25 cool and clever gifts for students returning in September
Including loads of £20 and under options

Welcome to woman&home’s online shopping guides, where we reveal where to buy the most popular and top-rated products. This guide is about student gifts, but you may also be interested in our edits of where to buy mood boosting plants online,summer sandals under £50 (opens in new tab), or where to buy reusable face masks (opens in new tab).
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 (opens in new tab) and nine packing tips for starting university. (opens in new tab) 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 (opens in new tab)
Desk lamp, £12, homeessentials.co.uk
VIEW NOW: Desk lamp, £12, homeessentials.co.uk (opens in new tab)
Banana plant, £14, bloomboxclub.com
VIEW NOW: Banana plant, £14, bloomboxclub.com (opens in new tab)
Mug, £12.50, Oliver Bonas
VIEW NOW: Mug, £12.50, Oliver Bonas (opens in new tab)
Reversible plant pot bags, £15, Betty & Molly at Etsy
VIEW NOW: Reversible plant pot bags, £15, Betty & Molly at Etsy (opens in new tab)
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 (opens in new tab)
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 (opens in new tab)
Mob kitchen cook book £6, amazon.co.uk
VIEW NOW: Mob kitchen cook book £6, amazon.co.uk (opens in new tab)
Mob kitchen cook book £6, amazon.co.uk
VIEW NOW: Mob kitchen cook book £6, amazon.co.uk (opens in new tab)
Refillable water bottle, £17.49, John Lewis & Partners
VIEW NOW: Refillable water bottle, £17.49, John Lewis & Partners (opens in new tab)
Dressing gown, £24.99, H&M
VIEW NOW: Dressing gown, £24.99, H&M (opens in new tab)
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 (opens in new tab)
Personalised planner, from £21.99, papier.com
VIEW NOW: Personalised planner, from £21.99, papier.com (opens in new tab)
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 (opens in new tab)
Blanket, £100, Urban Outfitters
VIEW NOW: Blanket, £100, Urban Outfitters (opens in new tab)
Blanket, £100, Urban Outfitters
VIEW NOW: Blanket, £100, Urban Outfitters (opens in new tab)
Clothes rack, £45, Ikea
VIEW NOW: Clothes rack, £45, Ikea (opens in new tab)
7 piece cookware set, £45, Ikea
VIEW NOW: 7 piece cookware set, £45, Ikea (opens in new tab)
Upcycled wetsuit laptop case, £39.65, Nalubags at Etsy
VIEW NOW: Upcycled wetsuit laptop case, £39.65, Nalubags at Etsy (opens in new tab)
Sandwich toaster & toastie maker, £25, Breville at Amazon.co.uk
VIEW NOW: Sandwich toaster & toastie maker, £25, Breville at Amazon.co.uk (opens in new tab)
Set of 3 drawers, £7, Paperchase
VIEW NOW: Set of 3 drawers, £7, Paperchase
Striped duvet set, £19.99, H&M
Hannah Hughes is Group Fashion Editor at Future Publishing. Her work appears in woman&home, Woman, Woman's Own, and Woman's Weekly magazines.
She is a fashion creative with over fifteen years of solid experience in editorial, commercial, and celebrity styling. She has an in-depth knowledge of the luxury, mid and high-street fashion sectors, which she developed over a decade spent as Fashion Director at some of the UK's most widely read women's magazines, including You Magazine and Look Magazine.
-
-
Diane Keaton’s new movie, Mack & Rita, flips the narrative on age-swap comedies
Diane Keaton’s new movie sees a 30-year-old influencer turn into a 70-year-old – and it helps her find a new lease on life
By Jack Slater • Published
-
Sarah Jessica Parker’s gray hair doesn’t make her brave, ‘please, please applaud someone else’s courage’
Sarah Jessica Parker is tired of being called brave for letting herself age
By Jack Slater • Published
-
Kate Middleton’s dresses—9 places the Duchess shops
Kate Middleton's dresses are almost always a sell-out success. Here's the inside scoop on her most-worn brands
By Charlie Bell • Published
-
Cyber Monday jewelry deals 2021—save over 60% on designer pieces
This year's Cyber Monday jewelry deals are previous years, with over 60% off designer brands. Last chance to pick up a huge saving...
By Harriet Davey • Published
-
Save 50% in the unofficial Marks & Spencer Cyber Monday sale this year
There might not be an official Marks & Spencer Cyber Monday sale, but there are still some incredible pre-Christmas deals to save on clothing, homeware and beauty
By Kate McCusker • Published
-
The Boden Cyber Monday sale is here—and you can save you up to 50% off fashion staples
Here's what we're adding to our basket in the Boden Cyber Monday sales this year...
By Aleesha Badkar • Published
-
Gucci Cyber Monday deals—the sales on clothing, handbags, eyewear, and accessories you need to know about
Here's where to find the best Gucci Cyber Monday deals this weekend—including offers on fragrance, beauty and fashion buys
By Dominique McIntee • Published
-
Mulberry Black Friday deals 2021: How to save up to 50% on clothing, handbags and accessories
The Mulberry Black Friday deals on bags, clothes, and accessories to snap up this year
By Rachael Martin • Published
-
The ASOS Black Friday sale can save you up to 70% off coats, knitwear, dresses and more
The ASOS Black Friday sale 2021 is underway—these are the best bargains you can snap up, plus the discount code you need to save up to 50%...
By Harriet Davey • Published
-
There isn't an official Marks & Spencer Black Friday sale this year–but you can still get up to 50% off online
There might not be an official Marks & Spencer Black Friday sale, but you can still save money on lingerie, beauty, wine and more
By Kate McCusker • Published