Gifts in wills and bequests

Leave a legacy

Gifts in wills can make an enduring contribution to the progress of learning and discovery. Supporting a cause you are passionate about can create a powerful legacy in your honour or in memory of a loved one.

Make your passion your legacy

Hear from some of our alumni and donors who have chosen to leave a lasting legacy to the University.

What is a bequest?

Bequests are donations made as part of your overall financial or estate planning. It is a wonderful way to leave a future gift in memory of yourself or a loved one which you can direct to a specific cause or have it apply more broadly.

Benefits of leaving gifts in wills

Costs nothing now
Flexible and easy to update
Creates a personalised legacy
Choice in how you would like your gift applied
Exclusive membership to our Challis Bequest Society

What can my bequest support?

The breadth of research and subject areas at the University of Sydney is so vast, so whatever you are passionate about – helping animals, supporting talented students or enabling life-changing research – you can direct your gift to the area that means the most to you.

How to leave a bequest

As a first step, we welcome you to get in touch with us to talk about what you might like to support. We can also assist you in drafting clauses. Don't hesitate to contact the Planned Giving team on planned.giving@sydney.edu.au.

How we can help

If you find something that you want to support, we are happy to work with your solicitor or help you word your bequest, so it has the best possible long-term impact.

If you'd like to know more information about a specific area, or aren't sure what area you'd like to support, we'd like to invite you on campus, or where possible we can arrange to visit you.

For example, if you have a passion for animal welfare, music or healthcare, we can introduce you to people working in those areas and give you a tour of the campus or facilities.

Please contact our Planned Giving team on planned.giving@sydney.edu.au and we can assist you.

I elected to leave a bequest to the University because their focus is on evidence‑based veterinary training to ensure world‑class veterinary professionals.

Debra Pinkerton

Our family legacy is about providing opportunities for someone else to do what we’ve done.

Graham Brooks

Stories of our bequestors

You can read more about how bequests are transforming the University in the latest Challis Bequest Society newsletter (pdf, 479KB).

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A bequest that has transformed research into liver disease

Before Robert Storr passed away from liver cancer in 1992, he pledged his support for medical research into this devastating illness and its treatment.

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The unique gift of friendship

Lyn and Marie were best friends for decades. When Marie left Lyn a gift in her will, Lyn decided to honour her friend's memory and donate it to cancer research at the University of Sydney and Children's Medical Research Institute.

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Leaving a bequest: how one University supporter is giving back

Sixty years after arriving in Australia as a refugee, Anna Breinl has left the University a bequest that could transform students' lives.

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Wellington resident gifts $15 million for bowel cancer research

A $15 million bequest from a modest resident of Wellington, NSW will provide a huge boon for the University's research into the state’s second most common cancer.