Degree plan template: what to include and how to get one free
Updated on 2026-09-11 · Read 6 min
Need a degree plan template and do not know where to start? In this guide we tell you exactly what data a template must include, the free options that exist (Excel, PDF, online) and how to create one without typing course by course.
What a degree plan template is
A degree plan template is a blank, ready-to-fill format where you organize all the courses in your program by semester or level, with their credits and prerequisites.
It can be an Excel sheet, a Word table or an online app. What matters is not the format, but that it lets you see the complete map of your degree and update your progress without losing information.
What a good template should include
- Academic periods: semesters, cycles or years in columns
- Name and code of each course
- Credits or credit hours per course
- Prerequisites and co-requisites
- Progress status: pending, in progress or passed
- Electives, tracks or specialization paths
Excel or Google Sheets template: pros and cons
Excel is the most popular option because everyone has it. It works to list courses and sum credits with simple formulas like SUMIF to count your progress per semester.
Its limits appear as your degree advances: updating statuses by hand, recalculating credits and remembering which courses were unlocked ends up being extra work every enrollment. On top of that, a spreadsheet does not warn you about prerequisite errors.
- Pro: free, flexible and easy to share
- Pro: you can sum credits per semester with formulas
- Con: no prerequisite validation
- Con: completion percentage is updated by hand
PDF, Word or Canva templates
If your university publishes the degree plan as a PDF, that document is already a reference template: you can copy its structure, but you cannot edit it or mark progress on it.
In Word or Canva you can draw a grid by semester, although keeping credits and prerequisites in sync is just as manual as in Excel.
How to create your template online (without typing everything)
The fastest way today is to upload the PDF or a photo of your degree plan to Mi Malla. Semesters, courses, codes and credits are extracted, and an editable interactive plan is generated in seconds.
Unlike a spreadsheet, the app calculates your completion percentage, validates prerequisites and shows which courses you can enroll in next term.
Common mistakes when using a template
- Using a plan from a different intake year or university
- Leaving credits blank and overloading a semester
- Not writing down prerequisites and blocking courses without noticing
- Duplicating the file every semester and losing the history
Frequently asked questions
Where can I get a free degree plan template?
You can create one in Excel or Google Sheets from scratch with columns per semester, codes, credits and prerequisites. You can also generate an interactive plan for free in Mi Malla by uploading a PDF or photo of your study plan and extracting the data automatically.
Is Excel or an online app better for a degree plan?
Excel works to list courses, but an online app calculates your progress, validates prerequisites and shows the courses available next semester automatically.
Which columns should a degree plan template have?
Semester or level, course name, code, credits, prerequisites and progress status (pending, in progress or passed). With that you can plan your enrollment and measure your progress.
Can I use my current template in Mi Malla?
Yes. If you have your plan in Excel, PDF or a photo, you can upload the file or image and Mi Malla turns it into an interactive plan ready to edit.
Put it into practice with Mi Malla
Import your study plan, calculate your average and manage your studies. Free.
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