University of Madras also called as Madras University is one of the oldest universities in India in addition to the other two universities being the Mumbai and Calcutta universities. This university was formed keeping University of London as a model and it was formed in the year 1857 on the 5th of September.

The university is controlled by the UGC and it is situated in the southern city of Madras, whose present name is Chennai. The university has campuses at different parts of the city namely at Chetpet, Maduravayil, Taramani, Guindy, Marina, Thondaimaan vazhagam and Chepauk. More than 50 departments are functioning under the university. Initially a number of engineering colleges were functioning under the university and in the year 2004, all these colleges were shifted under the jurisdiction of Anna University. The category-wise list of colleges affiliated to the university is given below:

Government Colleges:

Autonomous Arts and Science Colleges:

• Government Arts College, Nandanam

• Presidency college

• Bharathi Women’s College (Women)

• Quaid-e-Millath Government College for Women

• Queen Mary’s College (Women)

Non-Autonomous Arts and Science Colleges:

• L.N. Government Arts College

• Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, Nilgiris

• Dr. Ambedkar Govt.Arts College, Vyasarpadi

• R. V. Government Arts College, Chengalpattu

• Sri Subramaniaswamy Government Arts College

• Tamil Nadu Institute of Labour Studies

• Forensic Science Department

• King Institute Of Preventive Medicine

Aided Colleges:

Private Autonomous colleges:

• The Ethiraj College for Women

• Loyola College

• Madras Christian College

• Meenakshi College for Women

• Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda College

• Stella Maris’ College

• Dhanraj Baid Jain College

• The New College

• S.D.N. Bhatt Vaishnav College for Women

• Justice Basheer Ahmed Sayeed College for Women

• The Madras School of Social Work

• The Women’s Christian College

Non-Autonmous Arts and Science Colleges:

• M. Jain College

• Chellammal Women’s College

• D.G. Vaishnav College

• D. R. B. C. C. C. Hindu College

• Gurunanak College

• Kandaswami Naidu College for Men

• Pachaiyappa’s College

• Pachaiyappa’s College for Men

• The Quaide Milleth College for Men

• Sir Theagaraya College

• S. I. V. E. T. College

Self-Financing Colleges:

Non-Autonomus Colleges:

• A.A. Arts & Science College

• Annai Veilankanni’s College for Women

• Annai Theresa Arts and Science College

• Annai Violet College for Women

• Anna Adarsh College for Women

• Alpha Arts and Science College

• Asan Memorial College

• Apollo Arts and Science College

• Bhakthavatsalam Memorial College for Women

• Chennai National Arts-Science College

• C. T. M. College

• Christ Arts and Science College

• C.S.I. Ewart Women’s Christian College

• Chevalier T. Thomas Elizabeth College For Women

• Dr. Sir Arcot Lakshmanaswami Mudaliar Vocational Arts & Science College

• Dr. M. G. R - Janaki College of Arts And Science for Women

• Guru Shree Shantivijai Jain College for Women

• Hindustan College of Arts and Science

• Indian Harvard Arts & Science College

• J.A. Arts & Science College

• Jaya College of Arts and Science

• Jayagovind Harigopal Agarwal Agarsen College

• John Bosco Arts and Science College

• Kanchi Shri Krishna College of Arts and Science

• Kumararani Meena Muthiah College of Arts and Science

• K.C.S. Kasi Nadar College of Arts & Science

• Kanchi Kamatchiamman Arts and Science College for Women

• Madha Arts and Science College

• Mar Gregorious College

• Mohamed Sathak College of Arts and Science

• Mahalakshmi Women’s College of Arts and Science

• Meenakshi Ammal Arts & Science College for Women

• M. O. P. Vaishnav College for Women

• Nazareth College of Arts & Science

• New Prince Shri Bhavani Art & Science College

• Patrican College of Arts & Science

• Pattammal Alagesan College of Arts & Science

• Poonga College of Arts and Scienc

• Prince Shri Venkateshwara Arts and Science College

• Prof. Dhanapalan College for Women

• Ratankanwar Bhawarlal Gothi Jain College for Women

• Santhoshi Arts and Science College

• Shree Chandraprabu Jain College

• Sindhi College

• Sree Muthukumaraswamy College

• Sri Ram College of Arts and Science

• Sri Kanyaka Parameswari Arts & Science College for Women

• Sri Sankara Arts and Science College

• Sridevi Arts & Science College

• Sri Muthukumaran Arts & Science College

• S.R.M. Arts and Science College

• St. Joseph’s College

• St. Louis College for the Deaf

• St. Thomas College of Arts &Science

• Soka Ikeda College of Arts & Science for Women

• Shri Shankarlal Sundarbai Shasun Jain College for Women

• SSKV College of Arts & Science for Women

• Thiruthangal Nadar College

• T.S. Narayanaswamy College of Arts and Science

• Thiru Murugan Arts and Science College

• T.M.G. College of Arts & Science

• Tamil Nadu Arts & Science College

• Tagore College of Arts & Science

• Tamil Isai Kalloori

• Vel’s College Of Science

• Vel Sri Ranga Sanku College

• Valliammal College for Women

• Vidhyasagar Women’s College

Approved institutions:

• Workshop Training Institute (WTI)

• The Spastics Society of Tamil Nadu

• Vidya Sagar (Formerly, The Spastics Society of India)

Management Education Institutions:

• Arupadai Veedu Institute of Technology

• Arignar Anna Insitute of Management Studies and Computer Applications

• Institute of Engineering Technology

• MEASI Institute of Information Technology

• National Institute of Human Resources Development

• New College Institute of Management

• Panimalar Institute of Management Studies and Computer Science

• Sri Ram Institute of Management

• St. Mary’s School of Management Studies

• Thangavelu College of Science and Management

• V.G.P. School of Management

• Vel Rangarajan Sakunthala College of Management and Science

• Velammal College of Management and Computer Studies

In addition to offering teaching in different subjects, the university is also conducting research activities. There are nearly 43 external research institutions functioning under the university apart from the centres of excellence within the university. The university has been conferred with five-star status by the NAAC. The UGC has also identified this university as ‘university with potential for excellence’.

Apart from offering regular courses through affiliated colleges, the university is also offering correspondence courses through its Institute of Distance Education. Even professional courses are offered by the university through distance education in addition to different under-graduation, post-graduation, diploma and certificate courses. The university has expanded and progressed throughout the 19th century and gave birth to more than 15 universities in South India.