MATLAB and Simulink for Students :school: :books: :computer: [](https://awesome.re) [](https://matlab.mathworks.com/open/github/v1?repo=mathworks/awesome-matlab-students)

May 5, 2026 · View on GitHub

logo

MATLAB and Simulink for Students :school: :books: :computer: Awesome Open in MATLAB Online

Are you a new MATLAB user seeking helpful tips and tricks? Are you a member of a student society in search of engaging workshops? Or perhaps you're looking for opportunities to test your MATLAB skills through student competitions or challenges? Look no further! Our awesome list repository below is a resource that caters to all these needs. Whether you're starting from scratch or aiming to enhance your existing knowledge, you'll find a wealth of information to help you learn MATLAB and make progress on your journey as a student. Explore the repository now and unlock the potential of MATLAB! Follow us on Instagram for more student resources, events, and competitions! @matlab_students 📸

Table of Contents

📋 MATLAB Resources List

This table includes some of the most important and highlighted resources in the repository. If you're short on time, use this as a quick reference and explore the rest of the repo for more detailed information.

What is MATLAB and Simulink?
mlsimulink Getting Started Onramps

MATLAB Cheat Sheets

MATLAB Basic Functions

 MATLAB's YouTube How-To Playlist
    Short videos from MathWorks’ engineers on how to solve some of the most common tasks for your project
  • Watch the Videos
MATLAB and Simulink examples for Students membrane Student Lounge Blog
MATLAB Central's File Exchange
tetris
MATLAB Answers
Videos and Tutorials for Student Projects
Try MATLAB Online or MATLAB Mobile
Connect to Hardware using MATLAB
Join our MATLAB Communities and follow us on Social Media
Tune in to a Live Event or Webinar
MATLAB and Simulink Books
Student Programs: Explore MathWorks Student Programs
    MathWorks Student Programs offers students an opportunity to participate in competitions, hackathons, and challenges, as well as access resources, project ideas, and career opportunities.

  • Explore Student Programs Here!
Participate in the RoboCup Arm Challenge Competition 2026!
    Calling all robotics students! Participate in the RoboCup ARM challenge for a chance to attend the 2026 RoboCup finals in Incheon, South Korea, along with getting certified for developing skills in algorithm development for robot manipulation. The challenge is live, and registration runs through April 24th. For more information, visit the challenge website.

  • Join the competition!
Generative AI with MATLAB & Simulink

Quick Start Guide for New MATLAB Users

New to MATLAB? Follow these steps to go from zero to running your first programs. Each step links to the best resource for that topic.

Step 1 — Get MATLAB

Before writing any code, you need access to MATLAB.

Option Link 🎓 Check if your school provides free access Student License Page 🌐 Use MATLAB in your browser (no install needed) MATLAB Online 📱 Use MATLAB on your phone or tablet MATLAB Mobile

Step 2 — Learn the MATLAB Interface

Get familiar with MATLAB Desktop: the Command Window, Workspace, Editor, and File Browser are the four areas you'll use most.

Resource Link 📺 Getting Started with MATLAB (10 min video) Watch 📄 Official "Get Started" Documentation Read ⌨️ Keyboard Shortcuts Cheat Sheet View

Step 3 — Take the Free MATLAB Onramp (2 Hours)

This is the single best way to learn MATLAB from scratch. It's free, self-paced, and interactive.

Course Duration Link 🟠 MATLAB Onramp ~2 hours Start

Once you finish the Onramp, explore the full course catalog for topics like Machine Learning, Signal Processing, and more.

Step 4 — Learn Essential Commands and Concepts

These are the core building blocks every MATLAB user needs to know. Use the cheat sheets and documentation links below as references.

📐 Variables and Basic Math

x = 5;                  % Assign a variable (semicolon suppresses output)
y = x^2 + 3*x - 1;     % Basic arithmetic
disp(y)                 % Display a value

📎 Reference: MATLAB Basic Functions Cheat Sheet

📊 Vectors and Matrices

MATLAB is built around matrices — understanding them is essential.

v = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5];       % Row vector
A = [1 2; 3 4];             % 2x2 matrix
A'                          % Transpose
A * A                       % Matrix multiplication
size(A)                     % Dimensions of A

📎 Reference: MATLAB Documentation – Arrays

📈 Plotting

Visualization is one of MATLAB's greatest strengths. Start with plot and build up from there.

x = 0:0.1:2*pi;
y = sin(x);
plot(x, y)
xlabel('x')
ylabel('sin(x)')
title('My First Plot')
grid on
Resource Link 📄 MATLAB Visualization Cheat Sheet View 🎨 MATLAB Plot Gallery (examples for every chart type) Explore 📺 How-To: Basic Plotting Video Watch

🔁 Control Flow (Loops and Conditionals)

% For loop
for i = 1:5
    disp(i)
end

% If/else
x = 10;
if x > 5
    disp('Greater than 5')
else
    disp('5 or less')
end

% While loop
n = 1;
while n < 10
    n = n * 2;
    disp(n)   % Shows each value: 2, 4, 8, 16
end
% Loop stops when n = 16, because 16 is not < 10

📎 Reference: Control Flow Documentation

🔧 Writing Functions

Functions keep your code organized and reusable. Save each function in its own .m file with a matching name.

% Save this as mySquare.m
function result = mySquare(x)
    % ^ is matrix power (requires square matrices)
    % .^ is element-wise power (works on arrays of any shape)
    result = x .^ 2;
end

Call it from the Command Window or a separate script:

mySquare(4)           % Returns 16
mySquare([1 2 3])     % Returns [1 4 9] — this is why .^ matters

Note: Include the end keyword when defining functions inside scripts or when using multiple functions in one file. It’s also good practice for consistency.

📎 Reference: Functions Documentation

📂 Importing and Exporting Data

% Read a CSV file
data = readtable('mydata.csv');

% Read a spreadsheet
T = readtable('results.xlsx');

% Save a variable to a .mat file
save('myworkspace.mat', 'data')

% Load it back
load('myworkspace.mat')

Note: readtable() reads the first sheet by default, but you can specify other sheets and ranges using "Sheet" and "Range". Use readmatrix() when you want numeric arrays instead of tables.

📎 Reference: Importing & Exporting Data Cheat Sheet

Step 5 — Practice with Cody

Once you know the basics, practice is the fastest way to improve. MATLAB Cody offers short, auto-graded problems — like coding puzzles — to sharpen your skills.

Cody Problem Set Link 🔹 Introduction to MATLAB Start Here 🔹 MATLAB Onramp Practice Practice 🔹 Basics on Vectors Vectors 🔹 All Cody Problems Browse All

Step 6 — Get Unstuck

Everyone gets stuck. Here's where to go for help.

Resource Link 💬 MATLAB Answers (community Q&A) Ask a question 🤖 MATLAB AI Chat Playground (free, AI-powered help) Try it 🔍 Use help or doc in the Command Window Type help plot or doc plot 👾 Discord Community Join 🌐 Reddit r/matlab Browse

Quick Reference Card

Task Command Get help on a function help functionName Open documentation doc functionName Clear Command Window clc Clear all variables clear Close all figure windows close all Check size of a variable size(x) See all workspace variables whos Generate a range of numbers 1:10 or linspace(0,1,100) Basic 2D plot plot(x, y) Add a title title('My Title') Save a figure saveas(gcf, 'plot.png')

💡 Pro tip: Type demo in the Command Window to launch MATLAB's built-in example browser!

Self-Paced Onramps

Discover and Elevate Your Skills with MATLAB and Simulink Onramps

MATLAB and Simulink Onramps provide a structured and comprehensive pathway for exploring a broad range of topics aligned with individual interests and learning paces. These self‑paced tutorials are designed to be flexible while systematically guiding learners through clearly defined concepts and learning objectives. Engagement with the Onramps enables students to develop a strong foundational understanding of MATLAB and Simulink, thereby enhancing their analytical, engineering, and scientific competencies.

Machine Learning Onramp Deep Learning Onramp Circuit Simulation Onramp Reinforcement Learning Onramp machinelearningonramp deeplearningonramp circuitsimonramp reinforcementonramp Image Processing Onramp Computer Vision Onramp Signal Processing Onramp Simscape Onramp imageprocessonramp computervisiononramp signalprocessingonramp simscapeonramp Stateflow Onramp Control Design Onramp with Simulink Optimization Onramp App Building Onramp stateflowonramp controldesignonramp optimizationonramp appbuildingonramp MATLAB Onramp Simulink Onramp mlonramp simulinkonramp

Cheat Sheets :blue_book: :pencil2:

​​Master MATLAB Functions and Commands with Featured Cheat Sheets

Explore this section to find a collection of featured cheat sheets that provide concise references for learning MATLAB functions and commands. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced user, these cheat sheets offer valuable insights and quick reminders to enhance your MATLAB proficiency. To access our complete library of cheat sheets, visit: Cheat Sheets

💡 Tip: Use MATLAB keyboard shortcuts to navigate MATLAB faster.

MATLAB Basic Functions Cheat Sheet
MATLAB Basic Functions Using MATLAB with Python Cheat Sheet
MATLAB and Python Machine Learning with MATLAB Cheat Sheet
MATLAB Machine Learning MATLAB Visualization Cheat Sheet
MATLAB Visualization Modeling Dynamic Systems with MATLAB and Simulink Cheat Sheet
Modeling Dynamic Systems Capabilities for Designing Feedback Control Systems
Control Systems

🔌 Connecting MATLAB to Hardware

MATLAB supports a wide range of hardware, making it a great tool for hands-on student projects, robotics, and data collection. Use the table below to find the right support package for your hardware.

Hardware Description Link 🔵 Arduino® Read sensors, control motors, and build interactive projects Arduino Support 🍓 Raspberry Pi® Run MATLAB code directly on a Raspberry Pi Raspberry Pi Support 📡 All Hardware Browse all supported hardware and support packages Hardware Support Home 🛠️ Hardware Manager Discover and connect to devices directly from MATLAB Watch Tutorial

💡 Tip: Most hardware support packages are free to install directly from the MATLAB Add-On Explorer. Search for your device by name to get started.

🧪 Example Hardware Projects to Try

Level Project Hardware Type Link 🟢 Beginner Getting Started with Arduino and MATLAB Arduino Documentation View 🟢 Beginner Getting Started with Raspberry Pi and MATLAB Raspberry Pi Documentation View 🟡 Intermediate Control a Servo Motor with Arduino Arduino MathWorks Example View 🟡 Intermediate Working with Raspberry Pi Hardware (GPIO, LEDs, sensors) Raspberry Pi MathWorks Example View 🔴 Advanced Estimating Orientation Using Inertial Sensor Fusion and MPU-9250 Arduino MathWorks Example View 🔴 Advanced Deploy MATLAB Algorithms on Raspberry Pi Raspberry Pi MathWorks Example View

Industry/Discipline-Specific Resources :airplane: :racing_car: :robot: :microscope:

Explore Additional Resources for Your Academic Discipline or Industry

Click on the icon in the table below to access a wealth of additional resources tailored to your academic discipline or Industry. This is only a short list and to explore all resources, go to the General Resources section below and select "All Resources". Also, see how MATLAB & Simulink are used in the Industry by reading one of our customer stories.

Industry & Application

Aerospace & Defense Utilities & Energy Automotive Robotics Industrial Automation Communications plane energy car robotics industrial wireless Medical Devices Biotech and Pharma Finance Semiconductors Electronics Artificial Intelligence medical biotech finance semiconductors electronics AI

Academic Discipline

Physics Chemistry Mathematics Neuroscience Mechanical Engineering physics chemistry mathematics neuroscience mechanical engineering Biological Sciences Electrical Engineering Chemical Engineering Geoscience biology electrical chemical earth

General Resources

All Discipline and Industry Specific Resources Application Specific Support External Language Interfaces academic industry language

Additional Resources:

Student Programs :trophy:

Explore Exciting Student Competitions, Hackathons, and Minidrone Contests!

Build your MATLAB and Simulink skills through project‑based learning with MathWorks Student Programs, including student competitions, hackathons, and mini‑drone challenges. These hands‑on experiences let you apply classroom concepts to real‑world problems, collaborate with peers, and showcase your work—often with opportunities to win prizes and recognition while you learn. Explore them all right here!

drone

Student Programs

Looking for even more MATLAB & Simulink resources on GitHub? Then explore these curated resources to enhance your skills, tackle real-world challenges, and connect with the MATLAB community.

Highlighted Repositories to Explore

Looking for a capstone design project or to contribute to solving industry challenges? Check out our challenge projects below!

View Projects

  • Stay up-to-date with technology trends
  • Gain hands-on MATLAB & Simulink skills
  • Earn official recognition and rewards
    👉 Explore Challenge Projects

🎉 Awesome MATLAB Hackathons

Join a sponsored hackathon!

Student Hackathons

  • Discover upcoming events
  • Compete for prizes and recognition
    👉 See Hackathons

Robotics community resources

Robotics Resources

AI community resources

Deep Learning

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) projects and tools

UAV Resources

Sustainable energy & student competitions

Renewable Energy Resources

💡 Tip: Star your favorite repositories and join the community to stay updated!

Resources for Student Societies and Student Clubs

Host an Engaging MATLAB or Simulink Workshop for Your Student Society or Club!

If you're part of a student society or club and want to organize an exciting MATLAB or Simulink workshop, we've got you covered! Discover how you can host a MATLAB Onramp Party or a Cody competition using the resources provided below.

Please note that while MathWorks cannot offer financial support or prizes for these events, we're here to assist you in creating an unforgettable learning experience for your participants.

MATLAB Onramp Party Resources Cody Competition Resources

mlonramp

- Onramp Toolkit
- How to host an Onramp Party Guide
- Example Presentations

cody


- Cody Competition Toolkit

Interactive and Fun MATLAB Examples (including Cody)

This section includes interactive examples, fun animations, and hands‑on practice opportunities to help you engagingly explore MATLAB. Alongside visual and interactive demos, you’ll also find MATLAB Cody™, a place to practice MATLAB problem‑solving through short, game‑like coding challenges that reinforce core concepts while keeping learning fun.

🎲 MATLAB Interactive Examples

Embark on an educational journey with interactive MATLAB modules designed to make learning both fun and effective. These modules include theoretical background, interactive illustrations, knowledge exercises, reflection questions, and application examples for the concepts explored. These can be great to use if you are part of a student society or club and are looking to do a workshop with students. Explore the examples below or download this MATLAB File to see a list of examples by topic.

Example Description Treasure Hunt

Open in MATLAB Online Set off on a coding quest to uncover hidden treasures. Treasure Hunt Machine Learning Methods: Clustering

Open in MATLAB Online Get hands-on with the fundamentals of clustering in MATLAB. Clustering Fundamentals of Programming

Open in MATLAB Online Build a solid programming foundation with this guide. Programming Basics Programming a Starter Project Using MATLAB and Python

Open in MATLAB Online Begin your programming journey with MATLAB and Python. MATLAB and Python All Interactive Module Examples A vast collection of interactive MATLAB examples. Ideal for watching and learning. MATLAB Interactive Examples

🎥 Fun MATLAB Animations

Take a break with these MATLAB animations and GIFs, perfect for a light-hearted diversion during your coding endeavors.

Animation Description Fun MATLAB Animation Code Code compilation of engaging MATLAB animations. MATLAB Animations Code MATLAB Gifs A showcase of MATLAB's graphical prowess through GIFs. Note, these are the outputs from the code folder above. Fun MATLAB Animations

🧩 MATLAB Cody (Practice Problems)

Item Description What is Cody? MATLAB Cody™ is an interactive coding challenge platform on MATLAB Central for practicing MATLAB through short, automatically‑graded problems. Why use it? Improve MATLAB fluency, learn idiomatic solutions, and get instant feedback on correctness and efficiency. Who is it for? Students learning MATLAB, beginners looking for practice, and anyone who wants to sharpen problem‑solving skills. Good problem groups to start with 🔹 Introduction to MATLAB – https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/cody/groups/78
🔹 MATLAB Onramp Practice – https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/cody/groups/1110
🔹 Basics on Vectors – https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/cody/groups/172 Play Cody online 🔗 https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/cody/
R2026a New MATLAB Resource Link Check out new features and updates in the latest MATLAB Release Release Notes! Learn how to use Live Editor Live Editor Run MATLAB in Jupyter MATLAB + Jupyter MATLAB Extension for Visual Studio Code MATLAB + Visual Studio Code MATLAB Dark Theme MATLAB + Dark Mode

🌐 Overview: For a full overview of generative AI capabilities in MATLAB and Simulink, visit the MathWorks Generative AI page.

R2026ai

MathWorks Copilot Products

AI assistants built into the MATLAB and Simulink desktop environments. Require a Copilot license.

Product Description Link MATLAB Copilot AI-powered assistant for the MATLAB desktop and MATLAB Online. Helps you learn techniques, develop ideas, and improve productivity using MATLAB-specific knowledge. MATLAB Copilot Simulink Copilot AI-powered assistant focused on Simulink and Model-Based Design. Explains models and errors, guides design, and automates tasks like standards checking, testing, and code generation. Simulink Copilot

Agentic AI Toolkits

Connect AI coding agents to MATLAB and Simulink via the Model Context Protocol (MCP). Supports Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Codex, Gemini CLI, and Amp.

Product Description Link MATLAB MCP Core Server The foundation for agentic AI workflows with MATLAB. Standardizes connections between AI coding agents (Claude Desktop, VS Code, Gemini CLI) and MATLAB for code execution, debugging, and automation. MATLAB MCP Core Server MATLAB Agentic Toolkit Brings MATLAB capabilities to AI coding agents via MCP, with curated expert skills for testing, debugging, app building, and code review. Requires MATLAB R2020b or later and the MATLAB MCP Core Server. MATLAB Agentic Toolkit Simulink Agentic Toolkit Extends agentic AI to Simulink and Model-Based Design. Includes 6 MCP tools for reading, editing, querying, and testing Simulink models, plus 7 agent skills encoding best practices. Requires MATLAB R2023a or later with Simulink and the MATLAB MCP Core Server. Simulink Agentic Toolkit AI Coding Agent Prompts for MATLAB A curated library of prompts for AI coding agents working with MATLAB, helping you get better results from agents like GitHub Copilot, Cursor, and others. AI Coding Agent Prompts

Additional AI Tools

Experiment with AI and MATLAB through chat interfaces and community tools. Some require a MathWorks, OpenAI, or MATLAB license.

Product Description Link MATLAB AI Chat Playground A free, browser-based sandbox to experiment with AI, draft MATLAB code, and solve problems interactively. Requires a free MathWorks account. AI Chat Playground MATLAB GPT Access MATLAB-specialized GPT directly from the OpenAI Store. Requires an OpenAI account. MATLAB GPT MatGPT App A MATLAB app and class for connecting to the ChatGPT API directly within MATLAB. Requires a MATLAB license. MatGPT App

💡 Tip: Explore the Agentic AI with MATLAB Ebook for a deeper dive into Agentic AI workflows with MATLAB.

Student Career Opportunities :briefcase:

Join MathWorks and Explore Exciting Career Opportunities!

Internships and Recent Graduates:

If you're interested in joining MathWorks, we have a range of exciting full-time and internship opportunities for students. Visit our students and recent graduates careers page to explore the possibilities.

On-Campus Job Opportunities: Become a MATLAB Student Ambassador!

If you're currently enrolled as a student with over a year left before graduation, consider becoming a MATLAB Student Ambassador on your campus. Discover how you can make an impact and represent MathWorks within your academic community.

Discover inspiring stories of how students have leveraged MATLAB and Simulink to achieve success in their careers. Check out their stories here!

Need a Student License of MATLAB?

Discover if Your School Provides Access to MATLAB & Simulink!

Curious to know if your school provides access to MATLAB & Simulink? Visit our Student License page to find out! Alternatively, if that option doesn't work for you, we also provide an educationally priced MATLAB and Simulink Student Suite License. This license is specifically designed for students and offers a comprehensive set of tools at a discounted rate.

🚀 Special Licensing for Student Startups, Accelerators, and Incubators

If you're involved in a student startup, part of an accelerator, or incubator program, we have exciting news for you! We offer special licensing options for MATLAB and Simulink, tailored to meet the needs of emerging companies.

Learn more about how MATLAB and Simulink can support your startup's journey:

Explore MATLAB and Simulink for Startups

Where to go to get help?

Need Assistance? Get in Touch with Our Support Team!

Students: Technical support from MathWorks is available for activation, installation and bug-related issues. For additional help visit our student resources above or contact your instructor. Reach out to our dedicated support team.