Why give to UOW

When you give to UOW you are supporting your community in a long term, sustainable way. Whether you choose to give to research or student support, the benefits will be felt both immediately for students and long term for research, ultimately contributing the betterment of our society.

UOW has worked hard to become one of the world’s most respected modern universities. Our global success is reflected in global awards and rankings, and our donors are a critical part of our success.  

With your support, we are able to deliver crucial funds to potentially life-changing research such as working to find a cure for Motor Neurone Disease and tackling the global health crisis of Antimicrobial Resistance. Your generosity also allows us to support students with financial assistance, providing them access to tertiary education. 

Read our stories of impact

The University was founded on the donations of local people who had a vision of a brighter future for our region.

Driven by a community hungry for higher learning, we trained engineers, metallurgists and industrial chemists during the post-war boom. Since that day, we have acted in partnership with our communities to address society’s critical economic, environmental, social, and medical challenges. 

Philanthropic support has and always will be a vital part of our ability to ensure access to education and solve some of the world’s most pressing issues.

Find out more about the history of UOW

All gifts received by UOW are 100 per cent directed to the area nominated.

Donor reports

We regularly keep donors informed on the impact of giving to UOW through newsletters, opportunities to engage at events, and individual communications.

Each year we report back and share stories of generosity from our donors in our annual Donor Report.

The University of Wollongong’s annual reports are also available online.

Our Donors

It is through the support of our valued donors and partners that the University of Wollongong remains an institution that is fearless with limitless ambition and vision.

Thank you to everyone who gave a gift to UOW in 2022. A full list of donors can be viewed here.

Donor recognition

At UOW, we want all donors to have a positive relationship with us, where donor preferences are respected.

We have developed a range of programs and activities which will form part of your donor journey.

We invite all donors to discuss engagement preferences with us to help ensure that we are meeting your wishes and expectations. You also have the option to remain completely anonymous when becoming a donor to UOW.


Donor Charter

Our passionate donor community continues to grow and inspire the next generation. We are committed to developing mutual trust and respect with our donors, to build a lifelong relationship with our institution.

We make the following commitments to our donors

  • To adhere to relevant policies that govern philanthropy at UOW: We will accept all gifts to UOW in accordance with the relevant policies and procedures at the time, namely the UOW Philanthropic Fundraising, Gift Acceptance and Recognition Policy. The University of Wollongong accepts and administers all gifts consistently in accordance with Australian law.
  • To use gifts in accordance with donor intention: We will endeavour to honour donor intentions with gift designation. Should an unforeseen change make this no longer possible, we will direct your gift to the closest area allied to your preferred area of support. 100% of your donation will then be directed to this area.
  • To acknowledge donors and their donations: We will issue an official University of Wollongong receipt and consult with you (or your representative) regarding recognition or publicity surrounding your gift, where appropriate.
  • To respect the privacy of our donors: The University of Wollongong will always respect and protect the privacy of our donors, in compliance with the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act, 1998 (NSW) and other relevant policies and legislation, including the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The University of Wollongong does not share any details with any organisation outside of the University. We will provide anonymity for donors who request it.
  • To be transparent and keep donors informed: The University of Wollongong endeavours to maintain openness and transparency with our donor community. We will keep you (or your family or representative) informed of progress in the area to which your gift applies (e.g. research, projects or student support.). We will provide you with access to our most recently published financial reports if requested.

Why does UOW need donations?

With you by our side, we can have an enormous impact on our community and the world. Together, we can save and improve lives through ground-breaking medical research; we can change lives by enabling young people to further their education with scholarships; and we can create a better future by finding innovative and transformative solutions to the challenges we face.

We cannot do it alone. We rely on the support of generous people like you to help us fund many critical projects that may receive limited funding from other sources.


Gifts to UOW have meaningful and far reaching impact