It was set up in October 1780 by Warren Hastings, the British Governor general of East India Company near Sealdah in Calcutta.

Initially it taught natural philosophy, Arabic, Persian, theology and Islamic law, astronomy, grammar, logic, arithmetic, geometry, rhetoric and oratory.

[9] Aliah University has three campuses for different types of curriculum located at New Town,[10] Park Circus and Taltala.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee of West Bengal laid the foundation stone of 'Aliah University Campus' at New Town on 15 December 2011.

Admission to most undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Aliah University is granted through written entrance examinations and for B.Tech.

Admission to undergraduate programmes is based on merit rank of the "Aliah University Admission Test" (AUAT), which consists of a written examination of "Multiple Choice Type Questions" (MCQ), clearing of which leads to an interview and final selection of the candidate.

In 2016, a series of protests by the students of the university took place on the main campus (New Town) against the disordering principle of the then vice chancellor, Abu Taleb Khan; because students were experiencing lack of books in library, lack of faculty, bad condition of lab etc.

[14][15] Students were requested by the EC members, Fact Finding Committee and also the Minority and Madrasah Education Minister Giasuddin Molla to stop the protest and class boycotts.