Graphic Era Deemed to be University is the culmination of the hard work of its visionary founder, Prof. (Dr.) Kamal Ghanshala, who had the dream to change the destiny of thousands of youths through quality and holistic education. In 1993, he embarked on the mission to transform the higher education landscape of the Doon Valley with twenty-nine thousand rupees in his pocket and loads of determination and tenacity in his heart, and started off with Graphic Era Computer Centre, developing software and delivering training on Computer Graphics. His vision gained concrete shape in 1997 in the form of Graphic Era Institute of Technology (GEIT).

Nestled in the central part of the scenic and modern city of Dehradun, bordered by Rajaji National Park and the Clement Town Cantonment on either side, the University Campus is a sight to behold. The serene and picturesque campus with the energy of the students studying and staying at the campus is almost infectious and provides an unforgettable experience for all the students who are a part of the Graphic Era fraternity. The Campus is well-equipped with facilities of all kinds, including but not limited to Sports, World Class Accommodation for its students, Gymnasiums, Recreational Areas, State of Art Libraries and Computer Centres, High-Speed Wi-Fi Enabled Campus, State of Art Lecture Theatres equipped with Smart Boards, Auditoriums (Both Indoor and Outdoor), Multiple Cafeterias and Food Trucks and so much more.

In Dec 2022, GEU became the only university in the region to have 7 NBA accredited programs namely Computer Science & Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electronics & Communication Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Biotechnology, and Master of Business Administration. The NBA Accreditations bear testimony to the High Standards of Academics at the University and allow students from the University to study at Top Universities across the globe without any hindrances.

In 2022, GEU also launched Online Degree Programs at both UG and PG Levels and achieved the distinction of being the first university in Uttarakhand to offer UGC/AICTE entitled Online education. The University boasts state-of-the-art online content delivery and assessment system to facilitate seamless online learning in these courses, benefitting professionals from the corporate world.

In June 2023, Graphic Era (Deemed to be University) was conferred All-India Rank 62 in the Engineering Category, All India Rank 65 in Management Category, All India Rank 55 in the University Category, and All India Rank 89 in the Overall Category in the MHRD`s National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) and retained its position consecutively for the fourth year amongst top 100 Universities of India.