FAQs

How are gifts to the university managed?

UNSW is committed to the responsible management of the gifts we receive through the generosity of our donors. The Gift Acceptance Policy governs gifts to the University and only received through the Division of Philanthropy, while all expenditure must be in line with the Business Expense Policy. UNSW’s policies and procedures can be found on the governance website.

How can I donate to UNSW?

There are a number of ways to give, whether you are an organisation, family or individual donor. You can give via an online donation form, by arranging a convenient time on the phone to process your donation securely or by emailing philanthropy@unsw.edu.au.

What percentage of my donation goes towards the area I want to support?

100% of your gift will go towards the area you wish to support.

I live outside of Australia; how can I give to UNSW?

If you live, or are a taxpayer in the USA, or Hong Kong, please visit our dedicated giving pages for more information on directing a tax deductible gift or bequest to UNSW Sydney through our overseas foundations:

• US Giving Page
• Hong Kong Giving Page
  

I would like to set up a scholarship or an award – who can I talk to?

Please call +61 2 8936 4700 or email philanthropy@unsw.edu.au and we will ensure someone from the Philanthropy team assists you.

When will I receive my annual tax statement?

Annual statements are sent via email by the 3rd week of July each year for donors who give on a recurring basis (e.g. monthly). If we don’t have an up-to-date email address, then your tax statement will be sent by post. If you make a one-off gift, you will receive a tax-deductible receipt at the time of your donation.

I have lost the receipt I received for my donation – how can I get a copy?

Call +61 2 8936 4700 or email philanthropy@unsw.edu.au and we will either email or post you a duplicate receipt.

I am a regular donor to UNSW, and my credit card details have changed – how can I update my credit card details?

You can telephone +61 2 8936 4700 and we will update the credit card details on your behalf.

I have changed my address and contact details – how do I update them?

Please email philanthropy@unsw.edu.au or telephone +61 2 8936 4700 with your new details.

Are there ways I can support UNSW that are not financial?

Yes, UNSW has a range of volunteering and engagement opportunities for you to support through giving your time and expertise. Please contact us at philanthropy@unsw.edu.au to talk more about this. 

Can I donate shares?

Yes, you can. The shares must be in a listed public company and quoted on the Australian securities exchange (shares must not be suspended from trading or removed from the Australian securities exchange list). Please seek advice from a licensed financial adviser and/or tax adviser who is a registered agent to discuss what’s best for you as UNSW Sydney does not provide financial advice.

Please get in touch with us if you are considering this type of gift at philanthropy@unsw.edu.au.

Do you accept gift-in-kind donations?

Please get in touch with us if you are considering this type of gift at philanthropy@unsw.edu.au.

I/my company have been donating to prizes for a while, but I have some great ideas about how else we could collaborate. Who should I speak to?

Please call +61 2 8936 4700 or email philanthropy@unsw.edu.au and we will ensure someone from the Philanthropy team assists you.  

Can I include a gift to UNSW in my will?

Yes. Bequests to UNSW play a vital part in preparing future generations to take on the world and tackle some of society’s most complex challenges. For more information, please get in touch with our Future Giving team at: giftsinwills@unsw.edu.au.

A family member/friend has passed away and we would prefer people attending the funeral donate to particular research or a scholarship at UNSW in lieu of flowers.

Please contact +61 2 8936 4700 and someone on the Philanthropy team will assist you.

Can I make a donation via bank transfer?

Yes you can, please contact philanthropy@unsw.edu.au and we will provide you with the necessary details. 

Can I give anonymously?

Yes, you can. When you make your gift, you can request that information about the gift remain anonymous and we will update our records so that your name is not mentioned publicly. You can do this by emailing us at philanthropy@unsw.edu.au or by ticking the box on the giving pages on our website.

I received a call from a student asking for a donation. Was this call legitimate and is the donation process secure?

Yes. Each year a team of current UNSW students participate in the UNSW Impact Appeal, a telephone outreach program which aims to connect current students with alumni, encourage engagement with the University and seek support for the President & Vice-Chancellor’s Equity Scholarship and ASPIRE. All donations are processed securely in compliance with the PCI DSS standard, and all data is managed in accordance with the UNSW Privacy Policy.

Is UNSW fundraising in response to COVID-19?

UNSW has developed a clear vision to address the  long-term impacts of COVID-19. This vision will be executed with two key outcomes in mind – delivering lifesaving solutions and facilitating community recovery. Learn more on UNSW's course of action for COVID-19.

I have a question that hasn't been answered by your FAQ's, how can I get in contact?

Please contact us over the telephone +61 2 8936 4700 or by emailing philanthropy@unsw.edu.au.

Is UNSW fundraising in response to COVID-19?

UNSW has developed a clear vision to address both the immediate and long-term impacts of COVID-19. This vision will be executed with two key outcomes in mind – delivering lifesaving solutions and facilitating community recovery. Learn more on UNSW's course of action for COVID-19.

The University is committed to safeguarding the privacy of its donors’ information. We have implemented measures to comply with our obligations under the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (NSW) ("the Act") and other privacy laws including the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the General Data Protection Regulation (EU). All employees are bound by the Act and by the UNSW Privacy Policy.

Note: The Donor Privacy Statement was updated on 19 December 2019.

Collection of your personal information

The University collects your personal information directly from you when you donate to the University and at times following your donation. It may also collect personal information from other sources, but only with your consent or where required or authorised by law.

Personal information collected by the University includes your name, donation details, home address, other contact details, company or organisation details and bank or credit card details.

Personal information is only collected for purposes that are directly related to and reasonably necessary for the legitimate functions and activities of the University. You will be advised of any consequences of not providing personal information requested by the University or where the collection is required by law.

Security and retention of your personal information

The University stores your personal information in systems owned and managed by the University, and in other systems under license or by agreement. Service providers of such systems are contractually bound by the University’s privacy and security requirements. Access to your personal information is limited to University employees and contractors who have a legitimate reason to access the information.

The University is required by law to retain records that may contain your personal information for certain periods of time depending on the type of record.

The University secures your credit card information in compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). This is the global security standard for all entities that store, process, or transmit cardholder data and/or sensitive authentication data.

Use of your personal information

Your personal information will be used to process your donation, to provide you with services related to the University that may interest you and to support the University’s planning and quality improvement activities. This includes:

• processing, recording and receipting your donation;
• corresponding with you (this includes informing you about University activities or opportunities that may be of interest to you, such as updates on the impact of your donation and new opportunities to contribute to the University);
• maintaining your donor profile, including supplementing with information from other source
• audit, administrative, management and operational activities of the university’s philanthropic functions;
• for benchmarking, analysis, quality assurance and planning purposes
  
• facilitating staff training, research and statistical analysis, systems development and testing, and data analysis to develop and improve services and activities (e.g., marketing, philanthropy)

The university will seek your consent prior to the use of your personal information for any other purpose, except where that other use is authorised or required by law. If you give your consent, you may subsequently withdraw your consent in writing at any time.

Disclosure of your personal information

Your personal information will be disclosed by the university only where necessary to support the uses outlined above. Where personal information is disclosed, it will be done only to the extent necessary to fulfil the purpose of such disclosure. Such disclosures include to:

• government departments to satisfy the University’s statutory reporting obligations;
• University controlled entities that are directly related to your donation;
• contracted service providers which the University uses to perform services on its behalf and who are bound by the University’s privacy and security requirements (some providers being located outside New South Wales and/or Australia for which, as a result, personal information collected by the University may be transferred outside of New South Wales and/or Australia).

The University may disclose your personal information where authorised or required to do so by law, including:

• where disclosure is authorised or required by subpoena, search warrant or other statutory instrument;
• to a law enforcement agency where such disclosure is necessary to investigate an offence where there are reasonable grounds to believe that an offence may have been committed
  
• where the University believes on reasonable grounds that the disclosure is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the life or health of you or another person.

In all other circumstances, the University will obtain your consent prior to the disclosure of your personal information. If you give your consent, you may subsequently withdraw your consent in writing at any time.

Your rights in relation to your personal information

You may request access to and amendment of your personal information that is held by the University, including for corrections, amendment, deletions or data portability. Any such request will be subject to any legal rights and obligations imposed upon the University to retain such information (e.g., retention obligations under the State Records Act).

If you wish to access, amend or delete your personal information, or withdraw consent for a specific use or disclosure of your personal information, you should contact:

UNSW Philanthropy
Email: philanthropy@unsw.edu.au
Telephone: (02) 8936 4700 (International +61 2 8936 4700)

For more information on how the University manages personal information, all other privacy enquiries, and how to make a privacy complaint, contact the:

UNSW Privacy Officer
Email: privacy@unsw.edu.au
Telephone: (02) 9385 8369 (International +61 2 9385 8369)