Top 10 gifts for college students

Let us help you in your search for gifts for college students. This guide offers ten great suggestions to suit freshmen through seniors – no matter what the occasion.

A music pass

Where to get it: Spotify
Price range: $5-$60

Your student days need a great soundtrack. The sounds you love and share with your friends at this age will stay with you forever and define the golden days of your youth. So, gift ideas for college students don’t get much better than a ticket to listen to whatever they want, whenever they want.

A student pass for Spotify is less than $5 a month so, depending on your budget, you could get them started with a couple of months of access or pay for a whole year of listening.

License to stream

Where to get it: Hulu, Netflix
Price range: $5-$60

The college student in your life is not going to want to miss out on their favorite show while they’re away at university. Help them to stay up to date – and keep entertained in between their studies – by paying for them to access a streaming service.

Hulu is a great choice, with a library of more than 80,000 TV episodes and movies and the chance to add on Live TV too – depending on how much you choose to load on a gift card. Alternatively, there’s a wealth of entertainment available on Netflix too.

A ready supply of coffee

Where to get it: Starbucks
Price range: $15-$50

Early morning lectures? Late night essay writing? Student life is all the sweeter with coffee right? That’s likely to mean a lot of trips to Starbucks each semester – and a big need for funds to pay for coffees, coolers, cakes and more. It’s also a great place to go with a laptop to get through some work too.

Lots of the best ideas for gifts for college students involve giving them a helping hand to afford to live their life to the full – and this is a great one of those.

The latest fashions

Where to get it: TJ Maxx
Price range: $25-$50

When you’re a college student, style matters. You’re at that age where you need to keep up with the latest trends – but also at a time when it’s tough to be able to afford to wear the best brands.

TJ Maxx is a store geared towards offering designer apparel at discount prices and is the perfect place. Vouchers for here make great gift ideas for fashion-forward girls or boys going to college – and they give them the power to pick the right clothes for their taste and shape.

Sportswear

Where to get it: Adidas, Foot Locker
Price range: $15-$100

Sport is such an important part of college life – each university has its own great tradition and great teams to try to represent. Whether you’re looking for gifts for college boys or girls who take their sport seriously, helping to pay for the kit and accessories they need can be a great idea.

Adidas is one of the world’s leading sport brands and would ensure they look the part. Foot Locker specializes in getting them the best sneakers whether they shine on the track, field or just want to look the part in the bleachers.

A bargain experience

Where to get it: Groupon
Price range: $10-$200

Students love a great deal – and many of them are experts at searching out an amazing discount. That means they’ll love Groupon. It’s a place to find incredible deals on everything from live theater shows and concerts to food, fashion and fitness.

Purchasing a gift card puts them in charge and lets them select an experience that they and their friends will love – and avoids you spending money on something that just isn’t the right fit.

App store credit

Where to get it: App Store & iTunes
Price range: $15-$200

When think about gifts for college students, you’re probably making a mental note of what they’re in to. Chances are their smartphone is as important as any other part of college life. It helps them stay connected to the people that matter most, as well as being an endless source of entertainment via apps, music, TV shows and films.

With an App Store & iTunes or Google Play gift card means you can give them the funds they need to download the latest games or music.

A tasty takeaway fund

Where to get it: Domino’s
Price range: $10-$20

No house party, movie night or late night study session is complete without a box of cheesy, delicious pizza. Help them out by giving them a takeaway fund so they can afford to treat themselves whenever they want.

Domino’s has a mouth-watering menu and more than 6,000 stores right across the US – so there’s bound to be one nearby for them to order from. But don’t worry – if they prefer something else to pizza, we’ve got loads of alternative food choices to pick from in our range.

Quality make-up

Where to get it: Ulta, Sephora.
Price range: $10-$50

If you’re after gifts for college girls, then typically make-up is a good shout. A full face of make-up can be expensive so give them a helping help to look and feel their best. From the latest eyeshadow palettes that everyone’s talking about to those tried-and-tested staples that can’t be forgotten, a gift card ensures she gets whatever she wants.

With the likes of Tarte, Mac, Vegan Beauty, Urban Decay, Kylie Cosmetics and more in stock, they’ll have plenty of choice if they head to Ulta or Sephora.

Groceries

Where to get it: Kroger
Price range: $10-$250

Keen to still look after your teen even though they’ve left for college? Or do you just want to give them some practical support and want gift ideas that can help provide the basics? If so, giving them a helping hand with the grocery bill is the perfect way to send them on their way.

They’ll appreciate the support and you’ll sleep easy knowing that they’re eating properly while away from home. There are locations within the Kroger Family of Stores all over the US so it’ll be convenient too.

Picking gifts for college students is a breeze thanks to the range of gift cards via the Kroger Family of Stores. Browse them all here for inspiration.