Gift in Wills and Bequests

A Lifetime Gift for Education

Making a gift in your Will is a powerful way to support Western Sydney University at a level that may not be possible during your lifetime. It is an opportunity to leave behind the gift of knowledge as a lasting reminder of your life and your values in a way that will benefit many generations of students, teaching staff and researchers and have a part in bringing about long term social change in our region.

It is your chance to create a lasting legacy and contribute to the future of Western Sydney University as a university of excellence, and to our society on a regional, national and global scale.

Intention of the Gift

You can choose to help shape someone's life through a scholarship, support innovation and development through research in a wide variety of fields, inspire a new generation of students through helping us to appoint world class academics, provide support for Indigenous students, reward high achieving students, students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, help grow the University's art collection, or enhance the growth of the region by contributing to new teaching facilities.

Alternatively, you may simply wish to make an untied gift to be used as the University's priorities change over time.

Leave a legacy and be a part of our future

A bequest can be made through your Will at any time, and you can pledge as little or as much as you like. We recommend you consult with your legal adviser before drafting or updating your Will.

Staying in touch

After you have provided for family and friends please consider a gift to Western Sydney University in your Will. Please contact us so that we can discuss with you how your bequest or gift can be targeted to ensure it's long term viability and to acknowledge your generosity.

Frequently Asked Questions

A bequest is a gift in your Will that can have a great impact over time. A bequest is a gift of an asset, money or other right arising under a will, intestacy, or settlement. Bequests may be for a specific amount, as a percentage of the estate, or as the residual of the estate. Anyone can make a bequest in their will.

  • New teaching and learning facilities
  • Innovative research programs
  • Teaching positions
  • Scholarships
  • Prizes
  • A percentage of your estate
  • A specific sum of money
  • Real estate
  • Art, shares or an insurance policy
  • Other assets

What are the different types of a bequest?

Residual Bequests are simply a gift of whatever is left of your Estate – or a percentage thereof – after all your other gifts, taxes and debts have been fulfilled. This type of Bequest maintains its relative value and automatically adjusts as the value of your Estate increases. Residual Bequests allow you to decide exactly how much you want to leave to your loved ones, whilst leaving whatever may be left over to Western Sydney University. By dividing your Estate by percentages you can be confident that the gifts received will retain their value whenever your Bequest matures.

These are simply leaving a gift of a set amount determined by you at the time of drawing up or altering your Will.

Specific Bequests refer to leaving a gift of an item of value, to be passed on to Western Sydney University in order to generate funds. Examples include investments, collections, art objects, jewellery. Specific Bequests are a good way to provide additional support on top of a Residual Bequest, as they provide a way to turn any items not wanted by your loved ones into desperately needed funds.

An unrestricted bequest allows us to meet the changing needs of the University by allocating funds where and when they are needed most.

By making a restricted bequest, you can designate exactly how your gift will support the University. You may wish to build a new research institute, attract a world class researcher through a Research Chair, establish a new scholarship, support an existing one, or commemorate a loved one through a prize.

An endowment allows you to leave a legacy that truly is lasting. An endowed gift is invested in a trust fund – only the earnings generated from its investment earnings are spent on areas of need each year. This provides an ongoing source of funding for a specific, or 'unrestricted', purpose. You can also contribute to an existing endowment, such as the Western Sydney University Major Scholarship Fund.

Leaving a Future

The Leaving a Future Bequest Society has been established to honour those who have made it known they have left a bequest to the University in their will.

Emeritus Professor Peter Shergold, AC launched the Society at a special event on 25 October 2017.

If you would like to have a confidential discussion about making a bequest, or would like more information about our Bequest Society, please contact Ross Newton on 02 9685 9892 or by email at r.newton@westernsydney.edu.au

Information for Solicitors and Executors

Solicitors
If a client chooses to leave a bequest in his or her Will to the Western Sydney University, you can download a copy of our Will wording here.

We'd love to thank your client for including Western Sydney University, and invite them to join us at exclusive events.

Executors
If you're the executor of a Will that includes a bequest to us, please send a photocopy or scan of the Will and a covering letter to:

Ross Newton, Development Manager
The Office of Advancement
Phone: 02 9685 9892
Email: r.newton@westernsydney.edu.au
Western Sydney University, Building ET, Parramatta Campus
Locked Bag 1797 Penrith NSW 2751