In recognition of the growing needs for higher education within the region and in the province, the provincial government granted full university status on 21 April 2008.

Not to be swayed by this early defeat, supporters who wanted post-secondary representation lobbied to have a vocational school built.

The proposed site for this vocational school was to be near the geographical centre of the Fraser Valley, on Lickman Road in Chilliwack.

Communities again lobbied for continuation of this project, and so a special task force was appointed by the government to study the feasibility of a college in the Fraser Valley.

The task force recommended a comprehensive regional college, providing university transfer, career and vocational programs.

In reaction to this strong show of support, the provincial government announced the establishment of Fraser Valley College on April 4, 1974.

Since no new facilities had yet been built, classes were held in church basements, public schools, commercially rented spaces, and the Coqualeetza Education Centre.

In September 1991, the administrative Board officially changed its name to the University College of the Fraser Valley.

Degrees and diplomas are conferred by the convocation, which is composed of alumni, administrators, and faculty, with a quorum of twenty members.

UFV also has a president, who is a chief executive officer of the university and a member of the senate, board of governors, convocation, and also serves as vice chancellor.

UFV exceeded the Ministry of Higher Education and Labour Market Development's funded target for 2009/10 of 6,859 student spaces by 104%.

A new building, containing the main institution library, First Heritage Computer Access Centre, and other instructional and support areas, was opened in the fall of 1996.

2007 brought the opening of UFV's first student residence—Baker House, as well as an expanded gymnasium facility, with the ability to seat 1,500 people.

At the time, the land belonged to the Chilliwack School District, and the Ministry of Advanced Education funded the building of the carpentry shop.

In 2007, UFV Trades and Technology programs moved into newly renovated facilities at the new Canada Education Park on the former Canadian Forces Base Chilliwack.

[26] In 2012, the university announced plans to open a satellite campus with a focus on programming related to business development and training in the Five Corners neighbourhood in Downtown Chilliwack.

It was also at this time that the idea of delivering UFV academic programs in India took shape, and in 2006, UFV and Goswami Ganesh Dutta Sanatan Dharma College (an affiliate of Punjab University) signed an agreement to deliver the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) program to Indian students at SD College.

Students who enrol in Canadian undergraduate programs UFV India choose from business, computer information systems, and liberal arts.

Students transfer to Canada as a cohort or have the option to complete all four years of their Canadian undergraduate program at UFV India.

[34] The women's basketball team won five straight provincial championships, bringing their all-time total to ten.