25 cool and clever gifts for students returning in September

Welcome to woman&home’s online shopping guides, where we reveal where to buy the most popular and top-rated products. 

Whether they’re leaving home for the first time, off for their final year, or studying as a mature student, we’ve searched out the perfect gifts to send them on their way.

From cool cookbooks to personalised laundry bags, there are so many thoughtful products available and they don’t have to cost a fortune. 

Best gifts for students

Cookbooks

We’ve tested out the MOB kitchen book- available for just £6! It’s the ultimate millennial cookbook whose ethos is cooking for 4 for under £10. Filled with beautiful photography, it really doesn’t feel like cooking from a budget cookbook. Students can wow their new mates with healthy and easy to make dishes, such as homemade butter chicken curry. In true student style, MOB Kitchen also doesn’t make any absurd store-cupboard assumptions - all that is expected is that you have salt, pepper, olive oil and a tenner.

Storage solutions

Another thing to think about is room storage. Ikea - being the king of cheap storage solutions - is full of clever hacks, such as how to organise a tiny student room and nine packing tips for starting university. We love their freestanding clothes racks, which may encourage tidiness (stranger things have happened!) and will definitely save you having to patch up a load of drill holes at the end of term.

Sustainable gifts

Today’s students are incredibly conscious of ethics and sustainability, so gifts such as reusable coffee cups, water bottles and recycled fabrics will always go down well. How about a laptop case made from upcycled wetsuits? Or invest in Supawell’s bamboo laptop stand, its beautiful ergonomic design means it will last a lifetime, plus it raises screen height to improve posture- great for when they’re doing those all-nighters at the kitchen table!

Shop our edit of the best gifts for students

So bye-bye boring pencil cases and hello on-trend thoughtful gifts. You can shop them all here now...

Personalised leopard print laundry bag, £18.99, Solesmith at Not on the high street

VIEW NOW: Personalised leopard print laundry bag, £18.99, Solesmith at Not on the high street

Keep cup, £18, Urban Outfitters

VIEW NOW: Keep cup, £18, Urban Outfitters

Desk lamp, £12, homeessentials.co.uk

VIEW NOW: Desk lamp, £12, homeessentials.co.uk

Banana plant, £14, bloomboxclub.com

VIEW NOW: Banana plant, £14, bloomboxclub.com

Mug, £12.50, Oliver Bonas

VIEW NOW: Mug, £12.50, Oliver Bonas

Reversible plant pot bags, £15, Betty & Molly at Etsy

VIEW NOW: Reversible plant pot bags, £15, Betty & Molly at Etsy

Coffee grinder, £19.99, Zara Home

VIEW NOW: Coffee grinder, £19.99, Zara Home

Cotton mix bedding set, £17.50 - £29.50, M&S

VIEW NOW: Cotton mix bedding set, £17.50 - £29.50, M&S

14L Organic cotton backpack (fits 13 inch laptop_Sleeve), £99, Sandqvist at La Redoute

VIEW NOW: 14L Organic cotton backpack (fits 13 inch laptop_Sleeve), £99, Sandqvist at La Redoute

Photo frame, £12, Matalan

VIEW NOW: Photo frame, £12, Matalan

Mob kitchen cook book £6, amazon.co.uk

VIEW NOW: Mob kitchen cook book £6, amazon.co.uk

Refillable water bottle, £17.49, John Lewis & Partners

VIEW NOW: Refillable water bottle, £17.49, John Lewis & Partners

Dressing gown, £24.99, H&M

VIEW NOW: Dressing gown, £24.99, H&M

Pyjama set, £48, cyberjammies

VIEW NOW: Pyjama set, £48, cyberjammies

Pyjama set, £48, cyberjammies

VIEW NOW: Pyjama set, £48, cyberjammies

Alarm clock, £20, Habitat

VIEW NOW: Alarm clock, £20, Habitat

Personalised planner, from £21.99, papier.com

VIEW NOW: Personalised planner, from £21.99, papier.com

Get this gift for less using our Papier discount codes for the month.

Bamboo laptop stand, £55, supawell.com

VIEW NOW: Bamboo laptop stand, £55, supawell.com

Holographic makeup organiser, £29.99, beautify.co.uk

VIEW NOW: Holographic makeup organiser, £29.99, beautify.co.uk

Blanket, £100, Urban Outfitters

VIEW NOW: Blanket, £100, Urban Outfitters

Blanket, £100, Urban Outfitters

VIEW NOW: Blanket, £100, Urban Outfitters

Clothes rack, £45, Ikea

VIEW NOW: Clothes rack, £45, Ikea

7 piece cookware set, £45, Ikea

VIEW NOW: 7 piece cookware set, £45, Ikea

Upcycled wetsuit laptop case, £39.65, Nalubags at Etsy

VIEW NOW: Upcycled wetsuit laptop case, £39.65, Nalubags at Etsy

Sandwich toaster & toastie maker, £25, Breville at Amazon.co.uk

VIEW NOW: Sandwich toaster & toastie maker, £25, Breville at Amazon.co.uk

Set of 3 drawers, £7, Paperchase

VIEW NOW: Set of 3 drawers, £7, Paperchase

Striped duvet set, £19.99, H&M

VIEW NOW: Striped duvet set, £19.99, H&M