It is one of the four pre-university colleges operated by Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) and is state funded.

The college began its first few years as one of the first Maktab Rendah Sains MARA to be established by the organisation in 1972.

In 1978, the college introduced the University Kebangsaan Malaya Science Matriculation Programme.

This change was made as the Ministry of Education Malaysia took over all matriculation programmes in the country to unify the curriculum.

The college gained the International Baccalaureate World School certification and was authorised to offer the IB Diploma Programme in April 2005.