Founded in 1808 as the Belgrade Higher School in revolutionary Serbia, by 1838 it merged with the Kragujevac-based departments into a single university.

It was initially located at the Princess Ljubica's Residence building and then moved to another significant site in Belgrade, the Captain Miša’s Mansion, today's seat of the university.

The minister of education had control over this institution and it was managed by the rector (elected by the monarch) and Academic Council.

The lectures were held by professors who had earned their diplomas in Austria, Germany and France (Jovan Sterija Popović, Josif Pančić, Đura Daničić, and others).

The University of Belgrade witnessed a massive growth and expansion in the years before the Second World War and especially after the founding of the second Yugoslavia.

In the early 1990s the quality of university programs deteriorated as a consequence of the political instability in the country and the subsequent wars of Yugoslavia.

During the Milošević government in Serbia, the university had to face external political pressure and the lack of academic and administrative autonomy.

[12] Having developed with the city in the 19th century, a number of the university buildings are an important part of Belgrade’s architecture and cultural heritage.

Former sites include today's Museum of Vuk and Dositej and Princess Ljubica's Residence buildings, both of them being recognized[by whom?]

The university has sites throughout the city, with the two major campuses, one next to the Prince Michael Street at Studentski Trg and the other on King Alexandar Boulevard.

Medical teaching facilities, such as the University Hospital Center or Institute of Mental Health are on other locations within the city.

The Faculty of Agriculture is situated alongside the Zemun City Park and it operates the Radmilovac experimental farm in Grocka.

The senate is composed of the rector, 4 vice-rectors, 31 deans, 4 presidents of the faculty Group Councils and 4 directors of scientific institutes.

8 student-representatives with a one-year term elected by the university's Student Parliament participate in the work of the Senate.

In addition to these bodies, the university has advisory academic councils and professional boards, appointed to adopt decisions and state their opinion on the election of teaching staff.

The Residence of Countess Ljubica as well as Captain Miša's Mansion once used to be home to this educational institution when it was within the Belgrade Higher School.

The Law School's historic building, constructed by Serbian architect Petar Bajalović in 1941, comprises about 12,000 square metres (130,000 sq ft) of space.

Its curriculum includes courses in economic analysis and policy; marketing; accounting, auditing and financial management; trade and commerce; finance, banking and insurance; tourism and hotel industry; statistics and informatics; management and international economics and foreign trade.

[17] The Faculty of Philosophy is one of the oldest institutions of higher education in Serbia, founded in the early 19th century.

The school is divided into departments, which possess their own libraries, it operates several research centers and publishes a number of periodical publications.

Professor Stevan Marković was the first lecturer and founder of the Engineering Department within the Belgrade Higher School.

Today, the school is divided into a number of departments, offering a wide range of electrical engineering programs.

The school offers an extensive number of academic courses, including specialization practice within a network of hospitals, institutes and medical clinics.