quarter planner,
landscape, 4 pages, weekdays aligned

Template 14 (Word)
Quarter-by-quarter planner
landscape, 4 pages, weekdays aligned

The quarterly planner built on weekdays
The same four-sheet quarterly split as template 4, but showing weekdays instead of dates: three month columns per sheet starting with September, October and November, weekday rows down both edges, weekends shaded. Good for building a repeating weekly schedule one quarter at a time, and for seeing how many of each weekday a quarter actually holds before you commit to anything.

  • page orientation: landscape (horizontal)
  • year on 4 pages, three months / one quarter to a page, headed Q1 through Q4
  • Q1 covers September, October and November
  • days aligned horizontally (same days of the week next to each other)
  • Sunday start
  • shows months and days of the week (but no dates)
  • weekday abbreviations repeated down both edges of the page
  • Saturdays shaded pale yellow and Sundays pale orange
  • runs from September to August
  • shows at a glance how many of each weekday a quarter contains
  • edit in Microsoft Word, Google Docs or LibreOffice Writer
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 14
View large imageDownload Template 15: Academic year planner in Microsoft Word format, landscape, 1 page, linear, days aligned
Linear faculty planner,
landscape, 1 page, weekdays in columns

Template 15 (Word)
Linear faculty planner
landscape, 1 page, weekdays in columns

The linear planner with weekends in columns
The one layout here that turns the weekdays the other way up. The months run down the left as rows, and Sunday through Saturday repeat across the top and along the bottom as columns, week after week. The shaded Saturdays and Sundays therefore fall as vertical stripes down the entire sheet, which makes counting teaching days across a stretch of the year a matter of looking rather than adding.

  • 1 page, landscape orientation (horizontal)
  • weekdays as columns repeating across the sheet, months as rows down the left
  • days aligned vertically (same days of the week below each other)
  • Sunday start
  • shows months and days of the week (but no dates)
  • shaded Saturdays and Sundays fall as vertical stripes down the full height of the sheet
  • runs from September to August
  • makes teaching days easy to count across any stretch of the year
  • doubles as an attendance sheet or a contact-hours tracker
  • September to December in pale lavender, January to August in purple
  • save it as a Google Doc so the whole department can edit the same copy
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 15
View large imageDownload Template 16: Academic year planner in Microsoft Word format, landscape, 1 page, year at a glance, weekdays instead of dates
Blank academic year planner,
landscape, 1 page, weekdays instead of dates

Template 16 (Word)
Blank academic year planner
landscape, 1 page, weekdays instead of dates

The classic year at a glance, with weekdays
The same four-across, three-down block layout as template 6, but each block is headed Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa with the cells beneath left empty. Sunday sits in an orange column down the left of every block and Saturday in a yellow one down the right, so each month reads as a proper week grid waiting for its dates. As blank as an academic year planner gets.

  • 1 page, landscape orientation (horizontal)
  • twelve month blocks four across and three down, each headed Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
  • Sunday in an orange column at the left of each block, Saturday in a yellow one at the right
  • Sunday start
  • shows months and days of the week (but no dates)
  • runs from September to August
  • a truly blank academic year planner: write your own dates in for any year
  • the counterpart to template 6, which shows numbered days instead
  • works the same in Google Docs as in Word, so nobody needs a particular program installed
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 16
View large imageDownload Template 17: Academic year planner in Microsoft Word format, portrait, 1 page, days aligned
University year planner,
portrait, 1 page, weekdays aligned

Template 17 (Word)
University year planner
portrait, 1 page, weekdays aligned

The university year planner
Twelve abbreviated month columns down a portrait page with the weekdays as rows and the weekends shaded. It is built around the weekly pattern rather than the calendar date, which is how a university schedule actually behaves: the same lecture, the same lab, the same seminar, every week of term. No dates printed anywhere on it.

  • 1 page, portrait orientation (vertical)
  • weekdays as rows across twelve abbreviated month columns
  • days aligned horizontally (same days of the week next to each other)
  • Sunday start
  • shows months and days of the week (but no dates)
  • weekday abbreviations repeated down both edges of the page
  • Saturdays shaded pale yellow and Sundays pale orange
  • runs from September to August
  • lectures, labs, seminars and shifts that repeat weekly line up in one row
  • an editable university year planner in Google Docs for anyone without Word installed
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 17
View large imageDownload Template 18: Academic year planner on 2 pages in Microsoft Word format, portrait, days aligned
Semester planner for students,
portrait, 2 pages, weekdays aligned

Template 18 (Word)
Semester planner for students
portrait, 2 pages, weekdays aligned

The two-sheet semester planner
The portrait half-year split showing weekdays rather than dates, six month columns per sheet with the weekday rows down both edges. One sheet per semester, each a clean weekly grid you can build a schedule on and reuse for the next intake without changing a thing. September to February on the first, March to August on the second.

  • page orientation: portrait (vertical)
  • year on 2 pages, six months / half a year to a page
  • September to February on page one, March to August on page two
  • weekdays as rows across six month columns per sheet
  • days aligned horizontally (same days of the week next to each other)
  • Sunday start
  • shows months and days of the week (but no dates)
  • weekday abbreviations repeated down both edges of the page
  • Saturdays shaded pale yellow and Sundays pale orange
  • runs from September to August
  • one sheet per semester, reusable for the next intake unchanged
  • paste it into a course pack or a Google Doc for your seminar group
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 18
View large imageDownload Template 19: Academic year planner over 4 quarters in Microsoft Word format, portrait, 4 pages, days aligned
Quarter-by-quarter faculty planner,
portrait, 4 pages, weekdays aligned

Template 19 (Word)
Quarter-by-quarter faculty planner
portrait, 4 pages, weekdays aligned

The quarterly faculty planner
Four portrait sheets headed Q1 through Q4, three month columns each starting September, October and November, with the weekdays as rows and the weekends shaded. The rows here are the tallest of any weekday layout on the page, which is where the writing space comes from: a full quarter of weekly slots, each deep enough to hold a course code and a room number.

  • page orientation: portrait (vertical)
  • year on 4 pages, three months / one quarter to a page, headed Q1 through Q4
  • Q1 covers September, October and November
  • days aligned horizontally (same days of the week next to each other)
  • Sunday start
  • shows months and days of the week (but no dates)
  • weekday abbreviations repeated down both edges of the page
  • Saturdays shaded pale yellow and Sundays pale orange
  • the tallest rows of any weekday layout here, so each weekly slot holds a real entry
  • runs from September to August
  • type room numbers and course codes straight into the weekly slots, in Word or Google Docs
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 19
View large imageDownload Template 20: Academic year planner in Microsoft Word format, portrait, 1 page, year at a glance, weekdays instead of dates
Blank academic planner,
portrait, 1 page, weekdays instead of dates

Template 20 (Word)
Blank academic planner
portrait, 1 page, weekdays instead of dates

The portrait year at a glance, with weekdays
Template 11's three-across, four-down block layout with Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa headers in place of the numbers and the cells left empty. Sunday shaded orange at the left of each block, Saturday yellow at the right. Use it when you want the weekly shape of the year and intend to fill the dates in yourself.

  • 1 page, portrait orientation (vertical)
  • twelve month blocks three across and four down, each headed Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
  • Sunday in an orange column at the left of each block, Saturday in a yellow one at the right
  • Sunday start
  • shows months and days of the week (but no dates)
  • runs from September to August
  • a truly blank academic year planner: write your own dates in for any year
  • the counterpart to template 11, which shows numbered days instead
  • fill the dates in once in Google Docs and share the finished copy with a whole cohort
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 20

Academic year planners for Microsoft Word
with month headings only (16 templates)

Twelve labeled spaces, ruled or open: goal sheets, lists and checklists rather than calendars.
Landscape layouts first, then portrait.
Change to:  PDF (.pdf)   ·   Excel (.xlsx)   
View large imageDownload Template 21: Academic year planner in Microsoft Word format, landscape, 1 page, lined, year divided into 2 columns
Academic year checklist,
landscape, 1 page, two columns, lined

Template 21 (Word)
Academic year checklist
landscape, 1 page, two columns, lined

The ruled academic year checklist
Twelve months split into two columns of six, September to February on the left and March to August on the right, each month a small colored label with ruled writing lines running out beside it. This is a list rather than a grid: reading to assign, equipment to order, papers to submit, everything that belongs to a month but not to a particular day.

  • 1 page, landscape orientation (horizontal)
  • year divided into two six-monthly columns, arranged side by side
  • each month a small colored label with ruled lines running out beside it
  • shows months but neither dates nor days of the week
  • months lined - use as to-do-list or check list for the academic year
  • runs from September to August
  • September to December in pale lavender, January to August in purple
  • suits syllabus outlines, ordering schedules and month-by-month to-do lists
  • type straight onto the lines in Word or Google Docs and reprint whenever it changes
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 21
View large imageDownload Template 22: Academic year planner in Microsoft Word format, landscape, 1 page, year divided into 2 columns
Academic year overview,
landscape, 1 page, two columns

Template 22 (Word)
Academic year overview
landscape, 1 page, two columns

The open two-column year overview
The same two-column split as template 21 with the ruling removed and the month labels turned on their side: SEP, OCT, NOV stacked vertically in a colored box at the left of each row. Rotating the labels costs almost no width, so the rows here are deep, open rectangles. Take this one if you would rather sketch, bullet or map than write on a line.

  • 1 page, landscape orientation (horizontal)
  • year divided into two six-monthly columns, arranged side by side
  • month names rotated vertically in a colored box at the left of each row, leaving the row itself fully open
  • shows months but neither dates nor days of the week
  • handy for advance planning of the academic year
  • runs from September to August
  • September to December in pale lavender, January to August in purple
  • open space under each month for bullets, sketches or short tables
  • edit in Microsoft Word, Google Docs or LibreOffice Writer
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 22
View large imageDownload Template 23: Academic year planner in Microsoft Word format, landscape, 1 page, two six-month blocks, minimalist
Minimalist academic planner,
landscape, 1 page, two half-year blocks

Template 23 (Word)
Minimalist academic planner
landscape, 1 page, two half-year blocks

The minimalist half-year blocks
Six month columns in an upper block, September to February, and six in a lower, March to August, each column one tall open cell beneath a colored heading. No dates, no weekdays, no ruling, nothing at all inside the space. It is the most stripped-back layout here, and the one that looks calmest on a shared department wall.

  • 1 page, landscape orientation (horizontal)
  • year divided into two rows of six months each
  • six month columns per block, each a single tall open cell under its heading
  • shows months but neither dates nor days of the week
  • minimalist design
  • runs from September to August
  • September to December in pale lavender, January to August in purple
  • uncluttered enough to suit a shared wall or a printed handbook
  • write as much as a month actually needs, in Word or Google Docs
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 23
View large imageDownload Template 24: Academic year planner in Microsoft Word format, landscape, 1 page, minimalist
Minimalist year planner,
landscape, 1 page, months side by side

Template 24 (Word)
Minimalist year planner
landscape, 1 page, months side by side

The single-row minimalist planner
All twelve months in one row across the sheet, September through August, each a single tall open column under its heading. It reads left to right like a timeline while still giving every month exactly the same width, so nothing looks more important than anything else. Equally at home as a syllabus map, a research overview or a year-long tracker.

  • 1 page, landscape orientation (horizontal)
  • all twelve months side by side in a single row, each one tall open column
  • shows months but neither dates nor days of the week
  • minimalist design
  • runs from September to August
  • September to December in pale lavender, January to August in purple
  • every month gets the same width, so nothing looks more important than anything else
  • works as a syllabus map, a research overview or a year-long tracker
  • edit in Microsoft Word, Google Docs or LibreOffice Writer
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 24
View large imageDownload Template 25: Academic year goal planner in Microsoft Word format, landscape, 1 page
Academic year goal planner,
landscape, 1 page, open space per month

Template 25 (Word)
Academic year goal planner
landscape, 1 page, open space per month

The academic year goal planner
Twelve blocks arranged four across and three down, each a large open box beneath a colored month heading. Built for goals rather than appointments: what you want achieved by the end of each month, or the chapters, targets and reading that belong to it. A fresh copy starts a fresh year whenever you decide it does.

  • 1 page, landscape orientation (horizontal)
  • twelve blocks four across and three down, each a large open box
  • shows months but neither dates nor days of the week
  • with ample space for notes under each month heading
  • runs from September to August
  • September to December in pale lavender, January to August in purple
  • built for monthly goals, targets and milestones rather than daily entries
  • suits thesis chapter plans, research milestones and qualification timetables
  • the counterpart to template 26, which is ruled under each month heading
  • type your targets straight into the boxes in Word or Google Docs
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 25
View large imageDownload Template 26: Academic year goal planner in Microsoft Word format, landscape, 1 page, lined
Lined academic year goal planner,
landscape, 1 page, ruled under each month

Template 26 (Word)
Lined goal planner
landscape, 1 page, ruled under each month

The ruled goal planner
Template 25 with writing lines running through each box. The ruling keeps handwriting straight and makes it obvious at a glance how much room there is to fill, which matters when the sheet is going out to a whole cohort or department rather than staying on your own desk.

  • 1 page, landscape orientation (horizontal)
  • twelve ruled blocks four across and three down
  • shows months but neither dates nor days of the week
  • lined
  • runs from September to August
  • ruled lines make it easy to fill in consistently across a cohort or a department
  • the counterpart to template 25, which leaves the space under each month open
  • type onto the lines in Word or Google Docs and reprint whenever it changes
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 26
View large imageDownload Template 27: Planner for 2 academic years in Microsoft Word format, landscape, 1 page, lined
Planner for two academic years,
landscape, 1 page, years side by side, lined

Template 27 (Word)
Planner for two academic years
landscape, 1 page, years side by side

Two academic years, side by side
Two complete academic years on one landscape sheet, side by side, each headed "Academic year:" with the space left blank for you to write the years in yourself. Twelve ruled months run down each side, September to August. For a two-year master's, a research project or a rolling program where both years need to be in view at once.

  • two years on 1 page, landscape orientation (horizontal)
  • months aligned vertically, years arranged side by side
  • list design, lined
  • each year headed "Academic year:" with a blank space to fill in the years yourself
  • shows months but neither dates nor days of the week
  • runs from September to August
  • September to December in pale lavender, January to August in purple
  • covers any two consecutive academic years, since no year is printed
  • suits two-year master's programs, research projects and rolling programs
  • edit in Microsoft Word, Google Docs or LibreOffice Writer
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 27
View large imageDownload Template 28: Planner for 2 academic years in Microsoft Word format, landscape, 1 page, years stacked, lined
Two-year academic planner,
landscape, 1 page, years stacked, lined

Template 28 (Word)
Two-year academic planner
landscape, 1 page, years stacked

Two academic years, stacked
The same two-year span with each year split into two columns of six months and the two years stacked one above the other. Reading straight down compares the same month across both years, which is what you want when you are checking whether year two repeats year one or improves on it. Ruled throughout, with a blank heading for each year.

  • two years on 1 page, landscape orientation (horizontal)
  • each year divided into two six-monthly columns, years stacked
  • list design, lined
  • each year headed "Academic year:" with a blank space to fill in the years yourself
  • shows months but neither dates nor days of the week
  • runs from September to August
  • read down a column to compare the same month across both years
  • the counterpart to template 27, which sets the two years side by side instead
  • edit in Microsoft Word, Google Docs or LibreOffice Writer
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 28
View large imageDownload Template 29: Academic year planner in Microsoft Word format, portrait, 1 page, lined, list design (months vertically)
Academic year to-do list,
portrait, 1 page, list design, lined

Template 29 (Word)
Academic year to-do list
portrait, 1 page, list design, lined

The month-by-month to-do list
The twelve months listed down a single portrait column, September through August, each one a small colored label with ruled lines running out beside it. A checklist rather than a calendar: what has to happen in September, what has to happen in October, checked off as the year goes. Nothing on it can date-stamp itself.

  • 1 page, portrait orientation (vertical)
  • each month a small colored label with ruled lines running out beside it
  • shows months but neither dates nor days of the week
  • list design (months aligned vertically), lined
  • runs from September to August
  • September to December in pale lavender, January to August in purple
  • use as a month-by-month to-do list or checklist for the academic year
  • ruled lines keep entries even when the sheet is shared or handed out
  • type onto the lines in Word or Google Docs and reprint whenever it changes
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 29
View large imageDownload Template 30: Academic year planner in Microsoft Word format, portrait, 1 page, lined, list design (months vertically in two six-monthly columns)
Two-column academic checklist,
portrait, 1 page, list design, lined

Template 30 (Word)
Two-column academic checklist
portrait, 1 page, list design, lined

The two-column ruled checklist
The same ruled list as template 29, split into two columns of six months so the whole year sits comfortably on one portrait page at half the height. September to February on the left, March to August on the right. That matters if it is going into a binder or up on the back of a door, and it leaves more lines per month than the single-column version manages.

  • 1 page, portrait orientation (vertical)
  • year divided into two six-monthly columns, arranged side by side
  • September to February in the left column, March to August in the right
  • shows months but neither dates nor days of the week
  • list design (months aligned vertically), lined
  • for creating lists of all kinds pertaining to the academic year
  • runs from September to August
  • September to December in pale lavender, January to August in purple
  • fits the whole year on one page at half the height of the single-column version
  • edit in Microsoft Word, Google Docs or LibreOffice Writer
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 30
View large imageDownload Template 31: Academic year planner in Microsoft Word format, portrait, 1 page, list design (months vertically)
Academic year list planner,
portrait, 1 page, open space per month

Template 31 (Word)
Academic year list planner
portrait, 1 page, open space per month

The open list planner
Twelve months down a portrait page with the month names turned on their side, SEP, OCT and NOV stacked vertically in a colored box at the left of each row, and the rest of the row left entirely open. The rotated labels take almost no width, which is why these rows are the deepest of the portrait list layouts. For notes that are not sentences: bullets, sketches, small tables.

  • 1 page, portrait orientation (vertical)
  • month names rotated vertically in a colored box at the left of each row
  • the deepest open rows of the portrait list layouts
  • shows months but neither dates nor days of the week
  • list design (months aligned vertically)
  • runs from September to August
  • September to December in pale lavender, January to August in purple
  • open space rather than ruled lines, for bullets, sketches or short tables
  • the counterpart to template 29, which is ruled for handwriting
  • edit in Microsoft Word, Google Docs or LibreOffice Writer
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 31
View large imageDownload Template 32: Academic year planner in Microsoft Word format, portrait, 1 page, two half-year blocks, minimalist design
Minimalist academic year planner,
portrait, 1 page, two half-year blocks

Template 32 (Word)
Minimalist academic year planner
portrait, 1 page, two half-year blocks

The minimalist portrait planner
Two blocks of six month columns, September to February above and March to August below, each column a single tall open cell beneath a colored heading. It is the quietest layout here and the one with the most room per month relative to its size, which makes it a good syllabus overview or a semester-by-semester goal sheet.

  • 1 page, portrait orientation (vertical)
  • year divided into two six-month blocks
  • six month columns per block, each a single tall open cell
  • shows months but neither dates nor days of the week
  • minimalist design
  • with ample space for notes under each month heading
  • runs from September to August
  • September to December in pale lavender, January to August in purple
  • the most writing room per month of the single-page portrait layouts
  • edit in Microsoft Word, Google Docs or LibreOffice Writer
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 32
View large imageDownload Template 33: Academic year goal planner in Microsoft Word format, portrait, 1 page
Goal planner for the academic year,
portrait, 1 page, open space per month

Template 33 (Word)
Goal planner for the academic year
portrait, 1 page, open space per month

The portrait goal planner
Twelve blocks arranged three across and four down, each a large open box beneath a colored month heading. Targets, milestones, reading, credits, the chapter you mean to have drafted by March. Undated, so a fresh copy starts a fresh year whenever you decide to start one.

  • 1 page, portrait orientation (vertical)
  • twelve blocks three across and four down, each a large open box
  • shows months but neither dates nor days of the week
  • with ample space for notes under each month heading
  • runs from September to August
  • September to December in pale lavender, January to August in purple
  • built for monthly goals, targets and milestones rather than daily entries
  • fits a binder or a study wall alongside a dated calendar
  • type your targets straight into the boxes in Word or Google Docs
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 33
View large imageDownload Template 34: Academic year goal planner in Microsoft Word format, portrait, 1 page, lined
Lined goal planner for the academic year,
portrait, 1 page, ruled under each month

Template 34 (Word)
Lined goal planner
portrait, 1 page, ruled under each month

The ruled portrait goal planner
Template 33 with writing lines running through each box. Easier to hand out and easier to fill in consistently, which makes it the better choice when a whole cohort, a seminar group or a department is working from the same sheet rather than one person keeping it on a desk.

  • 1 page, portrait orientation (vertical)
  • twelve ruled blocks three across and four down
  • lined
  • shows months but neither dates nor days of the week
  • runs from September to August
  • ruled lines make it easy to fill in consistently across a cohort or a seminar group
  • the counterpart to template 33, which leaves the space under each month open
  • type onto the lines in Word or Google Docs and reprint whenever it changes
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 34
View large imageDownload Template 35: Planner for 2 academic years in Microsoft Word format, portrait, 1 page, years side by side, lined
Two academic years on one page,
portrait, 1 page, years side by side, lined

Template 35 (Word)
Two academic years on one page
portrait, 1 page, years side by side

Two academic years side by side, in portrait
Two consecutive academic years on a single portrait sheet, side by side, each headed "Academic year:" with the space left blank to fill in yourself. Twelve ruled months run down each column, September to August. For a two-year program, a doctoral stage or a rolling project where both years have to be visible together rather than on separate pages.

  • two years on 1 page, portrait orientation (vertical)
  • months aligned vertically, years arranged side by side
  • each year headed "Academic year:" with a blank space to fill in the years yourself
  • shows months but neither dates nor days of the week
  • runs from September to August
  • September to December in pale lavender, January to August in purple
  • covers any two consecutive academic years, since no year is printed
  • suits two-year programs, doctoral stages and rolling projects
  • edit in Microsoft Word, Google Docs or LibreOffice Writer
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 35
View large imageDownload Template 36: Planner for 2 academic years in Microsoft Word format, portrait, 1 page, years stacked, lined
Two-year planner for academia,
portrait, 1 page, years stacked, lined

Template 36 (Word)
Two-year planner for academia
portrait, 1 page, years stacked

Two academic years stacked, in portrait
The same two-year span in portrait, each year divided into two columns of six months with the years stacked one above the other. Reading down a column compares the same months across both years. Ruled, undated, September to August in each case.

  • two years on 1 page, portrait orientation (vertical)
  • each year divided into two six-monthly columns, years stacked
  • each year headed "Academic year:" with a blank space to fill in the years yourself
  • shows months but neither dates nor days of the week
  • runs from September to August
  • read down a column to compare the same month across both years
  • the counterpart to template 35, which sets the two years side by side instead
  • edit in Microsoft Word, Google Docs or LibreOffice Writer
  • free to download, editable, customizable, easily printable
  • for Microsoft Word (.docx file)

Download template 36

Software and file compatibility

Every template is saved in Microsoft Word (.docx) format, the Office Open XML document format standardized as ISO/IEC 29500.
  • Microsoft Word
    Compatible with Word 2007 through 2024 on Windows and Mac, and with Microsoft 365.
  • Google Docs
    The .docx files open in Google Docs with the layout intact, so you can type into the template from a browser on any computer, tablet or phone without installing anything.
  • Free alternatives
    If you do not have Word installed, Microsoft 365 for the web is free to use in a browser, and free desktop alternatives such as FreeOffice TextMaker and LibreOffice Writer open our templates without formatting errors (OpenOffice Writer unfortunately has formatting problems).
  • Editing on a phone or tablet
    The Word app for Android and iOS and the Google Docs app both open these files, so you can add or check a date away from your desk and print the sheet later from any computer.