M.J.P. Rohilkhand University was established in 1975 as an affiliating University. Its status was upgraded to affiliating-cum-residential university in 1985 when four teaching Departments were established in the campus. In 1987 three more Departments were added. In August 1997 Rohilkhand University was renamed as Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University. The University has taken an overall perspective of development plan and thereby modified University status by including new Faculties of Engineering and Technology, Management, Applied Sciences, Education and Allied Sciences etc. It has more than 215 affiliated colleges.
The University headquarter is located at Bareilly with its territorial jurisdiction extending over the districts of Bareilly, Moradabad, Rampur, Bijnore, Jyotibaphule Nagar, Baduan, Pilibhit and Shahjahanpur. The University campus spreads over 206 acre of Land. The Campus possesses administrative building, faculty buildings, Central Library, Multipurpose hall, hostel for boys & girls, Staff quarter for Vice Chancellor and another officers of the University, faculty members, Non-teaching staff, Guest houses and Sports complex. It has also a medical center. The senior faculty members of different disciplines in Humanities, Science and Technology are running research projects funded by various agencies and so far 49 projects funded by UGC, AICTE, DST, CST, ICAR, ICHR, MIF have been completed. Teacers of the Affiliated college are also engaged in research projects funded by above agencies.