[Seabear]

Usually all students at a culinary school are issued the same knife kits, including a fabric carrying case, but some students who have been in the industry will bring their special knife to class after a few weeks. For most students the issued knives are fine.
Remind her to mark her knives to deter thiefs, I used red nail polish to put 3 small dots on the end of the handles and wrapped a piece of masking tape on the handle near the blade so I could see my knife across the kitchen.
For a gift, maybe a subscription to Saveur or Fine Cooking magazines. She will need to come up with ideas for menu items while in school and both of these mags are good sources for ideas. Or, when she comes home and wants to try out dishes, some decent Balsamic vinegar, high-end olive oils, or some flavored salts come in handy.