PhD Application Tracking Spreadsheet Guide

If you are applying to more than a few PhD programs, memory is not a system.

Doctoral applications now involve enough moving parts that even strong applicants can make avoidable mistakes if they manage the cycle from browser tabs, email flags, and scattered notes. A simple tracking spreadsheet will not make your file better on its own, but it will remove a surprising number of errors that weaken otherwise strong applications.

This guide shows what to track and why.

If you want the broader admissions framework, start with the Complete Guide to PhD Application Success 2026. If your process is starting to sprawl, fix the system here first.

Why a Tracking Spreadsheet Matters

Different programs often have different:

• deadlines
• prompt wording
• fee amounts
• faculty norms
• test requirements
• recommendation letter counts
• transcript rules
• waitlist timing
• offer conditions

Princeton’s application guidance, for example, emphasizes using the application checklist and tracking whether required items have been received. Berkeley’s FAQ explains that recommender entries may need to be replaced if information is wrong after an invite is sent. These are the kinds of small operational differences that can create real problems if you are not tracking them carefully.

Your Spreadsheet Has Two Jobs

1. Keep the application process accurate.
2. Help you make better decisions later.

That means the sheet should not only track deadlines. It should also store the information that will matter during interviews, waitlists, and offer comparisons.

Core Columns Every Applicant Should Have

Start with:

• school
• department/program
• degree
• application portal link
• deadline
• deadline time zone
• application fee
• fee-waiver option
• GRE status
• English-test status
• number of letters required
• statement of purpose prompt
• proposal required or not
• writing sample required or not
• faculty of interest
• status submitted or not

This alone will save many applicants from obvious errors.

Add a Faculty Fit Section

This is where the tracker becomes more than an administrative list.

For each program, record:

• 2–4 faculty names
• the research overlap
• whether contact is encouraged
• whether you contacted them
• any response or availability note

That gives you a stronger base for both tailoring and later offer comparisons. It also supports the reasoning in how to contact potential PhD advisors.

Add a Documents Section

Track the status of:

• CV
• SOP
• proposal
• writing sample
• transcripts
• recommendations

You can use simple labels:

• not started
• drafting
• revised
• uploaded
• confirmed

This helps you avoid the common mistake of assuming something is “done” when it is only drafted.

Add a Recommendation Tracker

This deserves its own columns.

Track:

• recommender 1
• recommender 2
• recommender 3
• invite sent
• reminder sent
• submitted

Berkeley’s FAQ notes that if a recommender entry is wrong after an invitation has been sent and the letter has not been uploaded, you may need to exclude the old entry and create a new one. That is exactly why clean tracking matters.

Pair this with PhD recommendation letter strategy.

Add Tests and Records Logistics

Useful columns:

• GRE required / optional / encouraged / no
• last safe GRE test date
• English test required / exempt
• transcript translation required
• official transcript needed before admission or after

These are especially important for international student PhD applications.

Add a Post-Submission Section

Once you submit, the tracker’s role changes.

Add:

• interview invite
• interview date
• waitlist notice
• offer status
• funding type
• decision deadline
• notes after visit/interview

This turns the same sheet into your decision dashboard later in the cycle.

A Good Sheet Structure

You can use one tab or multiple tabs. A simple multi-tab structure works well:

Tab 1: Master tracker

One row per program.

Tab 2: Deadlines calendar

Sorted by date.

Tab 3: Recommender tracking

One row per recommender per program or one consolidated summary.

Tab 4: Offer comparison

Use this later for funding, fit, and program structure comparison.

What to Color-Code

If you like visual organization, color-code only what changes action:

• red: urgent or overdue
• yellow: in progress
• green: complete
• blue: waiting on others

Too much decoration makes the sheet harder to use.

What Not to Put in the Sheet

Avoid clutter like:

• long essay drafts
• copied website paragraphs
• every possible school you vaguely considered months ago

Keep the tracker operational. Link out to longer notes if needed.

A Minimal High-Value Template

If you want the smallest useful version, include these columns:

School	Dept	Deadline	Faculty Fit	SOP Done	Recs Done	Fee/Waiver	Interview	Offer

That is enough to be useful. You can expand later.

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Tracking only deadlines

You also need fit, letters, tests, and post-submit outcomes.

Mistake 2: Keeping information in multiple unconnected places

This creates version confusion.

Mistake 3: Failing to update after submission

The second half of the cycle matters too.

Mistake 4: Not recording the official source page

When policies vary, you need to know where the rule came from.

Mistake 5: Making the system too complicated to maintain

A simple sheet you actually use beats a perfect dashboard you abandon.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use Excel, Google Sheets, or Notion?

Any can work. The best tool is the one you will update consistently.

How many columns are too many?

Too many is when updating the sheet becomes a burden. Start with the essentials and add only what helps decisions.

Should I track funding before admission?

Yes, at least at the level of notes on whether funding is guaranteed, faculty-dependent, or unclear.

Should each faculty contact get its own row?

Usually no. Keep one row per program and summarize the faculty notes there unless your system truly needs more detail.

When should I build the tracker?

Early. Ideally once your longlist starts turning into a real shortlist.

Conclusion

A good tracking spreadsheet is not bureaucratic overkill. It is one of the simplest ways to make a complex application cycle more accurate, less stressful, and easier to manage when outcomes arrive.

That is a meaningful advantage.

Related Reading

• Complete Guide to PhD Application Success 2026
• PhD application timeline guide
• PhD recommendation letter strategy
• How to choose between PhD offers

Sources & Further Reading

• Princeton Graduate School: Apply
• UC Berkeley Graduate Division: Admissions FAQ
• UC Berkeley Graduate Division: Admissions Requirements