The university is named after Lord Venkateswara, whose shrine is located in the city.

The university was founded in 1954 by the then Chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu and Siram Govindarajulu Naidu as its founder vice-chancellor.

[2] The university campus covers a large area on land leased by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams.

Sri Venkateswara University College of Engineering is an autonomous institution whose foundation was laid by the late Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India, on 13 October 1959.

[3] The Department of Physics hosts one of the four national research facilities: a center for research using the MST Radar Facility at Gadanki, commissioned under the UGC.