29 Best Things To Put In College Gift Baskets That Your Student Will Love

Looking for ideas of what to put in college gift baskets?? Here are some of the best college gift basket ideas to help you figure out what you should put in a college gift basket!

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It can be hard to know what things to put in college gift baskets. You want to send them something thoughtful that they’ll like, but you also want to send them things they really need and will actually use.

I recently graduated college, and I’m here to tell you all of the best things you can put in a college gift basket! These are all things I would’ve appreciated getting in a gift basket in college, so I know your student will like them too!!

Whether you’re looking for college going away basket ideas, college gift baskets for her, college gift basket necessities, etc, I’ve got you covered! After you read this post you’ll have so many college gift basket ideas!!

This post is all about college gift baskets.

The Best Things To Put In College Gift Baskets That Your Student Will Love

Table of Contents

Off To College Gift Basket Ideas

1. Gift Cards

You can never go wrong with gift cards in college gift baskets!! College students are notoriously broke, so they’ll definitely appreciate a gift card so they won’t have to spend their own money!! If you’re not sure where they like to go, you could get them a Visa gift card that they can spend anywhere. Starbucks and Amazon gift cards are usually a hit for college students though!

2. Headphones

College students need a good pair of headphones. College campuses and dorm can be pretty loud, so a pair of headphones will help them be able to concentrate when studying to ignore all the outside noise!! I used these headphones throughout college when studying and walking to class and I love them!

3. Backpack

Every college student needs a backpack. This one is perfect for college students because it has lots of pockets, a laptop slot inside, and a USB charging port so they can charge their phone on the go!

4. Ipad & Apple Pencil

As a college student I used my Ipad alllllll the time. This is something any college student would probably appreciate!! You can download textbooks on it, take notes on it, use a planner on it, etc!! You can use it for other fun stuff outside of school as well.

5. Snacks

You can never go wrong with snacks in gift baskets for college students. These are a few snacks that I ate a lot while living in the dorms that I would’ve loved to have gotten in a gift basket as a freshman.

Read my full list of off to college gift ideas here!

31 Super Useful Off To College Gifts For Students They Actually Want

College Necessities Gift Basket Ideas

6. Twin XL Bedding

what should i put in a college gift basket

Beds in the dorms are twin XL, so students need to get a bedding set that will fit the beds before they go to college. This could be a great gift!

7. Laundry Hamper

College students also need a laundry hamper to carry their laundry to/ from the on campus laundry matte or to/ from home. This one is so cute and perfect for a dorm room, but any laundry basket will work!

8. School Supplies

what do you put in a care package for a new college student

They’ll for sure need some school supplies, so some cute school supplies like these would be a good gift that they would definitely use!

9. Laptop

Most college classes require students to use a laptop in order to access the course materials and to do homework. This is a more expensive gift basket option, but they would definitely use it since laptops are a necessity.

10. Kitchen Essentials

Students also need some “kitchen essentials.” Most dorm rooms don’t have a full kitchen, but they will need a small set of kitchen stuff like these so they can eat in their dorm and save leftovers.

11. Bathroom Essentials

If your student is using a communal bathroom in the dorms or is sharing a shower with other people, shower shoes and a shower caddy are something they HAVE to have. They’ll also need a towel set.

Gift Basket Ideas For Her

12. Self Defense

College campuses can be a dangerous place, especially for young women. Some self defense tools would be a great thing to put in a gift basket for her so she’ll not only have peace of mind but also be able to protect herself should she need to.

13. Slippers

When I lived in the dorms one of the first things I bought was a pair of comfy slippers to walk around in!! These slippers are perfect because they’re fuzzy and really cute.

14. Bathrobe

A bathrobe is a good thing to have when living in the dorms because it’ll keep them warm walking to and from the shower. This one is really cute!

Related Post: The Best Dorm Room Essentials For Girls 2024

15. Hydroflask Reusable Bottle

Any reusable water bottle would be good for a gift basket, but literally so many people on college campuses use hydroflasks like this one!

16. Polaroid Camera

birthday gift baskets for college students

A polaroid camera is an amazing college gift idea for girls. It’ll help them capture memories of their time at school!!

17. Lip balm

valentine gift baskets for college students

You can never have too much lip balm on hand, in my opinion. When I was a freshman living in the dorms this is probably the thing I wanted to receive in gift baskets the most!! I’m obsessed with trying different lip balms and this Laneige lip sleeping mask is the best one I’ve used!! Definitely worth the price, it lasts forever. You can never go wrong with Burt’s Bees if you’re looking for a more affordable option!

18. Dyson Air Wrap Dupe

A Dyson Airwrap is something that is on most girls’ wishlists, but they’re insanely expensive. This dupe would be a great gift for college girls!! It’s super affordable and has great reviews!

19. Claw Clips

Most college girls I know use claw clips, they’re super trendy right now. This would be a cute add on to a gift basket that they’d definitely get use out of!

20. Jewelry

college gift baskets for girls dorm room

college gift basket for girls cute ideas

Gold jewelry like this is super trendy right now! A college girl would definitely love to get some gold jewelry to wear to class, game days, etc!

21. Clear Bag

This is a very unexpected thing that people need for college. Most big events (at my college at least) won’t let you bring in a purse unless it’s clear. Getting her one ahead of time would save her from having to walk all the way back to her car to put her purse up because they won’t let her bring it in (speaking from experience).

Amazon College Gift Baskets

22. Snack Box

If you’re looking for a pre-made gift basket to send a college student, this snack basket is an amazing and super popular choice!

23. Sending Hugs

This is such a cute and sentimental gift basket idea. It comes with a mug, candle, and shower steamers.

24. Stress Relief Package

Any college student would appreciate a stress relief gift basket like this one. It comes with a comfy blanket, a sleep mask, a travel mug, fluffy socks, and more!

Other Gift Basket Add Ins

25. Cozy Socks

Some comfy socks are an easy and affordable extra to put in a gift basket that anyone would appreciate and get use out of!

26. Perfume

Some perfume is a great add on for girls! This perfume has been all over the internet for how good it smells. I can attest to this because it’s the one I’ve used for the past few years!! It’s amazing for the price.

27. Motivational Books

If your student is a reader, some motivational books would be a great thing to put in a gift basket! These are a few books that I’ve read in the past year that I really enjoyed and found inspiring!

28. Cozy Blanket

You can never have too many comfy blankets. This one would be great to include in a gift basket!

29. Hygiene Stuff

what does a college student need for their dorm

Stocking up your student on general hygiene stuff like these is also a good idea so they don’t run out!

This post was all about college gift baskets.

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