College can be one of the hardest places to hold on to your faith. Students leave home and face worldly messages, distractions from social media, and sometimes ridicule from peers and professors. In my years of youth ministry, the students who stayed strong were almost always the ones with a daily time in God’s Word.
These devotionals help college students grow in their relationship with Jesus and stand firm in their faith. If you only have a minute, start with my top three. Any of them makes a great graduation gift.
College devotionals compared
| Devotional | Best for | Standout feature | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jesus Calling for Graduates | New graduates | Organized by topic | Check price |
| One Year Alive Devotions | A daily habit | 365 devotions | Check price |
| The Simple Truth Bible | Busy schedules | One-minute readings | Check price |
| Fearless Faith | Holding on to faith | Short, Scripture-based devotions | Check price |
| Walking with Jesus on Campus | Stress and anxiety | Personal or group use | Check price |
| The College Girl's Survival Guide | Young women | 52 honest answers | Check price |
| College: Real & Relatable | Girls' small groups | Designed for group leaders | Check price |
| At First Glance | Starting college | Verse-first daily devotions | Check price |
| Running Your Race | Journaling | Weekly lessons with prayers | Check price |
How I chose: I compared each devotional’s length, format and the issues it covers, and how well it fits a busy student’s schedule.
1. Best Graduation Gift: Jesus Calling for Graduates
Jesus Calling for Graduates, Hardcover, with Scripture References: 150-Day Devotional for Grads Seeking Spiritual Guidance (150 Daily Devotions) - The Perfect Christian Graduation Gift
Highlights
- By Sarah Young
- 150 topical readings
- Scripture references included
Watch-outs
- Not a full year of readings
Best for: students moving from high school to college.
Skip it if: you want a 365-day plan.
The move from high school to college can leave young people confused, scared and unsure about the future. This devotional is organized by topic, so students can turn to what they need, whether that’s a change in attitude, help navigating something new, or encouragement.
It’s easy to have an identity crisis in this season, and these readings ground students in who God says they are.
2. Best Daily Devotional: The One Year Alive Devotions for Students
The One Year Alive Devotions for Students
Highlights
- 365 daily devotions
- For high school and college students
- Focus on identity in Christ
Watch-outs
- A full-year commitment
Best for: students who want to build a daily habit.
This devotional helps students dig into God’s Word to discover who they are and who God created them to be. Did you know there’s power in a name? God records your name in the Book of Life. With 365 devotions, it helps students draw closer to God every day.
3. Best for Busy Students: The Simple Truth Bible: The Best Minute of Your Day
The Simple Truth Bible: The Best Minute of Your Day (365 Daily Devotions for Students)
Highlights
- 365 short daily readings
- A verse, a message and an action each day
- Connects the Gospel to everyday life
Watch-outs
- Short readings, less depth
Best for: students with packed schedules.
Everyone has a minute, even busy college students. Each day includes a verse, a short message or story, and one action you can take to live out your faith. The lessons teach the simplicity of the Gospel and connect it with modern life.
4. Best for Standing Firm: Fearless Faith: Devotions for College Students
Fearless Faith: Devotions for College Students
Highlights
- Short, Scripture-based devotions
- Written for college trials and temptations
Best for: students facing pressure to let their faith go.
Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Fearless Faith is built on that idea, helping students hold on to their faith in the middle of trials and temptations with short, Scripture-based devotions.
5. Best for Mental Health: Walking with Jesus on Campus
Walking with Jesus on Campus: How to Care for Your Soul during College
Highlights
- Addresses stress, anxiety and perfectionism
- Great for personal or group study
Best for: students struggling with stress, anxiety or depression.
About 1 in 5 college students struggle with anxiety or depression. This devotional addresses many of the pressures behind it, including perfectionism, stress and anxiety, and gives students a biblical foundation to stand on.
6. Best for College Girls: The College Girl’s Survival Guide
The College Girl's Survival Guide: 52 Honest, Faith-Filled Answers to Your Biggest Concerns
Highlights
- 52 faith-filled answers to real concerns
- Covers roommates, relationships and stress
Watch-outs
- Covers 52 topics, not daily readings
Best for: young women heading to college.
This guide gives honest, biblical answers to the real situations college women face, before school starts and in the thick of it. How do you handle a roommate who comes home drunk, or one who’s always bringing someone over? It covers those questions and more.
7. Best for Small Groups: College: Real & Relatable Devotionals for Every College Girl
College: Real & Relatable Devotionals for Every College Girl
Highlights
- Designed for small group leaders
- Works as a daily devotional too
Best for: leaders of college women's small groups.
This devotional digs into the issues college women face: finding out who they are, finding friends, dating, and the strain of being a Christian on campus. It’s written for small group leaders but works well on your own.
8. Best for First Semester: At First Glance: A Devotional for College Students
At First Glance: A Devotional for College Students
Highlights
- Daily devotions that start with a verse
- Short, powerful lessons
Best for: students starting their first semester.
What if your first semester included a devotional that helps you put God in His rightful place? At First Glance focuses on the topics that matter to every Christian, with short lessons that reinforce biblical principles and choices.
9. Best Devotional Journal: Running Your Race: A Weekly Devotional Journal
Running Your Race: A Weekly Devotional Journal for First Year College Student's
Highlights
- A new lesson each week
- Scriptures to meditate on and a weekly prayer
- Room to write
Best for: first-year students who like to write.
Designed for first-year students who want to study, write about and apply what they learn. Each week includes important reminders, Scriptures to meditate on and a prayer to pray over your week.
How to choose a devotional for a college student
- Match their schedule. Busy students do best with short daily readings like The Simple Truth Bible.
- Match the season. Graduating seniors love Jesus Calling for Graduates. First-year students do well with At First Glance or Running Your Race.
- Consider a study Bible. For deeper study, see the best study Bibles compared.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good devotional to give a high school graduate?
Jesus Calling for Graduates is a favorite. Its 150 readings are organized by topic for the transition to college.
Are there devotionals written for college women?
Yes. The College Girl's Survival Guide and College: Real & Relatable Devotionals are both written for college women.
My final picks
College is a time of big change, new temptations and real opportunity. A daily time in God’s Word helps students come through it with their faith intact and draws them closer to Jesus.
