In 1873 North Georgia Agricultural College was formed as an agricultural branch of the University of Georgia. The college was given the ability to award degrees in 1876 with the first graduating class in 1879. This class consisted of three men and one woman making the school the first coeducational institution and the first public college to award a degree to a woman. North Georgia Agricultural College was also named the senior military academy for the state of Georgia due to the strong ROTC program. By 1929, the agricultural distinction was dropped from the name becoming North Georgia College. After the passage of the Reorganization Act of 1931 was passed, North Georgia College was designated a junior college with a 2 year program as opposed to the 4 year. By 1946, the school saw a significant increase in enrollment and the school once again became a senior college. The school became a state university in 1996.

In 2012 it was announced by the Board of Regents for the University System of Georgia announced the consolidation of North Georgia College and State University and Gainesville State College to form the University of North Georgia. Consolidation took effect in January of 2013 and the first semester at the newly formed University of North Georgia was fall of 2013.