July 28, 2026
How to Use the Leaderboard on StudyInk
Where the StudyInk leaderboard lives, how to sort scholar standings by Inkies, XP, merit, or referrals, and what the league tiers and ranks mean.
The short answer: the leaderboard is not a standalone page. It appears in two places: the Leaderboard tab inside the Rewards dashboard at /rewards?tab=leaderboard, and a compact modal on your dashboard. Both rank scholars by points you earn through study and referrals.
This guide shows where to find it, what the sort buttons do, and how the rankings connect to the rest of the site.
Leaderboard at a Glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is there a leaderboard page? | Not a standalone one. It lives in Rewards and on the dashboard. |
| How do I open it? | The Leaderboard tab in Rewards, or the leaderboard modal on the dashboard. |
| What can I sort by? | Inkies, XP, Merit (league), and Referrals. |
| What shows per scholar? | Rank, name, point total, XP, and a league tier when sorting by merit. |
| Who appears? | Scholars ranked by the selected metric, with the top three highlighted. |
In the Rewards Dashboard
Open /rewards and choose the Leaderboard tab. The tab header reads "Scholar Standings" and explains that rankings reflect Inkies earned through dedication, lesson completion, and quiz mastery.
Above the list are four sort buttons:
- Inkies sorts by the Inkies token balance.
- XP sorts by experience points.
- Merit sorts by weekly XP and shows a league tier such as Diamond, Gold, Silver, or Bronze.
- Referrals sorts by the number of referrals a scholar has.
Each row shows a rank number, an icon, a crown for first place, the scholar's name in their chosen color, an optional pronoun tag, and their totals. When sorted by referrals it shows referral counts. Otherwise it shows Inkies and XP. The top three rows get special border colors: gold for first, silver for second, and bronze for third.
An admin sees a reset button to clear the leaderboard.
On the Dashboard
The dashboard shows a compact leaderboard modal. It lists scholars ranked by XP, with your own row marked "(You)" and highlighted. Each row shows a rank number, the name and username, and the XP total. A note at the bottom mentions promotion, which refers to moving between league tiers as you climb.
The first place row uses a gold border, second place silver, and third place bronze, so you can read the top of the board at a glance. Your highlighted row makes it easy to find your own standing without scrolling. This modal is the quick view you see after logging in; the Rewards tab is the full view with sorting.
To reach the dashboard modal, open your dashboard after signing in. To reach the full sortable board, open the Leaderboard tab in Rewards. Both draw from the same rankings data.
How Rankings Connect to Other Features
The points behind the leaderboard come from the rest of StudyInk:
- Inkies are earned through daily check in, streaks, challenges, duels, and achievements in Rewards.
- XP is earned by completing lessons, quizzes, and duels.
- Referrals come from inviting friends through the Referrals tab.
- Merit reflects weekly XP and places you in a league tier.
So climbing the board is a side effect of regular study, not a separate activity.
What the Research Says About Leaderboards
Leaderboards are common in learning apps, but their effect is context dependent. A study comparing absolute and relative leaderboards found that comparing with nearby competitors raised engagement and performance and encouraged focus on mastery, while students lower on an absolute board reported more peer pressure EdUHK, "How different gamified leaderboards affect students". Another EFL classroom study found the class without a public leaderboard actually recorded higher mean performance on several measures, because students with a target kept working past it while others stopped ScienceDirect, "Leaderboards in an EFL course". The takeaway: a leaderboard is a nudge, not a study plan. Use it to notice your own trend, not to chase a rank.
Common Mistakes
- Looking for a
/leaderboardpage. The route exists but the board is shown through Rewards and the dashboard. - Assuming only one metric. Use the sort buttons to see rankings by Inkies, XP, merit, or referrals.
- Not noticing your own row. The dashboard modal highlights you so you can track your rank.
- Reading the rank as ability. The board reflects recent activity and XP choices, not how much you know.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is there no leaderboard page?
The /leaderboard route exists, but the board is presented inside the Rewards Leaderboard tab and as a dashboard modal. Open either to see rankings.
How do I change what the board sorts by?
In the Rewards Leaderboard tab, click Inkies, XP, Merit, or Referrals. The list reorders by that metric.
What is a league tier?
When you sort by Merit, each scholar shows a tier such as Diamond, Gold, Silver, or Bronze based on weekly XP.
Does the dashboard show the same board?
The dashboard modal is a compact XP ranked list focused on your position. The Rewards tab is the full sortable board.
How do I get on the board?
Earn Inkies, XP, and referrals through normal study. Active scholars appear automatically.
Can I reset the leaderboard?
Only an admin account sees the reset control in the Rewards Leaderboard tab.
About the author
Michael R. is a study skills coach with 12 years of experience and a learning specialist. He helps students develop effective study strategies and organizational systems.