Northwest University for Nationalities, referred to as "Northwest University for Nationalities", located in Jincheng and Lanzhou, is the first national higher education institution founded after the founding of New China. It is a central subordinate university directly under the State Ethnic Affairs Commission, and it is also the "key plan for ethnic minorities" and the first batch of pilot universities for the reform of the national education and training plan for outstanding agricultural and forestry talents.

The school, formerly known as Northwest University for Nationalities, was formally established in August 1950. In April 2003, with the approval of the Ministry of Education and the State Ethnic Affairs Commission, it was renamed Northwest University for Nationalities.

After more than 60 years of development, the school has formed a school-running pattern with undergraduate education as the main body and coordinated development of postgraduate education, preparatory education, continuing education, vocational education and international education. It has the right to award bachelor's degree, master's degree and doctor's degree, the right to recommend excellent fresh graduates to study for master's degree without examination, and the right to recruit master's degree and doctor's degree in the "High-level Talents Program for Ethnic Minorities".

As of March 20 14, the school covers an area of more than 2,880 mu, divided into Chengguan Campus and Yuzhong Campus, with a collection of more than 3.4 million books, including paper books10.7 million; There are more than 500 pieces of cultural relics1in the museum, including 7 pieces of cultural relics11above grade 3; There are 25,505 full-time students from 56 ethnic groups.