Make a gift in your Will

Your legacy can have a positive impact on their future

Through making a gift in your will to Deakin, you can support a young person's education through a scholarship or contribute to important new discoveries via groundbreaking research. Our Gifts in Wills team partners with you to ensure your gift honours your intentions. We recognise that drafting your will is a deeply personal process – any details you provide are treated confidentially.

If you have already made the generous decision to leave a gift in your will to Deakin, please let us know. This will help us thank you, acknowledge your gift and provide regular updates on the impact we are achieving in the areas that matter to you.

The experience has been very positive. Our contacts at Deakin have kept us in the loop about the scholarship and have also embraced us into the University community. This makes us feel comfortable about how the bequest will be managed in the future.

Dennis and Rosemary Holloway

The Cody Holloway Scholarship and Gift in Will donors

Types of gifts

You’ve spent years working out what causes are valuable to you. Don’t miss your opportunity to leave an extraordinary legacy. Learn about the incredible support from our donor community and the gifts they have left. Here are the different gift options available to you.

Whole estate

Leaving your entire estate as a bequest to Deakin University involves allocating all property, assets and possessions to the University in your will. Once the bequest is realised, the University receives everything in the estate, including real estate, financial assets, personal belongings and investments. The funds will be used as outlined in the will, which will support Deakin’s educational mission and programs.

Percentage or fractional

Selecting a specific cash sum to leave can be difficult without knowing your estate's eventual value. By designating a percentage or fraction of your estate or its residual, the portion intended for Deakin University remains constant, regardless of fluctuations in your estate's overall worth. This approach ensures your bequest will have meaningful impact in the future, aligned with your philanthropic goals.

Residual

A residual gift ensures that after distributing specific gifts and settling debts, any remaining portion (or a portion of what remains) of your estate will be allocated to Deakin University. This allows you to leave a gift to Deakin without affecting specific bequests to your loved ones. It also maintains its value over time, unlike a specific cash gift that may depreciate with inflation.

Specific

A specific gift means any identifiable property, including monetary amounts, cash balances in bank accounts, residential or commercial properties and shares in companies. This also encompasses valuable personal items like jewellery and artwork, as well as intellectual property rights or royalties.

Why leave a gift in your will?

Deakin alum and President of Deakin Law School Alumni Chapter, Lauren Solomonson (BA ’19, LLB ’19) explains how and why she’s making a difference for the next generation of students.

How to leave a gift to Deakin University in your will

If you would like to include a gift to Deakin University in your will, we can help determine where you direct your support. You may wish to fund scholarships, research or direct your bequest to general purpose, which means it will support a cause determined by the University’s Vice-Chancellor at the time.

We recommend you share the following wording with your solicitor for inclusion in your will.^*

A gift for general purposes

A gift for a specific purpose

I give and bequeath to Deakin University ABN 56 721 584 203, 1 Gheringhap Street, Geelong, Victoria, 3220 (the whole of my estate) or (a percentage of my estate) or (a $ amount) to be used for (state purpose as widely as possible). If at any time Deakin University determines that it is impossible or impracticable to carry out the stated purpose then Deakin University may apply the income of the bequest for such a purpose or purposes as Deakin University determines most closely accords with the stated purpose.

Creation of Trust or Scholarship Fund

I give and bequeath to Deakin University ABN 56 721 584 203, 1 Gheringhap Street, Geelong, Victoria, 3220 (the whole of my estate) or (a percentage of my estate) or (a $ amount) to be used for the creation of the *named* Scholarship (or trust). If at any time Deakin University determines that it is impossible or impracticable to carry out the stated purpose then Deakin University may apply the income of the bequest for such a purpose or purposes as Deakin University determines most closely accords with the stated purpose.

If you would prefer an online option to create your will, Deakin has partnered with Safewill to offer a special discount to our alumni and University community.

Our community of bequestors

When you leave a gift to Deakin in your will, you’re welcomed into the Deakin Legacy Society. The Deakin Legacy Society keeps our members connected with exclusive events, updates and opportunities to witness the transformative power of philanthropy. Here are some of their stories.

A living gift and lasting legacy
A legacy of love
Making a lasting impact for rural medical students

A living gift and lasting legacy

A passion for education led Lawry and Pam to confirm a gift in their Will that will fund, in perpetuity, a PhD Scholarship in Deakin’s Faculty of Health. A desire to see this impact in their lifetime led to them launching the scholarship in 2019.

A legacy of love

Dennis and Rosemary decided to leave a gift in their Will to set up a scholarship in Cody’s name at Deakin University. Meet Irene, the first recipient and learn how it changed her life.

Making a lasting impact for rural medical students

Associate Professor Lara Fuller plays a key role in encouraging Deakin students to embark on a rewarding career in rural medicine. Learn why she decided to leave a gift in her Will.

Got a question but can’t find the answer?

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about making a gift in your will to Deakin University.

Skip to next topic

Does Deakin University have Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status?

Deakin University is endorsed as a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) from 1 July 2000. It is covered by Item 1 of the table in section 30-15 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997.