32 Best High School Graduation Gift Ideas

Graduating high school marks a turning point in a young person’s life. They are taking a step towards adulthood and the real world, whether they are college-bound, joining the workforce, or taking a gap year. Celebrating this milestone in your high school graduate’s life is a way to show them how proud you are of their achievements through a graduation party, college send-off celebration, a great high school graduation gift, or simply but thoughtful card. Honor them so with all the best things possible from our Graduation Headquarters.

Completing this period of their life is no small achievement for any student. It’s taken them years of early mornings, late nights, long homework assignments, and challenging tests to get here. But they’ve also had the time of their lives making new friends and amazing memories, trying new activities like sports or debate club, and finding a passion they can pursue after high school.

As they advance to a new stage of their young adulthood, the high school graduate in your life deserves something to congratulate them for this achievement and help them in their future endeavors. Give something they will appreciate and cherish in the future with the best high school graduation gifts for any new grad.

Check out our favorites:

Dorm Room Essentials | Dorm Room Decor | School Supplies for College | On-the-Go Necessities

Dorm Room Essentials

Moving to a completely new place can be a fun yet slightly overwhelming adventure for your new graduate fresh out of high school. This exciting time will allow your new high school graduate to experience what it’s like to live in their dorm room and to create new memories. To make their experience as stress-free as possible, provide them with personalized graduation gifts that work as dorm essentials that will make them feel at home away from home.

1. Wireless Charger

For the recent graduate who’s always looking for new gadgets and technology, consider a personalized wireless charger as a practical gift that’ll help them keep their phone charged while not wearing out the battery. Customize it with photos of their friends or with their name.

2. Custom Coffee Mug

Start your new college student’s dishware collection with a custom coffee mug they can use for their morning coffee or tea that helps them wake up. Add sweet family photos or a picture of their favorite movie or TV character for a high school graduation gift that will remind them of home.

3. Photo Book

Don’t forget the graduation photo book for your high school senior as the best graduation present. Document their entire life up to this point, from baby photos to high school in a sweet gift they’ll look at whenever they feel homesick. Or fill it with their greatest accomplishments and best memories from high school; include all their friends, their clubs, and the activities they participated in during those four years. They’ll love to look back on this custom graduation gift for all the bittersweet memories of high school and all the fun they had.

Graduation photo book

4. Wireless Mouse

For the computer-savvy college student with a gaming setup or a new employee who needs their work from home multi-monitor arrangement, a personalized wireless mouse is a perfect gift. Inscribe their first initial, monogram, or name to personalize their new gadget. Pair it with a custom mouse pad for a unique gift that will get them through college.

5. Ceramic Bowls

Help your future university student keep track of their dishware with their own ceramic bowl they’ll surely use for all their ramen and cereal. Now, they won’t have to argue with their roommates about who used what dish and whose turn it is to wash, they’ll have a unique bowl just for them.

6. Monogrammed Toiletry Bag

As your former high school senior enters a new phase of life, they’ll likely be traveling a lot. Whether they’re seeing the world during their gap year or traveling to and from home and school, get them a monogrammed toiletry bag they’ll always be able to easily identify and will never lose in all their movements.

7. Keepsake Box for All the Memories

They’re going to want to save as many memories as they can for the next phase of their life, so get your high school grad a sweet keepsake box where they can put all the important items and photos. Personalize it with a photo of their best friends, graduation year, or monogram their first initial on the lid.

8. Reusable Water Bottle

An essential item for any student or working adult, a reusable water bottle will be the best gift you can get your high school graduate. Keep them hydrated and environmentally conscious at the same time with a customized stainless steel water bottle they can easily identify among their friends’ or roommates’ bottles.

Custom stainless steel water bottles.

9. Personalized Jewelry

The perfect high school graduation gift, a piece of jewelry like an engraved necklace or a photo charm to add to a bracelet or chain will be a memorable and charming present for the high school grad who’s going to soon leave home. Give them something to always remember their loved ones with a sweet family photo or their birthstone on the charm, or cute personalized jewelry made just for them.

10. Custom Puzzle

custom jigsaw puzzle


For a fun gift that’ll help your high school grad once they’re in college or at a job, create a custom puzzle they can put together to de-stress and relax after a long day of classes or work. Paste a photo of them and their friends for a challenging yet fun and sweet puzzle that is sure to be one of the best graduation gifts they receive.

Dorm Room Decor

College is all about self-expression and finding your identity. Help your new grad feel comfortable in their new space with items that bring them joy and showcase their personality. From custom wall art pieces to personalized fleece blankets to photo pillows, your student will find uses for all these fantastic high school graduation gifts.

11. Hanging Canvas Wall Art

Help your new university student decorate their dorm room with their own hanging canvas prints. Add a collage of family and friend photos for a sweet homage to their loved ones, or paste fun vacation photos for a unique graduation gift they’ll love.

12. Desk Photo Plaque

Another sweet photo gift that your high school grad will love is a desktop plaque displaying one amazing photo. Choose the perfect picture of your family all together or a photo of them and their best friends. They can display this unique picture frame on their dorm or work desk and look at it for a boost in times of stress.

13. Premium Poster

Gift your new college student or worker a premium poster that depicts their favorite movie character, a relaxing nature scene, or an inspirational quote with a cool background for the perfect home decor graduation present.

Graduation posters

14. Photo Pillow

Whether it serves its functional purpose or acts as home decor, a photo pillow will be a useful grad gift to an incoming college student. Help them decorate their bed and their side of the room while also giving them something to lounge on with a personalized pillow filled with photos of family and friends.

15. Photo Tiles

For a graduation present idea that every incoming college freshman will love, get them photo tiles so they can display their favorite photos on their dorm room walls. Shutterfly’s stickable photo tiles don’t need any tools to hang and won’t damage their walls. You can hang and rearrange them easily, so it’s a great way to help your college student personalize their space.

16. Custom Fleece Blanket

Keep your recent grad cozy with a fleece photo blanket they can use as home decor or to stay warm during those late nights finishing homework. Customize their throw blanket with their school colors, photos of the family pet, or create a collage of their friends for a memory-filled gift.

17. Personalized Candles

Your high school senior just graduated, and what better way for them to finally relax and take a break than with a personalized candle? Customize it with their favorite photo from vacation to convey those relaxation vibes.

18. Magnets


Gift your future college student something sweet to put on their fridge, or to attach papers and organize their whiteboard. They’ll love their custom magnets once you post images of different family members on them, or pictures of their favorite TV show characters. This simple gift can last as a small graduation keepsake they take with them when they move out of their dorm room or first apartment.

School Supplies for College

Although college provides endless opportunities to make new friends, try new activities, and lead an independent life, at the end of the day, it’s all about learning and getting an education. Help your student excel in class by providing them with the essentials that will make studying easy and enjoyable.

19. Monthly Planner

This super useful gift is a must for any recent high school graduate. Get them a custom monthly planner to help keep all their classes, assignments, activities, meetings, or work schedule planned and organized.

Planners.

20. Desk Organizer Caddy

Your soon-to-be college student will need a place to store materials for homework and assignments, so opt for a custom desk organizer caddy that showcases their close friends from high school. Add their favorite photos together for a useful personalized graduation gift that will always remind them of their favorite memories.

21. Personalized Pencils

If they’re going to college, your recently graduated high school senior will be taking a lot of notes and doing a lot of homework. Make that easier by etching an inspirational quote on personalized pencils as a sweet gift to the future student. Now, they’ll never lose their writing utensils.

22. Notebook

A personalized notebook gift will be a practical gift for any recent high school graduate, whether they are continuing their education in college, or planning on entering the job market. Help them take notes somewhere they love with a monogrammed notebook.

23. Custom Journal

Encourage the young adult in your life to jot down their thoughts, ideas, and day-to-day with a personalized journal. Monogram their name or first initial on the cover and make the journal their favorite color so they never lose this essential item.

On-the-Go Necessities

The post-high school lifestyle is all about traveling and trying new things, so it’s likely that your student will spend a lot of time away from home. Provide him or her with items that make their chaotic and fast-paced lifestyle more manageable. Make sure they’re prepared with all the necessary things they need to start their new college life. These on-the-go necessities make wonderful personalized graduation gifts.

24. Metal Pins

For a small and simple graduation gift idea, opt for multiple personalized metal pins your recent high school grad can place on their backpack or regular bag. Add text, pictures, or any designs you want for pins they can use on anything.

Personalized metal pins with photos and text

25. Luggage Tags

Now that your high school grad has more time on their hands, a weekend getaway or vacation is in order after all their years of hard work and dedication. Create a personalized luggage tag for your grad so their luggage will find its way back to them in case it gets lost. Customize luggage tags with their initials, pictures, favorite quotes, and colors to make this the best graduation gift they will receive. Making a personalized luggage tag is a one-of-a-kind gift that will follow them through their best experiences of traveling the world.

26. Custom Keychain

Whether they’re going to be driving to their classes or their new job, or need to keep their keys together, the new grad will love a custom keychain to attach to their key ring. Paste photos of family, friends, or a beloved pet to always remind your graduate of their loved ones back home.

27. iPhone Case

For the college-bound student who needs their phone on them at all times, get a personalized iPhone case to keep their phone safe and secure. It’ll protect their valuable device and remind them to call you a little more often while they’re busy making new friends and getting those A’s. Upload family photos for a sweet case, or monogram it with their initials for a sleek look. No matter how you design it, custom iPhone cases make the best graduation gifts.

28. Unique Tote Bag

Whether your high school graduate is going to college or entering the workforce, they’ll love a custom cotton tote bag to keep all their items in check. Personalize this great gift with the cover of their favorite book or a meaningful quote to make it sophisticated.

29. Travel Mug

Keep their drink hot while they commute to class or work with a personalized travel mug. For a mug they’ll truly adore and appreciate, customize it with photos from their favorite coffee places back home so they can reflect on those good memories when they get their coffee at college or work.

30. Drink Tumbler

custom drinkware tumbler and coffee mug

Help your future college student or worker be more environmentally aware and reduce their carbon footprint with a reusable acrylic tumbler that includes a reusable straw. This cool drink holder can keep all their iced coffee cold, while featuring cute photos of their pet or family memories.

31. Personalized Hoodie

What young adult doesn’t love a good hoodie? Customize a hoodie with any color, and add their favorite quote or funny saying so they can show off their personality on campus or wherever they choose to go after high school graduation.

High school sweatshirts.

32. Reusable Shopping Bag

Now that they’re in the adult world, your recent high school grad may have to do their own grocery shopping. Make sure they do it right with a personalized reusable shopping bag. Add pictures of their favorite food or grocery item so they never forget to bring this bag with them to the store.

Additional Thoughts

Whether you’re looking for the best graduation gifts for him or the perfect gift for her, your high school graduate’s accomplishment merits something that’s special, functional, and reflects their personality. Whether you’re celebrating at a virtual event or a college send off party, the student in the family will adore these personalized gifts for graduates and photo gifts that’ll help them keep those precious memories alive.

Of course, don’t forget about the graduation card for your new grad. Whether you’re sliding in a gift card or writing down your thoughts and feelings about their accomplishments, make sure you express your pride at all their achievements, no matter how small, and communicate that this truly is a big milestone you’re excited to witness.

Additional Resources: