11 Best YouTube Channels for Students [Study Better in 2023]

The information you consume as a student will change your later success as a professional.

You don't want to consume "junk food" videos. But how can you find those too few channels that actually help students succeed?

As a business student, I didn't have a lot of time to spend watching YouTube.

Sometimes though, I needed that relief from schoolwork, and I found a few channels that quite surprisingly, helped me become a better student.

These are the channels you will see below.

The difference between "time wasters" and helpful YouTube videos

Research suggests it’s often easier to concentrate and learn from video content rather than reading a textbook. While this isn’t an excuse to give up on reading, it is worth browsing through the 114 million active YouTube channels available.

YouTube has greatly benefited me as a writer—and it can be similarly advantageous for you as a student. After all, we both must write, research, read, analyze, and motivate ourselves to complete assignments before a deadline. 

If you’re someone who uses the platform to listen to music and watch funny cat videos, I recommend you take some time to check out some of the best YouTube channels for students I’ve found. From learning how to effectively manage my time to getting inspired by talks from successful writers on how to move past writer’s block, I’ve found these channels have a meaningful impact on my writing practice, and they could help you too. 

1. TED-Ed

Have you ever wondered if it’s ethical to get rid of mosquitoes? Or why the only solution to treating a common cold is rest and hydration? 

The makers of TED Talks have created the channel TED-Ed as an educational initiative specifically for young people. The channel has a range of animated videos designed to feed your curiosity.

These fun, lighthearted videos don’t just cover random thoughts, however. There are plenty of practical, everyday answers, such as how to manage emotions or why your jeans wear out so quickly (definitely worth knowing!). 

The videos are all under ten minutes long, making it easy to digest lots of bite-size pieces of knowledge.

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2. Wordtune

AI (artificial intelligence) is transforming learning and writing. This article you are reading, for instance, was co-written with Wordtune. We wrote about our process of writing Youtube scripts, and that also features AI writing tips.

Wordtune’s AI technology corrects spelling and grammar in addition to offering wording suggestions to make your sentences more concise and compelling. Rather than replacing text with machine-generated content—which isn’t going to help you learn anything—our AI tools offer a range of options for you to choose from to enhance your writing.

The Wordtune Youtube channel includes easy-to-follow videos to search you how Wordtune can improve your writing. Discover, for example, how the Wordtune Editor’s Spices feature can make writing faster and easier.

We also publish helpful writing tips, such as easy exercises that can improve your writing and how to avoid plagiarism.

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3. Crash Course

Education is highly valuable, but sometimes it misses out on key life knowledge. For instance, no one told me how to transition from being a student to having a full-time job. 

Crash Course creates educational videos on different subjects such as literature, world history, biology, theater, and philosophy. As a student, there is plenty of life wisdom to absorb. Learn how to manage finances, for example, and balance a job while studying.

The channel has an excellent ten-week series on study skills which provides tips on note-taking and getting organized.

Launched in 2012 by brothers Hank and John Green (you might also recognize John as the author of The Fault in Our Stars), Crash Course was one of the first 100 channels of YouTube’s $100-million-dollar original channel initiative. If you really find learning from Crash Course is up your alley, the channel has even partnered with Arizona State University to offer online courses for college credit.\

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4. Ali Abdaal

Ali describes himself as a former doctor turned entrepreneur. After graduating, he worked as a doctor for two years before focusing solely on his YouTube channel, his podcast, and his company, 6med. Each year, 6med helps students apply to medical school and pass exams.

To further prove Ali’s credibility, his video, “How I ranked 1st at Cambridge University” has over a million views.

If you’re interested in study and productivity tips, join Ali’s 4 million subscribers. As well as documenting his financial success, Ali produces videos on how to stop overthinking. He also produces book recommendations and study tips that can help you succeed in your exams.

Videos are uploaded on a weekly basis, but there are already more than 600 videos to catch up on.

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5. Self Publishing TV

It’s estimated that there is only a 1-2% chance of getting published with a traditional publisher. With such low statistics, Self Publishing TV offers a solution to publishing your work by yourself.

In each video, accomplished authors talk on topics related to producing and selling your own book. You can find advice on character development, sales and marketing, writing a screenplay, and how to write a first draft.

In 2022 the channel’s creator, Chandler Bolt, was listed on Forbes’ 30 Under 30, a yearly list of the most successful entrepreneurs and leaders in their fields under the age of 30. Chandler has helped thousands of authors write and publish their own books.

Even if you’re not interested in becoming an author, Self Publishing TV has lots of guidance for students. Learn, for instance, how to grow your social media to promote your work and build an email list.

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6. Blogilates

Studies show that exercise boosts memory, concentration, and problem-solving. But with assignments to juggle, gym memberships that cost an arm and a leg, and potential neighbors downstairs, it can be a slog to work out as a student. 

If you struggle to find ways to get moving, Blogilates has over a thousand exercises and healthy eating videos. The channel’s creator, Cassey Ho, is one of the most well-known fitness YouTubers with 8 million subscribers.

Cassey is a certified Pilates and fitness instructor who has the credentials to teach you how to correctly position yourself during different exercise moves. This will help avoid injuries that could result from following workouts designed by those who aren’t certified fitness experts.

As a bonus, most of Cassey’s workouts don’t require jumping or loud cardio moves, which makes them convenient for dorms. You can also find tips on budget-friendly healthy eating.

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7. Dr Amina Yonis

Dr. Amina Yonis has taught and lectured hundreds of students. She is a cancer researcher and runs an academic proofreading company.

On her channel, Amina shares lots of advice that helped her to complete her studies at four top universities. The channel stands out for me because of its detailed, academic tips.

For instance, Amina shares a resourceful guide on the outline she used to get top marks in all of her university essays. She also uncovers all the steps required to conduct research, how to paraphrase without plagiarizing, and how to read a paper quickly and effectively. 

In addition, the channel covers studying tips and shares advice on how to revise during Ramadan. Some popular videos include “Easy Harvard Referencing” and “How to Trick Your Brain to Learn.”

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8. Motivation2Study

You have a deadline coming up, so you know you need to study. But you just can’t find the motivation to absorb more information or do more research. Sound familiar? This is one of those moments where the duties of a professional copywriter overlap with the duties of a student, so here’s a recc from my personal toolkit.

Motivation2Study posts inspirational videos to stop procrastination, worry and stress. The channel also focuses on mental health awareness for students.

Most of the videos are from keynote speakers who share critical lessons they’ve learned that have changed their lives. As I listen to inspiring advice and uplifting music from this channel, I’m reminded to relax and not panic. This is particularly helpful when I’m stressing over writer’s block. 

My top recommendation from Motivation2Study is “Stop Wasting Time” by Ed Mylett, a global keynote speaker and one of the youngest CEO marketing directors to join World Financial Group. 

The video offers practical advice on relatable issues. For instance, Ed describes how it’s human nature to avoid pain, which causes people to procrastinate and do their most difficult tasks last. He shares how we can extend our capacity and manage our work better by doing the toughest assignments first.

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9. Talks at Google

Google’s YouTube channel is filled with inspiring and helpful content for students and writers. 

If you struggle to focus in class, I recommend watching Dr. Gloria Mark’s talk on attention spam. Gloria is Chancellor Professor of Informatics at the University of California and is a visiting senior researcher at Microsoft Research.

If you want to brush up on your writing skills, lots of successful writers, including best-selling author Vanessa O'Loughlin (pen name “Sam Blake”), provide writing tips such as how to develop characters and a plot. You’ll also find a pep talk for when you’re struggling to find words from Grant Faulkner, the executive director of National Novel Writing Month.

Plus, Talks at Google has over 5,000 interviews on other useful topics for uni life such as cooking recipes. Although there is a lot of content to scroll through, Google has organized its channel videos into different playlists so you can quickly find what you’re after. 

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10. EnglishClass101

If you’re an international student, you might be considering ways to brush up on your English language skills. EnglishClass101.com will make learning English fast, easy, and fun. Whether you are a beginner or a longtime ESL speaker, you can find practical ways to improve your skills as you navigate uni life. 

Look out for the free gifts available from the channel, including ebooks, courses, and printable worksheets.  New videos are posted weekly, so you have plenty of content to choose from.

For tips on improving your English writing, you can also check out our resourceful guide for non-native English speakers. Wordtune can be highly beneficial for you, as our AI technology suggests ways to improve your vocabulary.

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11. Terrible Writing Advice

If you have a sarcastic sense of humor, you’re going to love this channel. Terrible Writing Advice creates funny animated videos on writing tips and ideas. Each video has a reminder and a nugget of wisdom to digest at the end.

For example, a video on writer’s block makes a lighthearted joke at the pressure we put on ourselves to always have something inspiring and interesting to write. The video overall reminds us that it’s normal to have moments of self-doubt and uncertainty. 

The channel covers all sorts of writing issues, from trying to be original, knowing how to start and end a story, to how to handle criticism of your work. 

The creator, J.P. Beaubien, is an author and a member of the Knoxville Writers Guild. He created the channel after becoming frustrated with the amount of inadequate and incorrect writing tips he came across online. Over 400,000 people are subscribed to the channel, which releases a new video each month.

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Conclusion

Thanks to YouTube, we don’t need to go to the gym, join a language class, or pay to listen to an inspirational speaker. When you want to take a break from studying or gain some useful advice, head to one of these YouTube channels to enjoy high-quality content. 

Out of the best YouTube channels for students, which one will you visit first?