Every ISH story begins the same way – a specific room, a specific door, a specific moment of arrival in London. The building where you didn’t know anyone, and left with friends you still have today. Where horizons widened, connections formed, and lives quietly changed direction. That is our legacy.
And it is one you can help shape.
That sense of belonging has always been greater than any one building. This year, we are welcoming more students into the ISH community as we open the doors of our new House in Vauxhall. Ready to give that same experience to a new generation of international students arriving in London, just as you once did.
But it is never really about the building. It is about what happens inside it. The students who will find lifelong friends at ISH, discover what they are capable of, and carry that with them for the rest of their lives are the legacy. Gifts left by people like you help make that possible.
What a gift can do
Jean Basell left a gift of £600,000 to ISH in her will. Her gift funds the Jean Basell Scholarship in perpetuity — an accommodation scholarship in her name supporting a Centenary Masters student in TESOL at the UCL Institute of Education, beginning in September 2026. It will open doors for students she never met, in a city she loved, for generations to come.
Jean joined ISH in 1982 and remained part of its community for the rest of her life. She spent years living and working overseas, teaching English in Iran and Egypt, trekking in the Egyptian desert, before eventually settling back in the UK. Wherever she was in the world, ISH remained a constant. When she was in London, she would come to Goats Bar Nights, catch up with staff, and share a cup of tea. That loyalty, sustained over four decades, found its fullest expression in her gift.
Diane Flynn is an ISH trustee who has chosen to leave a gift to International Students House in her will.
“My husband and I have had great international lives and careers since landing in London to study in our 20s. It’s wonderful to think that other young people can have the opportunity to do this. And that there is a charity here supporting them to do this.
I want to give our money to a charity that I trust. And I know that ISH will do good work with our legacy gift.”
How it works
Writing your will is simpler than you might think. Through our partnership with Farewill, you can write a will online for free, in the comfort of your own home, in as little as 15 minutes.
For anything more complex, Farewill’s specialist team is available by phone — just mention International Students House for a free call.
There is no obligation to leave a gift to ISH. But if you choose to, we would be honoured.