The Best Gifts for Friends Going Abroad
As someone who spent the best four months of her life studying abroad in Rome, I’m a HUGE proponent for a semester abroad. It’s all the best parts of freshman year dorm-life…with a lot less of the actual school 😜
I spent my semester in Rome drinking an obscene amount of wine, diving deep into Roman history, searching for viewpoints and jetting off around Europe each and every weekend. Oh…and eating my weight in pasta of course. When it comes to buying gifts for friends going abroad, I’m pretty much the expert.
Although your friend’s semester abroad is guaranteed to be the time of their life, there are certain items that they don’t know they’ll need…until they need them. Thankfully your guru to all things study abroad is here to assist you with the best gifts for friends going abroad!
17 Fun & Functional Gifts for Friends Going Abroad
When it comes to shopping for your friend moving overseas, sometimes practical gifts are the way to go.
4-5 months of nonstop travel requires a lot of specific gear, especially if your friend plans on hostel-hopping like most study abroad students.
The best gifts are practical gifts that come from the heart, and your friend is guaranteed to be ready for anything with one of these gifts under the tree.
1. The Best Carry-On by BÉIS Travel
If you’re shopping for a friend who tends to overpack, do them a favor and get them The Carry-On Roller by BÉIS.
It’s hands-down the best carry-on I’ve ever owned.
Not only is it sleek and stylish, but you would not believe how much this bag fits—I packed it up for a 10-day trip across Romania (in fall, with boots and coats). It wasn’t easy, but it zipped.
It comes in tons of fun colors (although I wish I had not picked fluorescent orange tbh), and although it is a big of a splurge, they have great Black Friday sales. In 2025, it was 30% off the entire site—so you might be able to snag one for less just in time for the holidays.
Bonus points if you gift the check-in version too…because matching luggage is such a cool-girl vibe.
2. iPhone Tripod
For those friends who LIVE for the travel content, an iPhone tripod is the perfect gift to give them before they leave for their semester abroad.
Even if they don’t plan to solo travel, let’s be honest, sometimes our friends just aren’t getting the job done behind the camera.
Before I purchased my camera, I used this trusty iPhone tripod from Amazon.
If your friend will be traveling with a camera instead of an iPhone, I highly recommend the JOBY Compact Action Tripod for travel. And if your friends are really serious about their travel content…consider throwing in a 1T portable hard drive and memory card case!
I took both of these photos completely solo 👇🏼 thanks to my trusty travel tripod.
3. Rechargeable Power Bank
I never travel anywhere without my trusty portable charger. Back when I had an iPhone 7, I would never leave the hostel without 2 fully-charged portables.
Thankfully, my iPhone 15 is a bit more reliable, but it still pays off to have a high-quality power bank.
This Anker Portable Charger is my absolute favorite for only $19.99 on Amazon. I bring it with me on every single trip, since I firmly believe that a reliable data plan (thanks Airalo) and a fully charged phone are the best safety tools you can pack for any trip.
4. Travel Pillow
You have a lot of fun during study abroad. Unfotunately, one thing you don’t get a lot of is sleep.
That’s why a travel pillow makes a fantastic stocking-stuffer for your friend going abroad. I love this inflatable neck pillow from Amazon. It holds its shape much better than stuffed pillows and helps you catch some much needed zzz’s on planes, trains, and any other form of transportation.
For long-haul flights, I highly recommend this travel pillow with an attached eye mask. It connects to the back of the seat (not on every aircraft—typically only on large crafts designed for long-haul flights), and prevents bobblehead while you sleep.
5. Luggage Tags
With the airlines losing luggage left and right nowadays, you can’t be too careful with your belongings.
That’s why another one of my favorite gifts for friends going abroad is cute and functional luggage tags—these tags from Calpak even double as a power bank!
For gifts on a budget, grab these affordable and eye-catching luggage tags from Amazon for only $9.99 for a pack of three.
6. AirTags
I got an Apple AirTag for Christmas years ago and I swear, I’ll never travel without one again. (As I’m packing for Rome today, I’m using three AirTags—one for each of my checked bags.)
Naturally, the first flight I took after getting it—the airline lost my luggage.
Since I was living in Roatan at the time (where, fun fact, there are no addresses), getting that bag back was a nightmare. Being able to track it with the AirTag gave me so much peace of mind as it slowly made its way back to me.
You can also toss one in your wallet, stick it in your carry-on, or attach it to your keys.
At only $29, it’s an easy, budget-friendly gift—especially coming from Apple. Just skip the overpriced Apple keychains and grab one of these affordable options on Amazon instead.
7. Blank Recipe Book
For someone going abroad that loves to cook, consider gifting them a blank recipe book to keep track of all their favorite recipes they learned across the pond.
I’m a huge foodie and love to try new recipes during my travels. A blank recipe book would have come in handy for the cooking classes I attended in Krakow, Roatán, Thailand, Vietnam, and Bali.
Erin Condren is the best around for planners, and their recipe books look just as durable. I’m also loving this customizable binder book on Etsy.
8. Kindle E-Reader
I just invested in my first ever Kindle E-Reader and I’m honestly obsessed. I can’t believe it took me this long to pull the trigger.
As someone who travels constantly and loves to read, there really is no gift more perfect than a Kindle. Books are too heavy to pack, can be hard to find on the road in your language, and are an absolute must for solo travelers.
A Kindle is the perfect travel gadget that’s lightweight, borderline affordable and keeps you from being bored out of your mind on 10-hour train rides and tedious Ryanair flights.
If you’re really looking to splurge on gifts for friends going abroad, consider upgrading to the Kindle Paperwhite (that’s the one I got). This version has a glare-free screen perfect for reading on the beach or in the sun.
9. Secure Travel Crossbody
If your friends are guilty of getting distracted by delicious food, beautiful architecture and too many glasses of wine…a secure, anti-theft travel crossbody would be the perfect gift to bring to their new home.
Travelon offers a great selection of anti-theft crossbody bags that make the perfect gifts for friends going abroad! Consider this messenger bag with a water bottle side pouch, this anti-theft slim backpack, or this classic mini shoulder bag.
For more chic option, check out the gorgeous anti-theft crossbody by Thafael. Made from vegan cactus leather, the Thafael bag is slash-proof, has a locking zipper, and even comes with an extra strap on the inside to secure it to your belt loop!
10. Hostel Survival Kit
If your friends going abroad will be traveling broke-backpacker style, then they’ll be needing a trusty hostel survival kit.
If you’ve never stayed in a hostel, they are very fun…but not very luxurious. There are some essential items your friend will be needing to make their hostel stays comfortable and clean.
First, a microfiber towel. Most hostels will charge you to rent a towel, so it’s cheaper and easier to pack your own. Second, include a trusty pair of flip flops. They’ll come in handy at the beach, and are 100% necessary when it comes to sketchy hostel showers.
Third, a pair of ear plugs and an eye mask will help even light sleepers catch some much needed zzz’s in an 8-bed dorm room. Lastly, a combination lock will keep your valuables safe and secure in hostel lockers.
11. Stowaway Pack
A stowaway backpack is one of my favorite travel must-haves since I bought my first one from LL Bean in 2020.
The LL Bean stowaway pack is lightweight, affordable, and comes with an internal stow pocket for easy packing. It fits everything you need for a day of hiking or sightseeing, and its easy to wipe clean if it gets a little dusty on the trail.
For friends who love the outdoors, this makes a super thoughtful gift for their semester abroad.
12. VPN Subscription
When I was abroad I purchased a VNP subscription for the sole purpose of watching Family Guy on Hulu. 😂
Unfortunately, in recent years the streaming services got smart—and now it’s pretty difficult to get U.S. services (like Hulu, Max, or Starz) to work in other countries on an Apple device.
That doesn’t mean that a VPN isn’t useful for a laundry list of other things!
As a student or remote worker, it’s a very useful tool to have during an extended stay out of the country. Tunnel Bear is my personal favorite VPN. It’s super reliable, affordable, and the bear gives a charming little “roar” every time it connects to the service.
13. Hanging Toiletry Bag
In hostels, hotels, and more study abroad apartments, bathroom counter space is a hot commodity. It’s better to plan as though you won’t have any…and maybe you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
For this reason, I would never travel without a hanging toiletry bag.
If your friend is new to travel, they might be planning on packing a toiletry bag that’s going to make getting ready in hostels an absolute nightmare.
Do them a favor and gift them a hanging bag, like this one from Calpak’s Terra collection (my personal favorite) or the Personal Organizer Toiletry Bag from LL Bean.
14. Tech Organizer
If your friend is going abroad as a study abroad student, chances are they’ll be traveling with a laptop, tablet, countless cords and chargers, cameras, power banks, portable hard drives…etc.
With all that tech on the move, it’s easy for things to get lost. That’s why this Tech Organizer from Calpak Travel is the perfect gift for a friend going abroad!
Or, if you’re looking for something a bit more budget-friendly, try this trusty tech organizer from Amazon.
15. Pandora Bracelet
If you’re searching for a gift that’s more on the sentimental side, look no further than a Pandora charm bracelet.
Pandora is an international brand, so if you gift your friend the bracelet before they leave, they can buy charms in different countries along the way.
It’s a beautiful way for them to remember all the amazing places they’ve seen during their travels.
I just splurged on a new gold version for myself for Black Friday. I can’t wait to fill it up with new charms from my travels!
16. Blank Notebook
I returned from my semester abroad furious with myself because I visited 10+ countries…and didn’t write a single thing down 🤦🏽♀️ That’s especially problematic when your goal is to start a travel blog…
A blank notebook makes a fantastic gift for any friend packing for their semester abroad.
I love Erin Condren’s personalized, vegan-leather options as well as their funky spiral notebooks. Barnes and Noble also has a wide selection of elegant notebooks available on their website.
17. Polaroid Camera
I purchased an Instax Mini polaroid camera before my semester abroad and it was a huge hit. It’s the perfect way to create memories with new friends during the best semester of your life!
Amazon sells both the Fujifilm Mini that I used and this Polaroid Now 2nd Generation film bundle that looks super cool and gives all the vintage vibes.
Send Them Off in Style
Planning for a trip is exciting—but finding the perfect gifts for friends going abroad can be a little overwhelming.
Hopefully this list sparked some ideas (or solved your shopping stress entirely). These are all items I’ve either used and loved during my own time abroad, or seriously regretted not bringing.
Trust me—once you leave the States, getting your hands on this stuff can be way more complicated.
If you found this helpful, check out the posts linked below for even more travel tips, packing hacks, and gift ideas. And don’t forget to follow along on Instagram @madisonsfootsteps for more behind-the-scenes from my travels ✈️
