The predecessor of Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) was founded in 1635 in the rural town of Nagyszombat by Cardinal Péter Pázmány, as a catholic university for teaching Theology and Philosophy. In 1770-1780, the University was transferred to Buda and later to Pest, and with the support of Maria-Theresa, the Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary, became the Royal Hungarian University.

Over the following decades, new faculties were established to meet the expectations of a learned society. In the second half of the 19th century, the University developed into a centre of modern higher education in today's sense, covering nearly every scholarly field.

In 1950 the university was reorganized and adopted its present name. It was named after one of its professors, the world-famous physicist, Loránd Eötvös.

Recently, a new campus has been built on the scenic banks of the Danube for the Faculties of Natural and Social Sciences and Informatics.

Currently, the university has eight faculties: Science, Informatics, Law and Political Sciences, Humanities, Social Sciences, Education and Psychology, Elementary and Nursery School Teacher Training and the Bárczi Gusztáv Faculty of Special Education.

Eötvös Loránd University is internationally recognized and its programs are accredited by the Hungarian Accreditation Board. The diplomas issued by Eötvös Loránd University are acknowledged worldwide, and its course credits are transferable in all countries in the European Union.

Over the last hundred years, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) has had many world famous scientists and four Nobel Prize laureates among its teachers and alumni. The current number of students enrolled yearly has reached 32 000, and there is an academic staff of 1800 highly-qualified teachers and researchers.