The university's predecessor was Regent's College, founded in 1984. The following year, it bought Bedford College, University of London, which was merged into Royal Holloway that year, and today's Bedford College. , University of Bedfordshire, unrelated) campus in Regent's Park, which dates back to 1908.

In 1987, European Business School London joined Regent's College. Since September 1, 2012, the college has the right to grant taught degrees, and was officially recognized as a university by the Ministry of Business Innovation and Skills the following year. Before 2016, all research degrees awarded by the school were awarded by the University of Wales. After this, due to the reorganization of the University of Wales, it was changed to the University of Northampton. In 2018, the school passed the qualification review for the award of taught degrees. In 2024, the relevant departments will review again, and if approved, the college will be able to issue a degree on its own permanently.

Regent's University London currently has around 3,600 full-time students. The University has an international student body with students coming from 130 countries overall. Fifteen per cent of Regent's students are from Britain. Another forty per cent come from elsewhere within the European Union. Fifteen per cent of the students come from the US. The Regent's University Student Union organises a range of clubs and societies, including Film Production, Finance and Investment, Model United Nations and Scandinavian. The Union also organises the Students in Free Enterprise initiative. How much does a fake The American International University in London degree?