西北大学肇始于1902年的陕西大学堂和京师大学堂速成科仕学馆。1912年始称西北大学。1923年改为国立西北大学。1937年西迁来陕的国立北平大学、北平师范大学、北洋工学院和北平研究院等组成国立西安临时大学，1938年改为国立西北联合大学，1939年复称国立西北大学。新中国成立后为教育部直属综合大学。1950年复名西北大学。1958年改隶陕西省主管。1978年被确定为全国重点大学。现为国家“双一流”建设高校、国家“211工程”建设院校、教育部与陕西省共建高校。

Northwest University originated from Shaanxi University Hall in 1902 and the Imperial University Hall's Express Course for Official Studies. It was first named Northwest University in 1912, and became National Northwest University in 1923. In 1937, institutions including National Beiping University, Beiping Normal University, Beiyang Institute of Technology, and Beiping Research Institute, which had relocated to Shaanxi, formed the National Temporary University of Xi'an. In 1938, it was renamed National Northwest Associated University, and in 1939, it was renamed National Northwest University again. After the founding of New China, it became a comprehensive university directly under the Ministry of Education. It was renamed Northwest University in 1950, came under the administration of Shaanxi Province in 1958, and was designated as a national key university in 1978. Currently, it is a national "Double First-Class" construction university, a national "211 Project" construction institution, and a university jointly built by the Ministry of Education and Shaanxi Province.

学校现有太白、桃园、长安三个校区，总占地面积2360余亩。设有24个学院（系）、1个中外合作办学机构、6个非直属附属医院。现有24个博士学位授权一级学科、37个硕士学位授权一级学科、18个专业学位授权类别。学科涵盖哲学、经济学、法学、教育学、文学、历史学、理学、工学、农学、医学、管理学、艺术学等12大门类，形成了以人文社科、理学、医学为优势，多学科协调发展的学科专业体系。

The university currently has three campuses: Taibai, Taoyuan, and Chang'an, covering a total area of over 2,360 mu. It has 24 schools (departments), 1 Sino-foreign cooperative education institution, and 6 non-directly affiliated affiliated hospitals. It now has 24 first-level disciplines authorized for doctoral degrees, 37 first-level disciplines authorized for master's degrees, and 18 professional degree authorization categories. The disciplines cover 12 categories including philosophy, economics, law, education, literature, history, science, engineering, agriculture, medicine, management, and art, forming a disciplinary professional system with advantages in humanities and social sciences, science, and medicine, and coordinated development of multiple disciplines.