In 1989, the Scripps Research Institute launched the Macromolecular and Cellular Structure and Chemistry (MCSC) Program which offered graduate training in the biological sciences.
In 2003, TSRI redefined the curriculum to allow and encourage students to sculpt course loads in an interdisciplinary manner.
In 2005, TSRI's Graduate Program expanded to encompass the Jupiter, Florida campus.
The school is headquartered in La Jolla, California (32°53′42″N 117°14′28″W / 32.895°N 117.241°W / 32.895; -117.241), with a second campus in Jupiter, Florida (26°53′06″N 80°06′50″W / 26.885°N 80.114°W / 26.885; -80.114) .
The student body is currently ~300 and is mentored by more than 200 scientific faculty, including Nobel Laureates Kurt Wuthrich and Karl Barry Sharpless, and more than 500 post-doctoral fellows.