As a public university, Unimor accepts students partially through the SNMPTN system administered nationwide.

Following the independence of East Timor and exodus of Indonesian nationals (many to Kefamenanu), the teaching staff formerly from Universitas Timor Timur established the university in 2000 on a 40-hectare plot of land donated by the local council and a Rp 2 billion funding from the central government.

[3][4] Located 7 hours away from the provincial capital of Kupang, the university is close to the border with East Timor and hence receive some students from across the border.

In 2017, it claimed that 6,000 East Timorese students had studied at Unimor.

[5] As comparison, there were 5,000 active students in the same year with an intake of 1,500.