The Federal University of Education was formerly known as Federal College of Education, Zaria. Its history dates back to 1962. Comprehending the cardinal importance of educational development to a nation newly attaining political independence, the Federal Ministry of Education in April 1959 appointed a Commission under the Chairmanship of Eric Ashby, Master of Clare College, Cambridge, to investigate the needs of Nigeria in Post-School Certificate and Higher Education. Based on the report of this commission, which was significantly entitled “Investment in Education” the Government of Nigeria in 1961 presented to the Parliament a white paper on educational development up to 1970.

The white paper foresaw a possible increase in the enrolment of existing secondary schools and the building of 600 new ones, with an annual intake of students rising from 12, 000 to 45,000. To meet this rapid expansion, four new Advanced Teachers’ Training Colleges were recommended: one in Lagos and one in each region; assistance was sought from the United Nations Special Fund which later became the United Nations Development Programme (U.N.D.P) Special Fund component.

Therefore, acting on the recommendation of the Ashby Commission, the Government of the former Northern Region established a Northern Secondary Teachers’ College in Zaria. The Northern Regional Government through the Federal Government requested the United Nations Special Fund for assistance. The request was granted, and a plan of operation was drawn up which was formally signed in March 1963 by the Federal Government of Nigeria, the United Nations Special Fund and UNESCO. The College temporarily started in the present site of the Nuhu Bamali Polytechnics (former College of Advanced Studies,CAS) situated along Gaskiya Road Zaria. The College finally moved to its permanent site on Old Jos Road, Opposite the Institute of Administration Ahmadu Bello University (Kongo Campus), Zaria.  At inception, the College was administered in the interest of all the six Northern States by the Interim Common Service Agency (ICSA). In 1970, the ICSA requested the Institute of Education, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria to take over the administration of the College and the name was equally changed to Advanced Teachers’ College Institute of Education, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (ATC/ABU).

The Federal Government in an official gazette published on 17^th January, 1989 established the National Commission for Colleges of Education by a Decree. The Commission was to be the regulatory Agency of all institutions awarding Nigeria Certificate in Education. By the decree promulgated, the Federal Government changed the name of the College from Advanced Teachers’ College, (ATC), Zaria, to Federal College of Education (F.C.E), Zaria along with other similar institutions e.g ATC/ABU Kano. See the Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette No. 16 of 14^th May 1991, Vol. 78 and Degree No. 12 Federal College of Education (Amendment Decree 1991). By this development, the ATC/ABU was disarticulated from Institute of Education, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and became an autonomous institution known as Federal College of Education Zaria under the regulatory supervision of National Commission for Colleges of Education, NCCE.  Its mandate however remained producing pre-service teachers with the minimum teaching qualification, Nigeria Certificate in Education. In addition to this primary mandate as FCE, it was also running undergraduate programmes but in affiliation with Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.

By 2015 the Federal College of Education, Zaria together with three others, Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri, Adeyemi Federal College of Education, Ondo and Federal College of Education, Kano were upgraded to Federal Universities of Education by the government of President Goodluck Ebelle Jonathan. Later, the federal government put the upgrade on hold while the four institutions reverted to their former status. However, in the year 2023, the decision was rescinded and the four institutions were restored to their earlier University status. Federal College of Education Zaria, formally assumed its University status in 2024.