Goodwill schoarship was set up in 1999, under the AF Chair TAO Xiaoou 汤晓鸥 (859). However, ZHANG Huayi 张化一 (774) promoted the scholarship long before that, as early as 1991, and he is the biggest donor to the scholarshp so far.

Currently, USTCAF supports 80 or so students each year, based on the financial needs of students with minimal academic requirements.

Starting from 2005, each year, USTCAF will support about 20 new students of $300 USD each based on finanical need. The information, application letter, and possible photos of the students will then be collected. USTCAF will then pass the information to alumni soliciting sponsors. As a sponsor, one needs to donate $1200 to cover the student for 4 years under the norml circumstance. Only those new students who get sponsors will get financial support from second year on.