Shihezi University is one of the national "2 1 1 project" key universities, the national key university for the development of the western region, and one of the universities jointly established by provincial departments. It is also one of the selected universities in the "Basic Capacity Building Project of Central and Western Universities" and "Comprehensive Strength Improvement Project of Central and Western Universities" (one province and one school).

The school's predecessor was born in 1949 on the Long March of China People's Liberation Army to liberate Xinjiang. 1April, 1996, Shihezi Agricultural College, Shihezi Medical College, Corps Normal College and Corps School of Economics were merged.