The holidays are a time when everyone comes home to celebrate, including college students. College students are in a transition time of life and can be hard to shop for.
Need ideas of what stocking stuffers to get for college students (or college bound teens)? This list has 25 items that would make great stocking stuffers – things they want or need.
You’re sure to find a hit of a gift on this list.
P.S. If you’re a college student, consider passing this list on to your parents or grandparents.
25 Stocking Stuffer Ideas for College Students
1. Nutella
Nutella is a delicious spread that is loved by almost everyone. That’s why Mini jars of Nutella, Nutella mini cups, Nutella & Go packs or even a regular sized jar of Nutella would make a perfect stocking stuffer. The mini jars would also make cute and unique party favors. 
2. Burt’s Bees Items
Burt’s Bees beauty items make nice stocking stuffers that a college student would be sure to appreciate. A lip balm or a body scrub would fit well in a stocking or you could put in a small gift set.
Target has pre-made gifts sets making it easy to pick up one from your local store. Others can be found on Amazon, like this one and this one.
3. Pizza Pouch
This portable pizza pouch is sure to get a laugh! It’s a perfect stocking stuffer for any pizza lover.
It’s a necklace that can hold a piece of pizza, what’s not to love?
4. Candy
Who doesn’t like to have something sweet every now and again? Candy, and this can be anything from a bag of M&M’s to a PEZ dispenser, which is another simple but nice stocking stuffer.
If you want to take this to another level, consider getting a 5lb bag of Gummy Bears
. This will last a college student through many, long study sessions.
Other snack sized, savory foods or jerky could be substituted for those who aren’t big on sweets, as well. 🙂
5. Pens/Sharpies
In college writing is a necessity and that can be made more fun when you use colored pens to color code homework and notes. A set of pens or a pack of metallic sharpies would provide plenty of variety.
6. Music or Game Gift Cards
A college student probably doesn’t have a lot of extra money to spend on extra little luxuries, like a new video game or a music subscription. Consider adding in an iTunes gift card, a Spotify gift card or even a Steam gift card as a stocking stuffer.
7. Hand Made Soap or Bath Bombs
A unique idea for stocking stuffers for college students is handmade soap, like an all-natural goats milk soap. Chances are they don’t have it already and will appreciate the splurge for their hygiene routine.
If you know they have a bathtub they can use, a bath bomb makes an excellent little present.
8. Key Chain Sriracha Sauce
The oh-so-popular Sriracha Sauce is available in a mini, functional key chain. This would make a fun novelty stocking stuffer for any fan of hot sauce.
A college student is sure to get a kick out of it and find uses for it.
9. Mini Essential Oil Diffuser
Those who love essential oils would also love a mini, portable essential oil diffuser.They provide a way to freshen the smell of a dorm or apartment room.
This diffuser and this one are the perfect size to fit in a car cup holder, making either a convenient travel companion.
If they already own a diffuser, a new bottle of essential oil would make a good option, as well.
10. Beard Hat
These make silly and fun stocking stuffers for college students! They keep the face warm and will make others laugh.
Here are a few styles and options for beard hats:
- Brown Long Beard Hat
- Grey Long Beard Hat
- Brown Stubble Beard Hat
- Black, Grey or Brown Stubble Beard
- Black or Brown Bushy Beard
- Grey Barbarian Beard
11. Lottery tickets
This is a gift that can give even more with no extra cost for the giver. Buy a handful of lottery tickets and see how the odds play out.
This is why lottery tickets make enjoyable stocking stuffers for college students.
12. Gloves
Mitten or gloves are always appreciated in a cold climate. These are like socks – you can find the right pair to fit someone’s personality.
13. Cash
Cash makes great stocking stuffers for college students and it doesn’t even need to be a lot. Two dollar bills or dollar coins are more unique, yet can still be used to benefit a college budget.
It’s a plain and simple gift that’s bound to be appreciated.
14. Washi Tape or Duck Tape
Duck Tape comes in all kinds of crazy patterns like bacon, skittles, and popcorn these days, as well as scented, fabric and even chalkboard! These make a fun gift that all college students will love and can use to decorate their dorm with.
Washi Tape is another kind of tape with fun patterns that can be used for decorating or crafting projects, too.
Also Read: 8 Cheap & Stylish Ways to Decorate a College Dorm
15. Movie Tickets
These make great stocking stuffers for college students who can’t afford a lot of extras. The price of a movie ticket can be an expense they can’t afford to spare, but they give students a reprieve from studying.
During a holiday break it’s always nice to have something to do. Give the gift of a Fandango card.
Fandango works in most big cities. If your student lives in a small town, consider checking with their local theater for a gift card.
16. Gift Cards
You don’t have to give much – an extra $10 bucks can mean a lot to a college student. You could pick places to grab a burger or just do a store that carries everything like Walmart, Target, etc.
Either way, it’s money they don’t have to spend so they will really value it, which is why it makes the list of stocking stuffer ideas for college students. Here are a few gift card store ideas:
17. Portable Power Bank
Portable power banks to charge devices with are useful to have when running around campus, taking a camping trip or traveling.
College students love having these, as they have lots of things that need charging. Here’s a lipstick-sized portable charger and a candy bar-sized portable charger.
18. Mini Journal or Mini Sketchbook
This is something they can carry around in-between classes to make sketches or to write down quick, little notes. A small pad of paper will have many different uses making it a gift that can please many kinds of people.
Also Read: 7 of the Best Minimalist Bullet Journals
19. Fitness Tracker
Have you heard of the Freshman 15? It’s that 15 pounds college students put on during freshman year.
Help them combat that with a fitness tracker. These are a nice surprise as stocking stuffers for college students.
Of course people love their Fitbits, but there are less expensive fitness tracker options, too.
20. Books
Not textbooks for class, but something that can help ease the nerves about college and make the transition smoother. You could send a book that has been on their reading wish list for a long time.
The number one place I shop for affordable books is Thriftbooks.com, because they almost always have the lowest prices.
Not sure what book they want? Grab a gift card from Thriftbooks and let them choose.
Also Read: Where to Find the Cheapest College Textbooks
21. Tumbler/Water Bottle
Everyone could use a water bottle which is why this makes the list for great stocking stuffers for college students. It’s much cheaper for a student than buying bottled water.
They will appreciate the money you save them.
Here are a few suggestions:
- Nalgene Wide Mouth Bottle
- Gold Mandala Monogram CamelBak Water Bottle
- BottleBottle Insulated Tumbler Cup
22. Flash Drive
Flash drives are useful for a student and come in all kinds of novelty shapes like animals, foods, guitars, and even superheros like Batman. No need for something fancy though as the regular ones certainly make nice stocking stuffers.
23. Microwave Baking Cooking Gadgets Kit
Stocking stuffers for college students don’t need to be traditional. Think about those times when all they have to cook with is a microwave.
A microwave cookware set like this is sure to come in handy for the college lifestyle. Or even this cute, microwave steam cleaner would make a cool gift.
24. Command Hooks
Why do these make good stocking stuffers for college students? When you’re living in a dorm you generally want to avoid causing damage to the walls, but this can be difficult to work around when you want to hang things.
This is where Command hooks come in. Help the students be more organized in their dorm rooms with this gift.
Also Read: 8 Dorm Hacks to Give You the Most Organized Room of Your Life
25. Lint Roller
Did you know that lint rollers can be used for more than just catching lint? College students can use them to dust window ledges, lampshades, clean out a drawer, clean out car crevices and more.
This is why these make handy stocking stuffers for college students. Grab a reasonably priced one, like this Scotch Lint Roller, from your local Walmart.
Looking for something free to give? Check out my Free Dorm Sweet Dorm Printable Wall Art for college students.
