It’s that time of year again when exam results start rolling in, final offers are accepted, conditional offers are achieved and people start gearing up for starting university.

Whether they are a first time fresher embarking on their undergraduate degree (the best four years of their life FYI), or a university veteran returning to complete their master's degree or PhD, it’s always good to signify this milestone with a gift, or two.

So to help you out with some gifting inspiration, we have curated a list of the best gifts for students starting university. We have thought of everything from gifts for tech lovers to gifts that make living in student halls easier!
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Why should you get a gift for a student starting university?

For so many, getting into university is something they put years of hard work into. Whether it’s achieving all A’s in high school, or developing a robust research proposal for your PhD, it takes so much time, dedication and determination to get into university.

On top of the years it takes to get in and get started, it then takes a further 4 - 6 years to actually graduate. Which is why getting into university should be celebrated!

So if it’s just a matter of putting a “good luck at university!” message in a card, or you’re big on gifts, or even love a party - we here at Givetastic think you should always celebrate!
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Gift Ideas for Student Starting university

When it comes to choosing a gift for a student, there are so many options, almost too many.

So we’ve explored everything from practical to practical jokes, and we feel that our list will help you find the perfect gift.
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Subscriptions:

Putting ourselves back into our student shoes, our first thought was “what would have been the best gift for freshers?” (apart from alcohol and some Tylenol, our answer was a subscription).

Yes, we know that it’s not a one off gift and might be something better suited for parents to give. But from a student's perspective, what’s a better gift to receive than someone else paying your bills?

We’re not talking about household bills though, we’re talking about fun subscriptions that are perfect for students.

Some of our favourites are:
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1. Spotify Premium or Apple Music

A music subscription is a perfect gift for any new student. Whether it’s curating the perfect pre-drinks playlist or listening to some calming music during a study session, gifting a loved one Spotify Premium or Apple Music is a win.

2. Amazon Prime (for students)

One of the best subscriptions around is Amazon Prime for Students. From free next day delivery to endless streaming on their Amazon Video service, plus a plethora of discounts on other services, this one is a no-brainer.

3. HelloFresh

If you’re a parent looking for a gift, this one's for you. Not only do you gift your child weekly dinners (that you don’t have to cook), but you give yourself peace of mind that they’re being fed something other than takeaway.

4. Headspace or meditation app

This subscription is one they don’t know they need yet, especially during the first week. But as the semester progresses, the deadlines roll in, and things begin to feel stressful, a subscription to a meditation app like Headspace could be just what they need.

Tech

Of course a new bit of tech is perfect for a new student, whether it’s a classic laptop or tablet. But if those ideas feel a bit redundant, some other tech pieces to consider would be:

5. Wireless Headphones or Earphones:

These can be a great addition to any student's study set up. Listening back to lecture recordings, studying along to a focus playlist or jamming to a playlist while walking to a tutorial, headphones are a great gift.

6. Smart watch

Smart watches are a perfect gift for more active students, especially if they plan on joining a university sports team or are studying a sports related degree. Gifting a smart watch will go down a storm!

7. Polaroid Camera

The polaroid instax camera is a perfect gift for lots of occasions, especially for those who love to capture pictures. But this is one of the best student gifts, as it allows them to capture memories in the moment, and can look back on one of the best times of their lives for years to come.

8. Wireless Printer

This one might be met with a puzzled look to begin with, but once they have to start printing journal articles or the assigned reading they’ll be beyond grateful. A wireless printer that they can keep in their halls will save any unnecessary trips to the library or forking out printing credits.

Household:

Much like our other practical suggestions, some of our below gifts may be met with a look of confusion or even a groan. But, that doesn’t mean that they won’t actually appreciate the gift, especially when it comes to cooking their first meal, doing their laundry or cleaning their shared bathroom!

9. Cleaning essential hamper

If the student in question is a 17-year-old leaving home for the first time, this one is a must. With no clue how much housework is required or what cleaning products are needed, a hamper with your standard antibacterial wipes, surface cleanser, toilet cleaner and so on, will surely be appreciated…eventually.

10. Shower shoes

This one is essential if they plan on moving into halls with a shared bathroom. As we all know, students don’t often prioritise cleanliness, and for this reason shower shoes or sliders are a must.

11. Bedding

Specifically a spare set of bedding! We’ve all been there thinking one set of bedding would be enough, until it’s time to wash them and then they don’t dry in time and you’re left with no bedsheets. So, spare bedsheets are a perfect idea!

12. Heated Blanket

If the student you’re gifting is attending a university here in the UK, a heated blanket will be essential, especially when they move out of halls into their first, too expensive to heat, flat.

13. Kitchen essentials

Even as an adult when you move out you always forget the ice cream scoop, pizza slicer or garlic press, but if you let them cover the essentials and you gift the extras, we guarantee that they’ll be grateful.

14. Drinking Glasses

This one is a no-brainer for a student, as they tend to spend more time drinking than they do studying. But you can never have too many glasses, and if you gift some personalised ones, it will help avoid any arguments with their flatmates.

15. Water Bottle or Travel Mug

Brands like Chilly’s or Frank Green offer both water bottles and travel coffee mugs that are thermal, keeping their drinks cold and coffees hot! Perfect for those long days in the library.

Other Practical Odds and Ends:

In addition to the other practical gifts we have suggested, we wanted to provide you with a little list of more studious student essentials.

16. Notepads

If you give a collection of notepads, of varying sizes and styles, the student-to-be is sure to be grateful. Perfect for scribbling notes, copying down lecture slides or even writing out their weekly shopping lists, you can’t go wrong with this essential.

17. Stationery

An ideal gift for any student, especially pens!

18. Coffee Pods

Even for a standard adult who loves coffee this is an ideal gift! Coffee can be quite expensive, and purchasing some of their favourite coffee will keep them going (and if you’re a parent it stops them from raiding your cupboards on their visits home).

19. Gift cards

If none of the above suit or you don’t have the time to pick up a physical gift, a gift card is always a good option. With gift cards for clothing retailers, food delivery services and even supermarkets, there are gift cards that are perfect for everyone.

Novelty Gifts

Now that we’ve rounded off our list of more practical gifts, we thought we’d pop in some suggestions for if you were looking for a slightly silly gift.

20. Drinking Games

Whether it’s a beer pong set, a new deck of cards or a board game, a drinking game is sure to go down well as a gift for a student starting university. Especially as it can be the perfect icebreaker for moving into halls!

21. Snacks

A hamper filled with their favourite snacks or home comforts is the perfect gift to wish someone good luck with starting university!

Conclusion

With everything from tech to kitchen essentials, our list of the best gifts for students starting university has hopefully inspired you!

Still not got a clue? If you, along with some friends or family, are looking for the perfect gift but can’t seem to find the right thing, create a collection with Givetastic!

With the ability to sign a card or contribute money towards a gift, Givetastic allows you to give your recipient the gift of choice. That’s right, once your collection has ended you can simply gift the funds to the student-to-be, where they’ll transfer it into a digital gift card, choosing from one of our 80 retailers!