Turn Your iPhone Into a University: 10 Apps to Master New Skills for 2026

From Ivy League courses to NASA deep dives, these are the best tools to help you learn anything on the go

By Sergio Velasquez

9 Min Read Published: Dec 21st, 2025

A close-up of a hand holding a modern iPhone in a minimalist room. The screen acts as a portal, with a vibrant glowing nebula emerging from it, surrounded by 3D holographic elements including an ancient circular library, floating textbooks, a small digital globe, and translucent mathematical equations.

If you’re curious by nature, your iPhone or iPad can be your window into a larger world. In this highly connected day and age, you’re basically carrying a university library in your pocket. You don’t need a stack of textbooks or a full course load to learn more about math, psychology, space, or even how to write your first novel. You just need the right mix of apps.

Nowadays, learning lives everywhere: on your phone during your commute, or on your iPad while you’re half-watching TV. Most of the apps below work across many platforms, and almost all offer free tiers so you can start exploring without pulling out your credit card.

Read on for ten of the best apps to help you start learning something new for 2026.