Founded as the Mapúa Institute of Technology on January 25, 1925, by Tomás B. Mapúa,[7] a graduate of Cornell University and the first registered Filipino architect and civil engineer Gonzalo T. Vales as an Architecture and Civil engineering school, it is the first institution in the Philippines to offer a Bachelor's degree in Architecture.

Classes were held in a rented commercial building in Carriedo Street near FEATI University in Quiapo, Manila.

In 1928, the Mapúa High School was established in Doroteo Jose Street through Rizal Avenue in Santa Cruz, Manila.

In 1951, the Mapúa family acquired a piece of land from the La Corporación Fransicana in Intramuros.

It also achieved the highest passing rates in the board exams among other competing schools in architecture and engineering.

[11] The spokesperson of the National Alliance of Mapua Alumni (NAMA) also alleged that the Yuchengcos wanted to change the institute's name to escape tax liabilities and sought a congressional probe against the renaming.

It relocated its site at a former Bormaheco property along Pablo Ocampo Street, which was acquired and converted by the Yuchengco Group in 2018.

[18][19] It previously occupied the Mapúa Information Technology Center (MITC) at the corner of Gil Puyat Avenue and Reposo Street from 2002 to 2021.

[20] Mapúa has ten degree-granting colleges called schools, as well as four departments grouped under Basic Studies.

[22][23] The university's parent company, iPeople Inc. (IPO) merged with AC Education, the education arm of Ayala Corporation in 2019, acquiring its subsidiaries: University of Nueva Caceres, National Teachers College, and APEC Schools.

This academic system was intended to allow students to graduate faster (e.g., the original 5-year engineering programs could be taken in four years) and to focus on less, interrelated course subjects in an 11-week term.

The MPASS measures the student's abilities to identify the suitable college programs or senior high school strand for the applicant.

[6][32] Colegio deSan Juan de Letran Lyceum of the PhilippinesUniversity Mapúa University Pamantasan ng Lungsodng Maynila