It can be hard to shop for college girls. Luckily, there are MANY things that college girls would appreciate as gifts.
The best gifts for college girls are gift cards, subscriptions, stylish gifts (like bags, clothes, jewelry, or their favorite makeup), headphones, a fitness tracker, a tablet, a phone case or stand, a portable charger, a planner, a Grammarly subscription, a lighting kit, blankets, or coffee essentials.
Let’s look at the over 60 best gift ideas for college girls.
Gift cards to their favorite place
A great gift for college girls is to get them a gift card to their favorite:
- nail place
- restaurant
- clothing store
- Entertainment subscription (like Netflix, Hulu, or Spotify)
- Tech stores (like Best Buy)
- Riding share service (like Uber or Lyft)
- Coffee place (like Starbucks)
You could also get them an Amazon gift card or a gift card for a massage.
Check out all the benefits of Prime Student. Click here
Subscription
Another great gift for college girls is a subscription to their favorite service, such as Netflix, Spotify, or Amazon Prime.
If you are getting them an Amazon Prime membership, you will want to get Prime Student! Learn more about Prime Student vs. Prime (Benefits of Prime Student).
Style gifts for college girls
Let’s look at stylish gift ideas for college girls.
Bags
I LOVE bags! They are both stylish and super convenient (I also carry a lot of things around).
Purses
One of my favorite gifts of all time is the Coach purse that my sister got me.
Backpack
A nice laptop backpack or the popular Fjallraven backpack would make super useful gifts for college students that have to carry around their laptops and books.
Laptop bag
If they aren’t into backpacks, you can get them a nice over-the-shoulder laptop bag.
This is definitely more my style than a backpack.
Clear bag
Many stadiums have a clear bag policy (they require any bags brought into the stadium to be clear).
If you are giving a gift to a girl that goes to a lot of her college’s football games, a clear bag could make the perfect gift.
Beauty products
Many girls find a beauty product they like, and they stick with it, so I would recommend asking your loved one what makeup, hair, or nail products they want.
You could also get them a gift card to their favorite makeup place or try a makeup subscription box so that they can try new products without it costing a fortune.
Clothes
You can never go wrong with getting new clothes as a gift. If you know her style, pick out a great top or a new pair of boots. If you are unsure, go shopping with her! You can both have fun and get her an awesome gift.
Interview clothes
While all clothes are useful, professional clothes for an interview will be necessary for the near future. Consider getting her a nice blazer, blouse, pantsuit, pencil skirt, etc., so she will be prepared to look professional for any interview.
Stitchfix
You could also get her a Stitchfix box. She fills out some information on her style, budget, and what she is looking for, and a stylist sends her a box full of goodies. She buys the clothes that she likes and sends the others back.
There is a $20 styling fee, but this gets added toward any purchases that you make. I love Stitchfix! I always find something great I wouldn’t have thought to try by myself.
Clothing organizers
You can also get some items to help her organize her clothes, such as:
Jewelry
Jewelry is another staple. A great necklace, statement ring, or bracelet makes a great gift!
Tech gift ideas for college girls
Tech gifts are always in demand. Let’s look at some of the best tech gifts for any budget.
Screen protector
Screen protectors are an inexpensive and useful gift. This is the brand that I use, and I think they are great quality. You can get screen protectors for their iPad or phone.
Cleaning brush for electronics
A brush to clean electronics is not the most exciting gift, but it is inexpensive and useful. They can use it to keep their laptop clean.
Headphone jack adapter
The least expensive gift on this list is a headphone jack adapter. If you still use headphones with a cord (my favorite bose headphones have a cord) but have a newer iPhone, you have to use a headphone jack adapter.
Mine break or get lost all the time, so a headphone jack adapter makes a useful gift.
USB-C to USB adapter
If they have a more recent Mac, they will need a USB-C to USB adapter to be able to plug in anything that is a USB.
Bose noise-canceling headphones
I LOVE my noise-canceling headphones. Seriously, my Bose headphones are literally my favorite possession. I wear them ALL the time (to watch shows, to work, even to sleep).
I cannot recommend Bose enough!
For more tips on how to study with lots of background noise, check out our post How to Study When It’s Noisy: Tips to Block Out Noise and Concentrate.
AirPods
Another popular earbud option is AirPods or AirPods Pro.
Bluetooth speaker
On the opposite end of the spectrum, people may want to play their music loud, which is where a Bluetooth speaker becomes handy.
Fitness tracker
Everyone needs help forming healthy habits and being fit, which is why a fitness tracker is an appreciated gift.
For the best bang for your buck, I recommend the Fitbit Inspire 2. This is what I have, and I love it! It has all the features you need but for way less than most fitness watches.
Projector
A projector is a fun gift for college girls that love watching movies or Netflix with friends.
Echo Dot
Giving someone an Echo Dot is a great gift so that they can use Alexa!
Laptop cooling pad
If you are using your laptop a lot, it can overheat (especially if it is older), so a laptop cooling pad can help.
This is definitely on my wishlist!
Polaroid camera
Polaroids have made a comeback. Check out the Fujifilm Instax Mini.
Alarm clock
A lot of people rely on their phones to help them get up, but that isn’t always enough. If you are shopping for someone who has a hard time getting up in the morning, a nice alarm clock can be a useful gift.
Tablet
A tablet is not required for school (and cannot replace a computer), but it is super nice to have.
Pencil for tablet
It is also super convenient to be able to take notes on your iPad.
To take notes, you need a pencil. I recommend this stylus—it is cheaper than the Apple pencil and works great.
This is what I have, and I use it all the time.
Laptop
A laptop is an expensive gift, but if you are feeling generous, there is no better gift for a college student.
I LOVE my MacBook Pro! I think they are worth the steep price tag and will forever be a Mac girl now.
But if you are looking for a less expensive option, I recommend an HP laptop.
I would recommend this not be a surprise gift. Talk to her to see if she really needs a new laptop, their requirements, etc… They will be beyond thrilled.
Gifts for their phone
Most college girls love their phones, so a gift for their device is always a good idea.
Screen protector
College students are constantly having trouble with their phone screens, which makes a screen protector for their phone a great gift.
A cute new case for their device
- Phone case- I think OtterBoxes are the best for protecting your phone. I also love floral phone cases. For a cheaper option, check out this pretty marble pattern case.
- iPad case
- Laptop case- such as a fun bright color with a keyboard protector or one that looks like a book!
Phone sanitizer
With all the germs going around, a phone sanitizer that uses UV light to kill germs makes the best gift!
Phone grip or stand
A phone stand is great, so you can set your phone up and watch something while working on something that doesn’t need your concentration (hello, Works Cited page).
It is an inexpensive gift that will be used all the time! Seriously, I use my phone stand daily.
This phone stand is popular, and I have one similar to this one that I love.
People also like this phone ring holder.
Battery pack (Portable charger)
Everyone has been out, and their phone dies. This is where a portable battery pack comes to the rescue. It is small enough that you can carry it around in your purse and always be able to charge your phone when you need to.
This will be something that college girls might not think to buy for themselves, but they will use it all the time—that makes it the perfect gift.
Extra long phone charger
It seems like the outlet you need to plug your phone into is always just a little too far away.
Solve this problem by getting an extra long phone charger.
Gifts to help college girls get/stay organized
Organization gifts are always useful.
Planner
A nice gift idea is an organizational tool, such as a habit tracker, bullet journal, or planner.
Storage containers
It seems like there is never enough space. Storage or organizational gifts, such as plastic bins or a storage cart, are always useful.
Flashdrive
What student hasn’t forgotten to save their work and ended up having a computer problem and lost all the work they have done for an assignment? Ugh! It is the worst!
You can help them avoid this by getting them a super inexpensive gift- a flash drive!
External hard drive or Dropbox subscription
In addition to backing up a specific assignment, it is important for people to back up all of their files.
Trust me, I lost all of my files and photos a couple of years ago, and it was the worst! You need a backup (and then you also need to actually use it)!
I have gotten several Seagate external hard drives over the year, and they have all been excellent quality (plus, their technical support is super helpful). I recommend getting at least the 2TB size external hard drive.
If you think backing things up on the cloud may be more her style, consider getting them a Dropbox subscription.
Computer anti-virus software
This is not a particularly fun gift, but it is extremely useful!
Good anti-virus software like McAfee or Malwarebytes is worth a lot.
Supplies for their study space
Help them set up their study space.
Desk lamp
A good desk lamp can help college girls organize their study space.
Desk organizer
Another great gift for their study space is a desk organizer where they can put all their pens, highlighters, notecards, etc…
You can also get an organizer for inside their desk.
Power outlet strip
A power outlet strip can be a great addition to a study space so that they can plug in their laptop, phone, iPad, etc…
Depending on their area, an extra-long power strip can be handy.
Under desk footrest
An under desk foot rest is a great addition to their study space.
Nice webcam
A nice webcam can be used for video calls for classes or interviews (which pretty much all college students will have).
Lighting device
For a great lighting device that can be attached to your laptop, check the Lume Cube.
For a less expensive option, check out this Selfie Ring Light Tripod.
Adjustable laptop stand
Students can use a laptop stand to adjust the height and angle of their laptop.
Gifts to help them in school
Students often need gifts to help them in school.
Reusable notebook
A reusable notebook is an eco-friendly gift for college girls who take a lot of notes.
Grammarly subscription
A premium Grammarly subscription is one of the best gifts that I got when I was in college. I wish I had gotten it sooner!
The free version is super useful, but the premium version makes editing papers a breeze. It has made me a better writer.
Gifts to help her sleep
Everybody needs their beauty sleep, and these gifts will help her get some!
Sleep mask
A sleep mask blocks all the light so she can have a good night’s sleep.
Memory foam mattress topper
If her mattress is not very comfortable, a memory foam mattress topper can make all the difference to help her get comfy in bed.
Comfy gift ideas for college girls
Who doesn’t love getting some comfy for a gift?
Blankets
There are several different kinds of blankets that all make great gifts.
Comfy blanket
The classic fuzzy soft blanket.
Heated blanket
If the person is typically cold or lives in a really cold area, a heating blanket will be able to make them cozier.
Cooling blanket
I was very skeptical about a cooling blanket, but I recently got one, and I love it! I sleep better with a blanket, but I also run super hot, so a cooling blanket is the perfect solution. It actually does stay cool, and it doesn’t trap my body, so I don’t wake up in the middle of the night because I am hot.
I got this Sutton Place Cooling Throw (though I got it for a much better deal from Costco, so check if your Costco has it).
Weighted blanket
A weighted blanket is on my wishlist. They have been shown to reduce anxiety, calm the nervous system, and improve sleep.
The Comfy
The Comfy is a fuzzy blanket that you can wear like a sweatshirt. Being cozy and being able to use your arms to do schoolwork, win, win!
Comfy clothes
College students also like comfy clothes, such as
- Leggings
- Slippers
- Pullover
- Yoga pants
- Lounge Pants
- Sweatshirts
- Workout clothes
Heating pad
A heating pad is a great gift for girls since they help with cramps. Seriously, nothing helps my cramps like my heating pad does!
Heating pads can also help with any muscle tension they get (college can be stressful!)
Back massager
This deep tissue back massager looks amazing.
Pillow back support
A pillow back support is perfect so they can be comfy while reading or doing schoolwork.
Lap desk
Lap desks let students work from anywhere (including the couch or their bed).
You can get a lap desk with a mouse pad or without a mouse pad.
Fun games
Get your college girls some fun games, such as:
- Never Have I Ever Party Card Game (make it extra fun by getting her these cute I have/I have never paddles)
- Cards Against Humanity
- What Do You Meme?
- Incohearent
- We’re Not Really Strangers
College merchandise
College merchandise, such as t-shirts, sweatshirts, mugs, etc… make good gifts.
Best food and drink gifts for college girls
Everyone loves to eat and drink! It is a great gift idea for college girls.
Food or cookware
You can get her some of her favorite snacks.
If she likes to cook, consider getting her some cooking products, such as an Instant Pot.
Water bottle
A water bottle is a great gift to encourage them to drink more water and not waste non-reusable plastic bottles (plus, they are popular).
Check out the wide-mouth Hydro Flask with the straw or Hydro Flask without the straw.
Tea essentials
If your college girl is a tea lover, a nice electric kettle and their favorite tea makes the perfect gift.
Coffee essentials
There are several good gifts you can get a coffee lover.
Keurig
If they like coffee, a Keurig is a wonderful gift. It is small, and they can make a single cup of coffee.
Iced coffee maker
If, instead, they prefer ice coffee, you can get them an iced coffee maker.
Mug warmer
A mug warmer is a great gift for both tea and coffee lovers (and all of us hot chocolate fans).
Tumbler
The Yeti tumbler will keep tea or coffee (or hot chocolate) warm so they can travel with it.
Care package
A care package is so much fun to receive! You can get someone beauty care packages or snack care packages.
You can check out Amazon, Etsy, and Collegecarepackages.com to find a ton of care package options.
You can also go the DIY route and put together all your college girls’ favorite things.
Now you should have plenty of gift ideas for what to get a college girl.
You may also be interested in checkout out the 50+ Best Gifts for Online College Students (Ultimate Gift Guide).