18 School Supplies Every College Student Needs

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From elementary school through high school, students are told exactly what school supplies they’ll need for classes. With the independence that college brings, however, you can pick what supplies work best for you.

Going in with the right supplies can make all the difference, helping set you up for success. Below are the must-have supplies that any student could benefit from, no matter their course of study:

Average Price: $$$$$

Our Recommendations: Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4, 2025), Acer Aspire 3, Apple iPad (11th Gen, 2025)

You’ll likely complete the bulk of your college work digitally.

For majors like engineering, design, or computer science, a laptop is non-negotiable since you’ll need the processing power for specialized software. You’ll want a lightweight, dependable option that can run multiple programs while you’re doing projects.

However, a tablet can be a solid option if your major leans more toward reading, writing, or research — like English, history, or communications. Paired with a keyboard, a tablet is more than capable of handling note-taking, essay writing, and online research while being extra portable.

Average Price: $$$$

Our Recommendations: Anker Soundcore Space Q45 Wireless

Quiet can be hard to come by in a crowded library, coffee shop, or dorm, but noise-cancelling headphones can bring down the surrounding noise. Also, if you’re listening to music or online course materials in public, headphones are a necessary courtesy.

Average Price: $$$$

Our Recommendations: Anker Laptop Power Bank

Even if you’re diligent about keeping your devices charged, you’ll most likely face a low-battery emergency at some point. A portable power bank can help you through long days of lectures and study sessions.

Average Price: $

Our Recommendations: SanDisk 64GB Ultra USB 3.0 Flash Drive

A USB flash drive can come in surprisingly handy for quick file transfers or last-minute presentations. They can also technically be used as a backup for important documents.

Average Price: $$$

Our Recommendations: Logitech Pebble 2 Combo, Wireless Keyboard and Mouse

Using your laptop’s keyboard and mouse for long periods of time without a break can lead to wrist and back pain. A wireless mouse and keyboard can help you maintain better posture and ergonomics while reducing cable clutter.

Average Price: $$

Our Recommendations: BESIGN LS03 Aluminum Laptop Stand

When you’re doing homework, hunching over your screen can get uncomfortable fast. A laptop stand raises your screen to eye level, which makes long writing sessions less physically draining. This is especially true when paired with a wireless keyboard and mouse to create a setup that feels closer to a desktop.

Average Price: $$

Our Recommendations: Anker Surge Protector Power Strip (2100J)

Plugging in your devices to a surge protector can safeguard them from unexpected power spikes. A surge protector also gives you extra outlet space, especially important when you’re plugging in a laptop, phone, lamp, and maybe even a mini-fridge in a cramped dorm room.

Average Price: $$-$$$

Our Recommendations: JanSport Main Campus Backpack

A good backpack has padded space for a laptop plus enough room for textbooks and notebooks. Students often rely on one bag for everything, so durability and comfort really matter when you’re carrying it across campus all day.

Average Price: $-$$

Our Recommendations: Blue Sky 2025-2026 Weekly and Monthly Academic Year Planner Calendar

With multiple classes, extracurriculars, and assignment deadlines, keeping everything straight is tough. A planner can help you map out your week, track important dates, and break big projects into smaller, more manageable tasks so you don’t end up scrambling at the last minute.

Average Price: $

Our Recommendations: Five Star Spiral Notebook + Study App, 6 Pack

Some things are just better on paper. Even with laptops and tablets, notebooks still get plenty of use. They are perfect for jotting ideas, sketching diagrams, or taking notes during class.

Average Price: $

Our Recommendations: Mr. Pen Sticky Notes Set, BIC Brite Liner Highlighters, BIC Xtra Smooth Mechanical Pencil, Pilot G2 Premium Gel Roller Pens

These small tools can help you highlight key points, jot reminders, and mark important pages so you can study and organize way more effectively.

Average Price: $

Our Recommendations: Five Star Flex Refillable Notebook, Five Star 2-Pocket Folder, 4 Pack

Handouts, syllabi, and graded assignments pile up fast. Folders and binders keep everything sorted by class, which makes reviewing for midterms easier when you don’t have to dig through a messy stack of papers.

Average Price: $$

Our Recommendations: Stanley IceFlow Stainless Steel Tumbler

Running between classes, it’s easy to forget to stay hydrated. A water bottle is easy to refill at campus fountains, saves money, and keeps you from relying on vending machines.

Average Price: $$

Our Recommendations: Hydro Flask Mug

Early lectures and late-night study sessions usually mean caffeine. An insulated coffee mug keeps coffee warm while you focus on your work.

Average Price: Free for one year for college students, typically $200

Google’s Gemini Pro is free for college students, and includes research, organization, coding, and storage tools. Learning to use AI is also a crucial skill as you graduate into the workforce, but check out your school’s AI policy before using any of Google’s AI tools on class assignments.

Average Price: Free and paid version available

Our Recommendations: Zotero, or EasyBib

Writing research papers means dealing with APA, MLA, or Chicago style formatting, which can be time-consuming to do manually. Tools like Zotero or EasyBib let you plug in sources and generate citations instantly. They also store your references, so by the end of the semester you’re not scrambling to remember where that one journal article came from.

Average Price: Free and paid version available

Our Recommendations: OneNote, Notion, or Evernote

Apps like OneNote, Notion, or Evernote make it easier to organize class notes by subject, add images or PDFs from lectures, and search everything later. For example, if a professor references a theory you covered weeks ago, you can find your notes in seconds instead of flipping through three different notebooks.

Average Price: Free and paid version available

Our Recommendations: Google Calendar, Todoist, or Trello

Between classes, assignments, and extracurriculars, it’s easy for deadlines to sneak up on you. Time management apps like Google Calendar, Todoist, or Trello can help you stay organized by keeping track of due dates, scheduling study sessions, and even setting reminders so nothing slips through the cracks.