The AU has 55 full-fledged departments offering a rich array of bachelor and master degrees.

The university was constituted in response to a plea from Telugu areas to the erstwhile Madras province. It was formally inaugurated at Bezawada (Vijayawada) in 1926 by Lord Goschen, the first Chancellor, with Dr C R Reddy as the founder vice-chancellor. In the beginning, it had no home of its there were only four departments and less than 20 research scholars and six teachers. At present, it has over 1500 teachers, 1,000 scholars, 7,000 students and 3,000 administrative staff. The university has played a pioneering role in introducing several job-oriented courses in the country.

Thanks to the strong foundations laid by its the first two Vice-Chancellors, Sri C. R. Reddy and Sri S. Radhakrishnan, who brought great men of science and letters, into the portals of Andhra University, such as Sir C. V. Raman and Sir Rabindranath Tagore, who literally illuminated the young minds in those days in Andhra University.

The College of Arts and Commerce and Law and Science and Technology were started in 1931 and 1932 respectively. Later in 1946, Engineering College, Visakhapatnam was temporarily located at Kakinada. However, its location at Kakinada became permanent. A separate Department of Engineering was started in the campus in 1955 which later became a college in 1966. Andhra University is the first University in the country to start Full-time MBA programme in 1957. Admissions to MBA in Colleges in Andhra University and other affiliated colleges were done based on MBACET ( ICET since 2001)

The School of Correspondence Courses (presently called as School of Distance Education), which was started in 1972 is offering both graduate and post-graduate courses besides diploma courses. The Rector of the University is currently the Principal of the College.

The university has four campus colleges - Engineering, Science and Technology, Arts and Commerce and College of Law - and also two Postgraduate extension centers one at Kakinada (East Godavari district) and the other at Etcherla, Stikakulam District). The University also offers several courses through the School of Distance Education under distance education system. Presently, the university has the jurisdiction of five revenue districts with 200 affiliated colleges.

The university now has over 6,000 students, 1,800 research scholars and about 800 teachers and 3,000 non-teaching staff most of whom live in campus. Many of the students of Andhra University achieved good heights in their life with the solid foundations being given at the University.

It has now over fifty-five full fledged faculties offering a rich array of Bachelors and Masters programmes catering to the needs of every-increasing number of students from diverse background. Since its inception in 1926, this University has earned a reputation for high standards in both teaching and research.

The Department of Atomic Energy has allotted Rs. 9.5 crores in 9th plan to set up a Low Power Research Reactor at Andhra University in collaboration with Baba Atomic Research Center. The Government of Andhra Pradesh has agreed to meet Rs. 75 lakhs towards annual recurring and operations of the facility when the construction completes. The Low Power Research Reactor will generate multi-disciplinary research activities in the application of nuclear techniques in Andhra University in particular and Research Organisations and Universities of this region in general.

The university is scaling greater heights entering into tie-up arrangements with foreign Universities and institutions in all fields to further the cause of higher education and research. With a view to creating a development fund, the University has set up a Resource Mobilisation Cell with the following units: Consultancy Unit, Alumni Unit and infrastructure Management unit. Keeping step with the modern trends in science and technology, the university continues to provide advanced educational opportunities through new courses and programmes for the benefit of the students entering the portals of the University. With seventy years of rich experience in research, teaching and community service the andhra University is destined to play a constructive and dynamic role in the field of higher education and in national progress as well.

Famous Personalities from A.U.