It was established under the recommendation of a committee headed by Ganesh Vasudev Mavalankar for rearrangement of university education in Bombay State.

Affiliated colleges and institutes are spread across the Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Kheda district (excluding the limits of Vallabh Vidyanagar in Anand Taluka and the area with a radius of 5 miles (8.0 km) from the office of Sardar Patel University).

[21] In March 2012, the university started a campus radio service named GURU on 90.8 MHz, which was first kind of it in the state of Gujarat and fifth in India.

[22] In March 2023, Gujarat University was at the center of a controversy following a clash at one of its hostels that resulted in injuries to several students, including those from abroad.

Vice Chancellor Neerja Gupta highlighted the importance of cultural orientation and sensitivity for foreign students to facilitate their integration and ensure their safety within the local community.