Regis University was established by a group of exiled Italian Jesuits in 1877 in Las Vegas, New Mexico. That institution was named Las Vegas College.

In 1884, the Bishop of Denver invited the Jesuits to create a college at Morrison where Sacred Heart College was opened. In 1887, the two colleges merged and moved once again to the present location of Regis University. The name from then on was College of the Sacred Heart. In 1921 it adopted the name of Regis College in honor of Saint John Francis Regis, a 17th century Jesuit who worked with prostitutes and the poor in the mountains of Southern France. In 1991, it was renamed Regis University and consists of three schools: Regis College, the College for Professional Studies, and the College for Health Professionals.

Regis University, in accordance with its Jesuit heritage, has a long tradition of charitable service which includes the well known Father Woody Projects, which originated with the Archdiocese of Denver; including a well known Father Woody Christmas Party for the homeless.

Regis University is a small, liberal arts, undergraduate/graduate, selective school located on the Lowell Campus. Its approximately 1,600 students are high school graduates from over 40 states.[citation needed]

For the 14th consecutive year, Regis University was named a top school in the West at the Master's level by US News and World Report. In previous years, Regis University's undergraduate programs have been recognized by other publications as well.

Regis University operates a radio station, KRCX. Other media programs include a weekly student-run newspaper, the Highlander. The school also fields 12 varsity athletic teams the Rangers. Regis competes at the NCAA Division II level and is part of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC). Men's basketball coach, Lonnie Porter, has the record for most won games as a basketball coach in Colorado history (498).

Many students participate in service learning activities by volunteering with various organizations throughout the Denver area. According to current President Fr. Sheeran, the goal of Regis University is to educate "leaders in service to others."

Regis University played host to the rock icon, Jimi Hendrix, as well as the British rock band Queen (band), that played their first concert in the United States (April 16, 1974).

Regis College houses the traditional, undergraduate (and Master's of Art in Education) programs. These programs are designed for traditional students. Traditional students are recent high school graduates, or transfers students, with little or no professional work experience. Regis college offers a choice of majors, minors, emphases, and pre-professional tracts. Students wishing to enter the nursing, physical therapy, or pharmacy programs often enter Regis College to complete pre-requisite requirements.

When Regis absorbed her sister school, Loretto Heights College, the Rueckert Hartman College for Health Professions was born. Regis now operates a nationally-recognized nursing program, and one of the premiere physical therapist programs. The school is divided into three schools and two departments: Loretto Heights School of Nursing, School of Pharmacy, School of Physical Therapy, Department of Health Care Ethics, and Department of Health Services Administration. The college offers three doctoral programs, Doctor of Nursing Practice (entirely on-line), Doctor of Physical Therapy, and Doctor of Pharmacy.