BulSU or BSU originated as a secondary school in 1904 ran by the Americans, and has now progressed into one of the biggest educational institutions in Region III.

The university is mandated to provide technical training and to promote research, advanced studies, and progressive leadership.

In 1945, after repairing the damage suffered during the Second World War; the school reopened with a few hand tools and materials donated by the U.S. army stationed in the provincial capitol.

In 1967, it offered the four-year Bachelor of Science in Industrial Education (BSIE) with majors in drafting, machine shop practice, woodworking and automotive, cosmetology, electronics and electricity.

In 1977, the college started offering graduate program, the Master of Arts in Teaching with majors in technical and vocational subjects.

In 1983, the college continued to expand its curricular offerings and develop its facilities to meet the needs of the growing student population.

The conversion into a State University provided more impetus to the administration to implement a wide range of institutional development programs, which included upgrading of academic qualifications of faculty members, streamlining the curricular programs by creating colleges and institutes, securing state-of-the-art instructional facilities, physical plant development and expansion, and broadening access to education by establishing additional satellite campuses.

In 2002, a landmark agreement between the university and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Bulacan Chapter, was made to establish the BSI-J – Marcelo H. Del Pilar College of Law.

In 2004, the university started to gain educational agreements with some nations in the Asia Pacific region namely in China, South Korea, and Hong Kong.

BulSU was the first State University in Central Luzon to be awarded a Level III Accreditation in its Education programs by the AACCUP.

[10] On April 12, 2024, BSU won the third iTHINK Hackathon organized by the ISLA Camp (ICP HUB Philippines), held during the International Conference on Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship (IRCITE) 2024.

The institute provides Continuing Education, Technology Transfer and Consultancy, Technology Job Information/Placement, Communications Media, Local Government Capability Building Program, Integrated Capability Building Program, Technology of Participation, Building Customer Service Skills, Action Planning Workshop, Public Service Excellence Program, Planning and Budgeting Workshop, Barangay Executive Training, Continuing Cooperative Training, Opinion Poll Survey, Moral Leadership and Peak Performance, Barangay Justice Service System, and Codification of Ordinance.

The new millennium saw Bulacan State University going global and participating in cross-border education with other Asian countries such as South Korea, People's Republic of China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia.

The Office of Chinese Language Council International signed an agreement with Bulacan State University on June 22, 2007, to jointly established a Confucius Institute.