The predecessor of the school was Mingde Middle School established in 1920 by American Christian Church, which was approved to upgrade to fulltime undergraduate college by the Ministry of Education in 2006. In 2010, the school was granted with bachelor's degree authorization, and in 2013, the school began to recruit foreign students from ASEAN countries. In 2014, the school joined National Applied Technology College Alliance, and in 2015, it was identified as the first batch of the pilots colleges and universities transforming to applied school in Guizhou Province.

Tongren University is located in Tongren City, a famous tourist destination of Guizhou Province, which has a long history, profound culture, and rich natural resources. Tongren City has 29 minorities dwelt in it with the population of 4.3 million, including Tujia, Miao, Dong and Gelao. Mount Fanjing located in Tongren is the main peak of Wuling Mountains, the level 1 World's Ecologic Protection Zone of the UN and member of "Human and Biosphere" of the world, national nature reserve, and the fifth largest Buddhism mountain of China. It is known as "the treasure of the earth and human" and "natural oxygen bar". The Wujiang River and Jinjiang River moisten the east of Guizhou Province and give birth to rich ecological culture, ethnic culture and Buddhist culture. Moreover, Tongren enjoys convenient transportation with highways and roads extending to all counties. The 3D network of water, road and air transport enables Tongren to be the first to enter into high-speed rail era.