According to official website of Chengdu University, it is a comprehensive university jointly built by Sichuan Province and Chengdu, a key university in Chengdu, a national defense education characteristic university of the Ministry of Education, and a project construction unit authorized by Sichuan Province for doctoral degrees.

Chengdu University was founded in 1978, and 1983 closed its undergraduate course and only ran a junior college. In May 2003, it was restored as an ordinary undergraduate college.