The University of East Sarajevo, under the name of the University of Sarajevo, Republic of Srpska, was established on 14 September 1992 by the decision of the National Assembly of Republic of Srpska.
The teaching process at the University of East Sarajevo started in October 1993/1994 academic year.
In accordance with the Bologna process, which implementation started in 2006, the University was renamed into the University of East Sarajevo and since the academic 2007/08 it has become the integrated university, legal body consisting of 17 organizational units – 15 faculties and 2 academies located in 10 towns.
The University of East Sarajevo heritages the tradition of the first institutions of higher education established in BiH – Sarajevo Seminary founded in 1882 which provided not just theological education but secular as well. It, as the first Serbian high school in BiH, is the stem of the University of East Sarajevo.
Teaching process in academic 1993/1994 started at the Faculties of Economics and Philosophy in Pale, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry in Foca, Faculty of Technology in Zvornik, and the Faculty of Pedagogy in Bijeljina.
In academic 1994/95, teaching process started at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Faculty of Agriculture in Lukavica (today East New Sarajevo municipality), Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Vogosca (now in East New Sarajevo municipality), Faculty of Law in Ilidza (now in Pale), Academy of Music in Ilidza (now in East New Sarajevo municipality), and Orthodox Theologic Academy “St. Vasilije Ostroski” in Foca.
In academic 1995/96, the Academy of Fine Arts and the Faculty of Production and Management started their work in Trebinje, and Faculty of Physical Education (now the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport) started with the teaching process in Pale.
The Faculty of Economics in Brcko started its activities in academic 1997/98.
The Faculty of Traffic Engineering in Doboj started with work in academic 2005/2006 as well as the Faculty of Foreign Trade (now the Faculty of Business Economics) in Bijeljina.
Since 2008 the Faculty of Dentistry was transformed into a study program of the Faculty of Medicine in Foca.