If you're a poor student who wants to get into production, maybe it would be best for you to wait for any hardware. Hardware like keyboards, drum pads, etc. are not really necessary to produce, they're just something useful to have if you actually need them. In terms of audio interfaces, my Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 has been running for nearly 3 years now and I've had no issues, so that might be a good investment to make, but unless you have monitors, it's not really critical.

On the other hand, if you're dead set on getting some hardware, some cheap MIDI keyboards that will get you by are:
- Novation Laynchkey
- M-Audio Keystation
- Akai Professional MPK Mini
- Nektar Impact

Good luck!

If you're a poor student who wants to get into production, maybe it would be best for you to wait for any hardware. Hardware like keyboards, drum pads, etc. are not really necessary to produce, they're just something useful to have if you actually need them. In terms of audio interfaces, my Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 has been running for nearly 3 years now and I've had no issues, so that might be a good investment to make, but unless you have monitors, it's not really critical.

On the other hand, if you're dead set on getting some hardware, some cheap MIDI keyboards that will get you by are:
- Novation Laynchkey
- M-Audio Keystation
- Akai Professional MPK Mini
- Nektar Impact

Good luck!

Yeah by 'poor student' I meant not able to drop like £400/500 on a piece of kit, but I still have some spends to treat myself!

Thanks for all the recommendations

For Christmas, my mom got me an Akai APC 25 key... I highly recommend it as a cheap production tool that will get you by on a budget.  It was $75 at the time, though the full price is higher - it was on sale... the price has now gone back up.

Thanks for the recommendation!