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Your Legacy, Their Future
March is Free Wills Month—a moment to pause, reflect, and consider the legacy we leave behind. It’s an opportunity to ensure that the values and causes closest to our hearts continue to make a difference for generations to come.
Leaving a gift in your will allows you to support the areas of student life that matter most to you. You can also give back through an unrestricted gift which enables us to address the most urgent needs. Whichever area you choose to support, your legacy will help to shape lives for generations to come.
Why your support matters
For many, the desire to leave a lasting legacy is a reflection of a life well-lived; a testament to the values and beliefs that have shaped our journey. It is a way to make a profound difference, ensuring that future generations have the opportunity to grow and thrive.
At Students' Union UCL, we believe that education is not just about academic achievement; it is about unlocking potential, nurturing passions, and shaping the leaders of tomorrow. Beyond the lecture theatres and classrooms, our students are discovering their creative voice through the arts, building confidence through sport, and driving meaningful social change within their communities. At the heart of this, students develop a deeper sense of belonging and engage in transformative experiences tailored to their needs, while emerging as student leaders who deliver exceptional opportunities for their peers.
Leaving a gift in your will is one of the most powerful ways to invest in generations to come. Your legacy could provide life-changing opportunities for students to discover themselves, broaden their minds, develop their understanding of who they are, and the role they have to play as changemakers at UCL. Every gift, no matter the size, holds the potential to transform the student experience for years to come.
You can find out more about leaving a gift in your will through UCL Giving, or if you are thinking of leaving a gift in will to Students' Union UCL, please use the enquiry form to tell the team more.
A Lasting Impact Beyond Your Lifetime
Sarah Douglas was a staff member at the Students' Union who dedicated her time to improving the welfare of UCL students.
After asking her family how best we could remember her, we created the Sarah Douglas Hardship Fund to help UCL students overcome temporary hardship problems during their studies. The fund is managed and distributed to students by our dedicated Advice team.
While UCL offers many scholarships and financial support to ensure that students can take up their place here and gives additional bursaries for those who need it, unexpected financial need nevertheless arises. Our students are not untouched by the increasing financial pressures of today's world. Students may find that their financial situation at UCL is not as stable as anticipated due to changes in family circumstances, loss of income, broken or stolen equipment, or many other reasons. Previous awards have been granted for use towards accommodation deposits, rent payments, transport cost, subsistence costs, childcare fees and to purchase specialist supplies or equipment.
Thanks to generosity from donors, we can make funding available to students to help with unexpected financial loss and expenses. We have helped students when they have urgently needed to buy basic necessities. This is only possible because of generous support from alumni and friends who have donated to the Sarah Douglas Hardship Fund.
We are truly grateful.
There are lots of other ways to give back
Leaving a gift in your will helps sustain the unique experiences that make student life at UCL so special, ensuring that extra and co-curricular activities remain a vital part of a vibrant and transformative education.
A legacy gift to Students' Union UCL could support amazing students by funding new research, new buildings, improve facilities, or ensure that students benefit from the full student experience by supporting a range of enriching extracurricular activities.
Unrestricted legacy gifts, which benefit our most urgent need, are particularly appreciated. This way, no matter what the future holds, we will be best prepared to make a meaningful impact wherever we are needed most.
Alternatively, you can direct your gift towards any aspect of student life, including; arts, sports, music, intercultural exchange, or student support programmes.
Whichever type of gift you choose, it will help shape the lives of our students and contribute to our ability to have a profound impact at UCL and beyond. We would be delighted to discuss your wishes, the direction of your gift and the potential impact it could have on Students' Union UCL.
Considering the impact your legacy could have on future generations?
If you are considering leaving a gift in your will, our dedicated team is here to offer guidance and answer any questions you may have, in confidence and with care.
To speak to the legacies team:
Phone: 020 3108 3891
Email: [email protected]
Access the enquiry form.
Together, we can ensure UCL remains a university known for it's exceptional student experience.