How to Add a Class Schedule to Google Calendar

Quick answer: add each class as a weekly recurring Google Calendar event, set the repeat pattern to match the days it meets, and end the recurrence on the last week of the term. If your school provides an ICS calendar feed, subscribe to it. If it provides a CSV or ICS file, import it from Google Calendar on desktop.

Last checked on June 4, 2026.

Pick the right method

Method	Best for	Updates automatically?
Manual recurring events	You have a simple printed schedule or screenshot	No, but you control it
Subscribe from URL	School portal provides a live calendar feed	Yes, on Google’s refresh schedule
Import ICS/CSV file	School gives a one-time timetable file	No
Canvas feed	Assignments and course calendar items live in Canvas	Yes, but not instantly

If you use Canvas, start with adding Canvas Calendar to Google Calendar. Canvas feeds are better for assignments and dated course events; manual class blocks are better for fixed lecture/lab times when Canvas does not publish them.

Create a separate school calendar

Before adding classes, create a calendar called “Classes” or “School.”

This gives you a clean place for class blocks, keeps your personal calendar readable, and makes it easy to hide the school calendar during breaks. It also prevents next semester cleanup from becoming a hunt through mixed personal events.

Give the school calendar its own color. If you want a more detailed system, use event colors for labs, lectures, exams, and office hours.

Add classes manually

Open Google Calendar on a computer.

Create an event for the first class meeting.

Name it clearly, such as “BIO 101 Lecture” or “Calculus Lab.”

Add the location, building, room, or video link.

Set the exact start and end time.

Choose recurrence and set it to weekly.

Select the days the class meets. For example, Monday and Wednesday, or Tuesday and Thursday.

Set the recurrence to end on the last week of the term.

Add a reminder, usually 10-30 minutes before class depending on campus distance.

Repeat for every class.

The end date is important. If you forget it, the class can keep repeating long after the semester ends.

Add labs, discussions, and office hours

Do not force everything into one event.

If a lecture meets Monday/Wednesday and the lab meets Friday, create separate recurring events. That makes locations, reminders, and cancellations easier to manage.

For optional office hours, create a recurring event only if you actually plan to use them. Otherwise, add them as a note or keep them on a separate “Academic options” calendar that you can hide.

Import a class schedule file

If your student portal gives you an ICS or CSV file, import it on desktop.

Open Google Calendar.

Click the gear icon and open settings.

Go to Import & export.

Choose the file.

Pick the school calendar as the destination.

Import the events.

Then check week view carefully. Confirm times, dates, time zone, and duplicate events.

Important: importing is a one-time copy. If your school changes a room, cancels a session, or updates the term schedule, imported events do not update automatically.

Subscribe to a school timetable feed

If your school gives you a URL instead of a file, use From URL under Other calendars. That creates a subscribed calendar that can update later.

This is better than importing when the timetable may change.

It is also read only. You usually cannot edit subscribed class events inside Google Calendar. If a class time is wrong, fix it in the school system or create your own manual class calendar instead.

For the broader mechanics, see how to sync iCalendar with Google Calendar.

Troubleshooting

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
Classes repeat into next year	No recurrence end date	Edit the series and set an end date.
Monday/Wednesday class only appears once	Repeat days were not selected	Edit recurrence and choose both days.
Imported classes are wrong	File time zone or format issue	Check time zone, then re-import or enter manually.
School feed is stale	Google has not refreshed it yet	Check the source portal for urgent changes.
Mobile app cannot import	Import tools are desktop-only	Use Google Calendar on a computer.
Assignments are missing	Class schedule is separate from Canvas due dates	Add the Canvas calendar feed too.

Make the calendar useful after setup

Once class blocks are in place, add the work around them:

• Study blocks after hard classes
• Commute or walking time
• Assignment deadlines
• Exam review sessions
• Work shifts
• Sleep and recovery

This is where LifeLoad’s view of the calendar matters. A class schedule is not just where you need to be. It is the frame your energy has to fit inside.

Sources

• Google Calendar Help: import events to Google Calendar
• Google Calendar Help: add a calendar from a URL