[1][2] Popularly known as Jyoti Vihar, it offers courses at the undergraduate, post-graduate and doctoral (Ph.D.) levels.

In 1973 the university was shifted to the present campus named Jyoti Vihar at Burla.

The campus is in the vicinity of Mahanadi Coal Fields Limited, VSSUT[3] and located close to Hirakud Dam.

The university is spread over 670 acre surrounded by dense reserve forest of Burla town.

Admission to PG diploma, M.A, M. Sc, M.Tech, M.Phil, M.C.A, M.B.A and P.hd courses are being conducted through an entrance examination.

[4] This university offers a limited numbers of scholarships for students to pursue their research work in various fields.

P.G departments available in University Campus: Miscellaneous buildings include: Administrative block, P.G Council, Private Examination Cell, Sbi Bank Branch with 2 atm, Post Office, Health centre, Sambalpur University, Market Complex, Prof.Bhubaneshwar Behera Central Library, Sambalpur University New Library, UCO bank, Kantapali 1 atm, Home Cum Canteen ( University Canteen), Central Canteen 1, Canteen 2, U.G.C - H.R.D.C Lecture Hall, U.S.I.C Sambalpur University, U.G.C Human Resources Development Center, Sambalpur University, Bhagirathi Canteen (Hostel Canteen), I.B Canteen (Hostel Canteen) Post Graduate courses include Post Graduate courses that are offered by this institution include Anthropology, Business Administration, Chemistry, Earth Science, Economics, English, Environmental Science, Hindi, History, Home Science, Library and Information Science, Life Science, Mathematics, Odia, Performing Arts (Drama, Dance), Political Science and public administration, Sociology and Statistics.

in Biotechnology, Executive M.B.A., MBA (Financial Management), Master of Social Work (MSW), M. Sc.

University also offers DEM, Diploma in Regional Arts & Commerce, PGDCA, PGDIRPM.

Notable alumni in politics include Naba Kishore Das, Bhakta Charan Das, Pradipta Kumar Naik, Prabhas Kumar Singh, Kapil Narayan Tiwari, Jyotirmoy Singh Mahato.

Bhubaneswar Behera, botanist, Indian ecologist and environmentalist Madhab Chandra Dash and educationist Parshuram Mishra who is the recipient of Padma Shri and neurosurgeon B. K. Misra, recipient of Dr. B. C. Roy Award, the highest medical honour in India.

Prem Ram Dubey who became dean of law of Sambalpur University in 1967, Ananta Charan Sukla scholar of comparative literature, literary criticism, and philosophy.

Dilip Tirkey a sportsperson who received honorary doctorate from Sambalpur University.

Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal, Principal Secretary to the PMO, Pramod Kumar Mishra attended 30th convocation ceremony 2019.

The course offered by this university was not recognised by Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) for which students cannot apply for posts like a Medical physicist.

Students have called for hunger strike for its exclusion form being recognised by AERB .