University of Science and Technology of China Alumni Foundation

What University of Science and Technology of China Alumni Foundation does

USTCAF is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation established in Delaware, USA in 1995 by alumni of the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) to serve the global USTC alumni community, USTC students, and USTC faculty. Operating independently of USTC's administration, the foundation delivers scholarships, faculty awards, and community-building programs across four core beneficiary groups: economically disadvantaged USTC freshmen (Goodwill/爱心 program), high-achieving children of USTC alumni (K2S Scholarship), outstanding USTC faculty (YFCA, TEA, YFAA), and USTC alumni worldwide through networking, mentoring, and reunion services. All directors and officers serve as unpaid volunteers.

The foundation's product portfolio is anchored by the K2S Scholarship for alumni children (four award tiers across academics, arts, sports/business, and community service), the Goodwill One-Plus-One (爱心一对一) program providing RMB 3,000 annually for four years to disadvantaged freshmen, ONS/ENS/HSS awards for incoming USTC students, three faculty award categories with up to RMB 50,000 per recipient, and USTCAF Named Awards administered through donor-established subfunds. Its technology infrastructure consists of a web-based membership and donation portal integrated with a GnuCash-powered read-only real-time accounting system that publishes quarterly financial statements to all members. The K2S application workflow uses unique tokens issued to USTCAF members to verify eligibility and prevent duplicate submissions. Over 20 years, the Goodwill program has supported 810+ students, and the 2018-launched Peach and Plum Fund (桃李基金) raised 6 million RMB to install elevators in retired professors' dormitories.

As a nonprofit, USTCAF has no commercial revenue and operates entirely on voluntary alumni donations. Membership tiers include annual dues of $10, lifetime membership granted at $125 cumulative donations, and donation-pledge membership at $20 or more per year (each providing voting rights in biennial board elections). Fundraising channels include the official website (ustcaf.org), annual events such as the Silicon Valley Summit (the 2025 edition celebrated both USTC's 67th and USTCAF's 30th anniversary with an "AI × Ai" theme), email newsletters, WeChat groups, and peer-to-peer referrals through alumni networks. Governance rests on a 13-member elected Board of Directors with Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer positions, supported by a Finance Committee established in 2021 and a Secretary General Office. Operational ties with USTC are partnership-based, not ownership-based: USTC recommends Goodwill candidates, distributes awards, and processes domestic RMB donations through its Education Foundation.

Name

University of Science and Technology of China Alumni Foundation

Legal name

University of Science and Technology of China Alumni Foundation

Website

https://ustcaf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

USTCAF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation founded in 1995 that runs scholarships, faculty awards, and alumni programs for USTC, funded entirely by donations from USTC alumni worldwide and operated by unpaid volunteer board members.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Philanthropy

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB), Fundraising & Annual Giving (EDALAOAB)

Keywords

• Alumni foundation services
• Scholarship program administration
• Donation fund management
• Nonprofit community building
• Higher education philanthropy

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Clara

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The foundation relies entirely on voluntary donations from USTC alumni worldwide. No commercial revenue streams. Donation tiers include annual membership ($10), lifetime membership ($125 cumulative), and general donation pledges ($20 minimum). The foundation operates multiple sub-funds including Goodwill (GW), K2S Scholarship, Faculty Awards, and specialized funds like the Peach and Plum Fund (桃李基金).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

USTCAF operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit alumni foundation administering scholarships (K2S Scholarship for alumni children, Goodwill Award for economically disadvantaged freshmen, ONS/ENS/HSS new student scholarships), faculty awards (Young Faculty Career Award, Young Faculty Achievement Award, Teaching Excellence Award), donor-established named awards and subfunds, and alumni community services (Alumni Interviews, Mentoring Program). The foundation is funded entirely through voluntary alumni donations and membership dues and operates via an elected 13-member volunteer board.

Product overview

USTCAF operates as a non-profit alumni foundation with a portfolio of scholarship and award programs, member services, and financial management platforms. The core offerings include K2S Scholarship for children of USTC alumni, the Goodwill Award (爱心奖) for financially disadvantaged students, and various faculty awards (Young Faculty Career Award, Teaching Excellence Award, Young Faculty Achievement Award). Supporting infrastructure includes a member donation portal with real-time accounting (GnuCash), subfund management system, and alumni interview/mentoring programs. The organization provides subfunds allowing donors to establish dedicated funds for specific purposes, with funds managed according to board resolutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• K2S Scholarship (科二代奖学金) Scholarship program recognizing high school students who are children of USTC alumni and demonstrate outstanding achievement in academics, community service, leadership, and personal development across four categories: Sports & Business, Arts, Academia, and Volunteer/Community Services. Open to high school students with at least one USTC alumni parent, requiring a USTCAF-issued token for application.
• Goodwill Award (GW) (爱心奖) Financial assistance program supporting economically disadvantaged USTC students. The Goodwill One-Plus-One (爱心一加一) project provides annual grants of RMB 3,000 per student for four years, totaling RMB 12,000 per recipient. Approximately 40 students per year receive support, including students from rural areas, laid-off families, single-parent families, and families affected by illness or accidents.
• Outstanding New Student Award (ONS) Scholarship awarded to the most outstanding high school graduates admitted to USTC, based on academic excellence and competition achievements.
• Excellent New Student Award (ENS) Supplementary scholarship for new students from specific high schools who demonstrate strong academic standing but do not qualify for the ONS award.
• High School Scholarship (HSS) Scholarship program established at specific high schools to attract excellent graduates to attend USTC. Each HSS provides funds for ONS and ENS awards at designated schools.
• Young Faculty Career Award (YFCA) Faculty award for outstanding young USTC faculty members. Up to 8 recipients at RMB 10,000 each; candidates must be under 40 years old with less than 5 years of USTC service.
• Young Faculty Achievement Award (YFAA) Prestigious faculty award for young faculty scientists, RMB 50,000 per recipient; candidates must be under 45 years old.
• Teaching Excellence Award (TEA) Faculty award recognizing USTC faculty demonstrating teaching excellence; maximum 5 recipients per year.
• USTCAF Named Awards Special awards established by donors with specific naming rights and criteria, managed as subfunds within USTCAF's organizational structure.
• Alumni Interview Program Program connecting current students with alumni for mentorship, career guidance, and professional networking opportunities.
• Mentoring Program Program to help alumni in need (such as those in mid-career) by connecting them with established members of the alumni community for guidance and support.
• Peach and Plum Fund (桃李基金) Special fund established in 2018 to raise 6 million RMB from alumni for installing elevators in residential buildings housing retired USTC professors.

Quantifiable outcome

• 810+ students supported through Goodwill program over 20 years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• University of Science and Technology of China (USTC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSTCAF works closely with USTC for scholarship programs. The university recommends Goodwill scholarship candidates and assists in distributing award money and certificates. USTC's infrastructure department collaborates on projects like the Peach and Plum Fund elevator installation at retired professor dormitories. USTC's Education Foundation handles domestic RMB donations for USTCAF projects.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Scholarship America: Largest US nonprofit scholarship organization with staffed operations and broad scholarship administration. Operates similar scholarship programs but at national scale with corporate and institutional partners rather than being tied to one university.
• Cornell Alumni Association: Large, established US university alumni network with global chapters, scholarship programs, and faculty/student support. Comparable mission but much broader scale, paid staff, and institutional resources than USTCAF.
• University of Chicago Alumni Association: Established US university alumni association with a much larger endowment and staffed operations. Comparable in mission (alumni engagement, scholarships, faculty/student support) but operates at significantly greater scale and with professional staff.

Direct peers

• Shanghai Jiao Tong University Alumni Association: Alumni association for Shanghai Jiao Tong University, a peer top Chinese STEM institution with scholarship programs, faculty awards, and global alumni networks including significant North America presence.
• Peking University Alumni Association: Alumni association for Peking University, the most direct peer given similar elite Chinese university context, US alumni base, and scholarship/grant programs for students and faculty. Comparable governance and fundraising model.
• Nanjing University Alumni Association: Alumni association for Nanjing University, another top Chinese university with overseas alumni chapters and student/faculty support programs. Comparable structure to USTCAF in supporting scholarships and faculty awards through alumni donations.
• Zhejiang University Alumni Association: Alumni association for Zhejiang University, another elite Chinese STEM university with active overseas alumni networks and scholarship programs. Comparable structure and mission of supporting students, faculty, and alumni engagement.
• Tsinghua University Alumni Association: Official alumni association for Tsinghua University, a top-tier Chinese university with comparable US alumni presence and scholarship/grant programs for students and faculty. Operates as a membership-based foundation supporting scholarships, faculty awards, and alumni community.
• Fudan University Alumni Association: Alumni association for Fudan University with overseas alumni chapters and student/faculty support programs. Operates a similar model of membership, donations, scholarships, and community engagement for an elite Chinese university.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ustcaf
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ustcaf

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about University of Science and Technology of China Alumni Foundation