UNSW is committed to providing a high standard of education to students from all backgrounds. To do this, we need your help and support.

Giving to accommodation scholarships

Moving away from home to a new city and a university of over 50,000 students can be a daunting prospect. Students are often a long way from their family and friends and in a very new and challenging environment. Those from low income households can find these challenges particularly acute.

Being part of a college community, providing a strong support network and creating a sense of belonging can go a long way in alleviating many of the problems these students face. To enable these students to come to UNSW and flourish, we would like to offer a number of full and part accommodation scholarships.

Scholarships can be funded by individuals or groups, such as a country or year group. A scholarship room will be allocated and named in recognition of a donor or donor group's generosity.

Please contact Isabelle Creagh to discuss opportunities to donate to the Colleges.

 

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Living at college means my time at university isn’t just about attending lectures. Rather, it’s full of unforgettable memories I’m able to share with friends.

Alanna Condon

Basser College (Arts/Law)


Thank you

The giving nature of our alumni remains strong and over the last 18 months we’ve been grateful for the generosity of many...

John Holden (Basser 1959)

John Holden Signing

In November 2015 at a small ceremony attended by Basser College students, staff and UNSW personnel, Mr John Holden (Basser 1959) and his son Angus Holden presented a cheque for $600,000 to Basser College.

This wonderful gift, the largest gift made to any of the colleges, is endowed and will be used to establish two residential scholarships at Basser College in perpetuity for students from rural and remote Australia.

John hails from Grafton and his relationship with Basser goes back to the very beginning as the inaugural House President of Basser College in 1959. He was part of the official party at the opening of the college by the Governor General, with Adolf Basser in attendance. After UNSW, he went on to found his own manufacturing business, Jord Engineering, which is still owned and run by his family.

At the ceremony he explained his reason for giving... “There were 30 people in my final class at school. Most of them would have done well at Sydney or Brisbane Universities but they didn’t go, purely because their families couldn’t afford the accommodation fees. I know things have changed a little and everyone is a bit more affluent nowadays but there are still lots of people in Australia who have to struggle. I just felt that I might be able to make a bit of a difference.”

When presented with the cheque, Isabelle Creagh expressed her gratitude, “We’re very grateful to John and his family for their support. These scholarships will have a major impact on the lives of many future generations of rural students who otherwise would not be able to attend UNSW and the colleges.”

Pictured above: John Holden presents his cheque to Head of the Kensington Colleges Isabelle Creagh watched by Chris Lewis and UNSW Vice President of Advancement Jennie Lang.


Jimmy Koh (Basser 1960)

Jimmy Koh  and one of our earliest Singaporean students donated $100,000 to Basser College, to support student activity and students in financial hardship.


Paul Clitheroe (Baxter 1974) & Dr Chris Barnes (Baxter 1977)

Great mates from Baxter College, Paul Clitheroe and Dr Chris Barnes have joined forces to support a $100,000 scholarship, the Barnes Clitheroe Baxter Rural Residential Scholarship to support a student from the bush.


Dr Jim Mackie (Baxter 1974)

Dr Jim Mackie set up a $100,000 Bob Mackie Memorial Residential Scholarship, in memory of his late brother Bob, who was also a Baxter resident.


Brendan Welsh & Debbie McLaughlin (Baxter 1981)

Brendan Welsh and Debbie McLaughlin support residential scholarships for indigenous students through their Foundation, the ITNewcom Foundation.

These donations have a life changing impact for the recipients of these scholarships and we would like to thank all of our donors and of course, encourage others. Each college now features its own donor board to recognise its donors. We look forward to filling the gaps!