The fact that you’ve made it here means you probably have a college student on your hands. Whether you’re a supportive uncle, a soon-to-be empty nester sending off your last child, or a fellow graduate looking to treat your bestie, college is an exciting and buzzy time for everyone involved—meaning the best gift ideas for college students are surely in order.
From dining dollars and syllabi to frat formals and bar crawls, the life of a college student is a unique experience unlike any other. As such, it can be hard to determine what they actually want or need. Snacks and money for laundry? Yes, always, but you can do better than that. From dorm decor to study buddies and mess hall must-haves, there are plenty of goodies ripe for the care package picking that are sure to go to good use by your beloved student. We’ve done the research, so consider this your study guide to finding the best gifts for women and men studying hard this semester. Ahead, find 50 gifts for college students to unwrap this year—including the best Amazon Prime gifts and crowd-pleasing gift ideas under $50!
A Projector
CiBest
Mini Video Projector
A Sleek Tote
Cuyana
System Tote
A Waterproof Speaker
JBL
Waterproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker
A Chic Charging Kit
Mulittasky
On-the-Go Charging Kit
A Bluetooth Tracker
Tile
Mate
A Luggage Scale
Etekcity
Portable Luggage Scale
A Fabric Steamer
Conair
Turbo Extreme Steam Hand Held Fabric Steamer
A Versatile Dress
Skims
Soft Lounge Long Slip Dress
A Faux Fur Throw Blanket
Beautyrest
Malea Shaggy Faux Fur Weighted Blanket
A Helpful Poster
Society6
Laundry Symbols Care Guide Poster
A Lap Desk
LapGear
Lap Desk with Device Ledge
A Cookbook for Beginners
Andrea Lynn
The I Love Trader Joe’s College Cookbook
Airpods
Apple AirPods with Wireless Charging Case
An Instant Camera
Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 Instant Camera
An Alarm Clock-Sound Machine Duo
Hatch
Restore
Over-Ear Headphones
Bose
QuietComfort 35 II Wireless Bluetooth Headphones
Stylish Leggings
Gymshark
Vital Seamless 2.0 Leggings
An iPad
Apple
2022 Apple iPad Air, 5th Generation
An Apple Watch
Apple
Apple Watch Series 8 [GPS + Cellular 45mm]
A Must Read
The School of Life
What They Forgot To Teach You At School
Teeth Whitening Strips
Crest
3D White Professional Effects Whitestrips
A Chic Desk Organizer
Spacrea
Office Accessories Organizer
A Digital Camera
Canon
PowerShot Digital Camera G7 X Mark II
A Ring Light Kit
Neewer
Ring Light Kit
A 2-in-1 Laptop Sleeve
Moft
Laptop Carry Sleeve
A Mini Keurig
Keurig
K-Mini Coffee Maker
A Sophisticated Cardholder
Charles & Keith
Chain Link Card Holder
A Fire Stick
Amazon
Fire TV Stick
A Massage Gun
Sonic
Handheld Percussion Massage Gun
A Pretty Weekender Bag
Stoney Clover Lane
Nylon Classic Duffle Bag
A Makeup Brush Set
Sephora Collection
Deluxe Brush Set
Hydration Boosters
Cure
Hydrating Electrolyte Mix
A Multipurpose Pot
Our Place
Char Perfect Pot
A Funky Projector Light
Brilliant Ideas
Stars And Moon Projector Light
Running Sneakers
Nike
Air Max 270 Premium Sneaker
Google Earbuds
Google
Pixel Buds
Trendy Crocs
Crocs
Classic Clog
Cozy Ugg Slippers
Ugg
Fluff Yeah Slide
A Rihanna-Approved Skincare Bundle
Fenty Skin
Start’rs Bundle
A Hanging Shower Caddy
Terra Home
Portable Shower Caddy
A Rich Candle
Blk Sunflower
The Blacker The Berry Candle
Crisp Sheets
Brooklinen
Classic Core Sheet Set
An Air Fryer
DZ201 Foodi 8-Quart Air Fryer
A Phone Sanitizer
PhoneSoap
Smartphone Sanitizer
A Cute Notebook
CopperandBrassPaper
Goal Getter Notebook
A Vintage Makeup Mirror
Chende
Hollywood Lighted Makeup Vanity Mirror
A Skincare Subscription
BeautyFIX Subscription
A Dorm-Friendly Candle
Simply Collected
Flickering Flameless Candles
An All-in-One Beauty Kit
The Lip Bar
Easy Beauty Bundle
A Dreamy Duvet Cover
Brooklinen
Classic Duvet Cover
Nerisha Penrose
Beauty Commerce Editor
Nerisha is the beauty commerce editor at ELLE.com, covering all things beauty (and fashion and music).
Meg Donohue
Associate Fashion Commerce Editor
Meg Donohue is the Associate Fashion Commerce Editor at ELLE.com.
Sam Peters
Commerce Editor
Sam Peters is a Commerce Editor at Hearst covering fashion, beauty and more.
