The 7th of April university established in 1983 as a branch of the University of elfatih , and was just faculty of Education in the city of Zawia.
In 1988, a General People's Committee Decree No. 135/1988 dated 5/3/1988 to establish 7th of April university that have a legal personality and an independent financial disclosure. Located in the Zawia city, and with the following scientific sections:
. Human Sciences school
. basic sciences school
. engineering and technical sciences school
. Agricultural Sciences school
. Linguistics school

In 18/9/1991 issued General People's Committee Decree No. 745 of 1991 on the reorganization of university faculties of the 7th of April University as follows:
. Faculty of Science, located in Zawia.
. Faculty of Physical Education, located in Zawia.
. Faculty of Engineering, located in Sabratha.
. Faculty of Arts and located in Zwara.

On 22/11/1993 decision was made by the General People's Committee for Education and Scientific Research No. 1280 in 1993 established the Faculty of Economics and Accounting, located in Ajelat . and Faculty of Education and located in Zawia

some universities had ensued in colleges the following periods:
. Faculty of Arts and Sciences Gerian 1993.
. Faculty of Arts and Sciences Zentan 1995.
. Faculty of Arts and Sciences Yefren 1995.

the 7th of April university established the following faculties:
. Law School Zawia 1998.
. Faculty of Medicine Zawia 1998.
. Faculty of Engineering Zawia 2000.
. Faculty of Medical Techniques Zawia 2001.

Since in 2000 a number of faculties stabilized as follows:
. Faculty of Sciences.
. Faculty of Medical Sciences.
. Faculty of Engineering.
. Faculty of Law.
. faculty of Arts
. Faculty of Physical Education.
. Faculty of Economics.