Established in 1973, the Department of Mechanical Engineering and in 1974, the Gaziantep Engineering Faculty of which the medium of instruction is English are the basis of the University of Gaziantep. The Gaziantep Engineering Faculty was founded by the opening of the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering in 1974. Following this, in 1977, the Department of Food Engineering; in 1981, the Department of Civil Engineering; in 1982, the Department of Engineering Physics were established.

The University of Gaziantep became an independent state university on 27th June 1987. The Gaziantep Engineering Faculty and Gaziantep Vocational School of Higher Education in the body of Middle East Technical University (METU) was connected to the University of Gaziantep by the same law. In addition to them, the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences, the Faculty of Education in Adiyaman, Vocational School of Higher Education in Kilis, Graduate Schools of Natural and Applied Sciences, Social Sciences, and Health Sciences and the State Conservatory of Turkish Music were established.

In the body of the University, in 1990, the Vocational School of Higher Education for Health Services attached to the Rectorship, in 1995, the Departments of Industrial Engineering and Textile Engineering attached to the Faculty of Engineering, in 1997, the Higher School of Physical Education and Sports, Gaziantep Higher School of Health, Yusuf Serefoglu Higher School of Health in Kilis, Vocational School of Higher Education in Besni and Vocational School of Higher Education in Nizip, in 1998, the Muallim Rifat Education Faculty in Kilis, and Vocational School of Higher Education in Gölbasi, in 2001, the Vocational School of Higher Education for Tourism and Hotel Management, in 2002, the Education Faculty in Gaziantep and Vocational School of Higher Education in Oguzeli, in 2003, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences in Kilis were founded. Presently, education/instruction is maintained at eight faculties, three higher schools, a conservatory, eight vocational schools of higher education, three graduate schools and five service departments namely the Department of Physical Education and Sports, the Department of Turkish Language, the Higher School of Foreign Languages, the Department of Informatics and Department of Atatürk's Principles and the History of Turkish Renovation attached to the Rectorship to offer variety of courses in 107 major areas at undergraduate and graduate level.

The University has 609 academic staff, 392 teaching and research assistant, 841 administrative staff, 13 472 undergraduate and 403 graduate students. So far 17 142 students have graduated.