Application Tracker

Your Applications

Add each programme as a separate row. Track deadlines, document status, and submission progress. All data stays on your device.

How This Works

The tracker uses a single localStorage entry to remember all your programmes. Each row represents one application, and the summary at the top updates automatically as you fill in deadlines and mark items complete.

Days Until Deadline

The deadline counter uses the same logic as our timeline tool:

• More than 30 days: On track (green).
• 7–30 days: Tight (amber). Review your checklist.
• Less than 7 days or past: Missed (red). Still worth applying if the programme allows late submissions.

The "Next deadline" summary shows your soonest approaching deadline, helping you prioritize which application to work on next.

What the Columns Mean

• Programme name: University and programme title (e.g., "MIT PhD Computer Science").
• Degree: PhD, Master's, Joint, etc.
• Deadline: Application close date. If the programme doesn't have a hard deadline, use the last posted date from previous years.
• SOP status: Statement of purpose / motivation letter progress. Not all programmes require an SOP; if yours doesn't, set this to "final" and skip.
• LOR sent / needed: Two small numbers. "3 sent / 3 needed" means all reference letters are submitted. Some programmes ask for 2–4 letters; check each programme's requirements.
• Transcript, test scores, fee paid, submitted: Simple checkboxes. Mark these as you complete them.

Troubleshooting

If the page refreshes and your data vanishes, your browser's private mode or storage settings may be blocking localStorage. Try opening the page in a standard browsing window. To export your data, take a screenshot of the table. To move your data to another device, you'll need to re-enter it (localStorage does not sync across devices; it is stored locally on your machine only).

What Documents Actually Vary by Programme

Graduate school application checklists can look identical across programmes, but the details matter enormously. This section walks through each document type and shows where and how programmes differ, so you can use this tracker effectively without reinventing the wheel for each application.

Statement of Purpose (SOP) / Motivation Letter / Personal Statement

Nearly every programme wants a personal statement, but they ask for wildly different things under wildly different names. Some want a research proposal (what you plan to study and why), others want a narrative (who you are and why you want a PhD), and others want both, stitched together.

How it varies: length (typically 500–1500 words, but some programmes specify as low as 250 or as high as 3000); framing (research-focused vs. personal-narrative-focused); specificity (some want you to name potential advisors, others forbid it); and tone (formal academic vs. reflective personal).

How to use the tracker: Mark SOP status as "draft" when you have a first version written for one programme. When you adapt it for a second programme (changing emphasis, advisor names, or programme-specific context), you're still on the same conceptual document. The tracker treats it as one SOP in progress. Only mark it "final" when you have no more programmes to apply to, or when you're confident no further revisions are needed.

Reference Letters (Academic or Professional Recommenders)

This is the document type that most often derails timelines. A professor's letter takes weeks to arrive, and you cannot submit your application until they send it directly to the programme.

How it varies: number required (2–4 letters per programme, and some are flexible); who can write them (research advisor, coursework professor, industry manager, varies by field and programme); and submission method (some programmes ask referees to upload directly to the portal, others accept emails, and others require sealed letters in envelopes).

How to use the tracker: Enter the number needed first (e.g., "0 sent / 3 needed"), then increment the "sent" count as letters arrive. The tracker does not store the names of recommenders. Keep a separate email or sheet for that, so you know who you asked and when you asked them.

Pro tip: Ask recommenders at least 4–6 weeks before the application deadline. Always provide them with the specific submission instructions for each programme, because portals and email addresses differ.

Transcripts

Official transcripts are usually obtained from your registrar's office and submitted either as PDF uploads or as sealed envelopes sent directly from your institution to the programme. Some programmes want high school transcripts too; others explicitly say "do not send high school transcripts."

How it varies: whether they want official or unofficial versions (most graduate programmes want official); how many copies (typically one per programme, but some ask for three); and the format (many universities now mail PDFs directly; others still use paper envelopes).

How to use the tracker: Order your official transcripts ahead of time if your institution charges per transcript. Once ordered, many universities allow you to request additional transcripts quickly (sometimes for free if done before a certain date). Use the checkbox just to confirm you've submitted them to this specific programme.

Standardized Test Scores (GRE, GMAT, IELTS, TOEFL, etc.)

Not all graduate programmes require standardized tests anymore, but many still do. The score requirements and what counts as a good score vary dramatically by field, programme tier, and country.

How it varies: whether the test is required at all (some programmes waive GRE for strong GPAs or specific backgrounds); which test (GRE for most PhDs in STEM/humanities, GMAT for MBA/business programmes, IELTS/TOEFL for international students applying to English-taught programmes); the score format (the GRE changed its scoring scale in 2024; some universities only accept recent scores, not scores from years past); and how scores are transmitted (most programmes have direct score reporting options, but some still only accept official paper reports).

How to use the tracker: If you haven't taken the test yet, note the test date in your phone calendar separately. The tracker doesn't store test prep milestones. Once you have scores, use the checkbox to confirm each programme has received them.

Application Fee

Application fees range from $0 (some European universities) to $150+ (US schools, top business programmes). Some programmes offer fee waivers for fee-exempt applicants, demonstrated financial hardship, or referrals from partners.

How it varies: whether there is a fee at all; the amount; and whether waivers are available and how you request them.

How to use the tracker: Use the checkbox just as a marker that you've paid (or that a waiver has been approved). Do not store the amount paid in the tracker. If you need a budget view of total application spending, use our cost calculator instead, which separates test prep, transcript shipping, application fees, and other real costs.

Why All These Columns?

You could, in theory, build a checklist inside each programme's portal directly. But portals are slow to navigate, login often times out, and you can't see your whole application pipeline at a glance. This tracker lets you scan all programmes in 15 seconds, spot which ones are stuck waiting for a reference letter, and know immediately which deadlines you should worry about this week.

The tracker is also agnostic about programme-specific quirks. Some programmes want unofficial transcripts uploaded before the deadline, with official ones to follow after acceptance. Others want you to submit your SOP at stage 1 (shortlist) and a different SOP at stage 2 (full application). This tracker doesn't encode those rules. You do. That's the point. It's a to-do list, not an expert system.

This vs. the Timeline Tool

Use both together: Start with the timeline to understand the overall cycle. As you build your programme list, switch to the tracker. The tracker is most useful once you have 3+ applications underway.

Sources & Further Reading

• Council of Graduate Schools (CGS), Publishes the annual resolution on offer and acceptance dates (April 15 for PhD programmes in the US, February 15 for Master's programmes); authoritative source for understanding graduate application cycles.
• Grad School Application Timeline, CampusBreeze, Companion tool showing the overall application cycle and key milestone dates.
• Grad School Application Cost Calculator, CampusBreeze, Breakdown of real costs: test prep, transcripts, application fees, and travel for campus visits.
• Your target programmes' official websites. Each programme publishes its own deadline, required documents, and submission portal. Always check the official site, not forums or third-party trackers, for the authoritative checklist.