Aligarh Muslim University was established in 1877 by late Sir Syed Ahmad Khan as a Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College and was first affiliated to Calcutta University on January 23, 1878, and subsequently to the Allahabad University in 1885.

The Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College became Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) on September 14, 1920, and it is an Indian public central university offers more than 300 courses in both traditional and modern branches of higher education.

The university has its three off-campus centres at Malappuram (Kerala), Murshidabad (West Bengal) and Kishanganj (Bihar). AMU has been recognised as an Institution of National Importance (INI) in the Seventh Schedule (Article 246 in the Union List of the Constitution of India).

It was accredited by National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) with "A" Grade - (CGPA Score 3.35 on a 4 Point Scale in 2nd Cycle) on March 3, 2015.

It was also recognised by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and Association of Indian Universities (AIU).

The university claims itself as a minority institute guaranteed under Article 29 and 30 of the Constitution of India. At present, the university is a fully residential university having 12 faculties, 99 teaching departments, 7 constituent colleges (5 colleges academic programs), 15 Centres, 3 Institutes, 10 schools. The university also opened faculty of International Studies.

Spread over 467.6 hectares (1155 acres of urban land as the main campus) in the city of Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. It draws students from all over in India and from Africa, South Asia, Central Asia, West Asia and Southeast Asia.

The University has more than 28,000, students, 1,326 teachers and some 5,610 non-teaching staff on its rolls.