SWPS University (USWPS), originally founded in 1996 as Szkoła Wyższa Psychologii Społecznej (Warsaw School of Social Psychology, SWPS), began as a higher education institution focusing on psychology and expanded its academic offerings over time. In 2023, SWPS University was officially recognized as a comprehensive university by the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education. This status was granted following an evaluation of its scientific achievements, which granted USWPS doctoral and habilitation rights in seven disciplines. The university demonstrated outstanding scientific performance especially in psychology, political and administrative science, literary studies, culture and religion studies, sociology, fine arts and art conservation.

USWPS provides education in approximately 70 first-cycle, second-cycle and uniform master's degree programs for over 18,000 students on 6 campuses located in the largest cities in Poland (Warsaw, Wrocław, Sopot, Poznań, Katowice and Kraków), including over 1,300 students from over 80 countries. It offers, among others, 18 programs conducted entirely in English. USWPS University runs a doctoral school in five disciplines: psychology, sociological sciences, cultural and religious studies, literary studies and visual arts. In addition, USWPS offers various study opportunities at the post diploma level, designed for candidates who already hold a university degree, but wish to further develop their professional qualifications.

SWPS University was the first private university in Poland to join the European Universities Initiative, as part of the European Reform University Alliance (ERUA). This alliance includes the University of Paris 8 (France), SWPS University (Poland), Mykolas Romeris University (Lithuania), University of Macerata (Italy), University of the Aegean (Greece), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Spain), Viadrina European University (Germany), and New Bulgarian University (Bulgaria). The consortium aims to enhance the European Higher Education Area through collaborative interdisciplinary educational initiatives, joint degree programs, international research projects, and short-term mobility of students and staff.

The University has over 200 partners across the world and cooperates with universities and various organizations from around the world. It takes active participation in the Erasmus+ program of student and academic exchange. It also offers double degree study programs conducted in cooperation with universities in Europe as well as an international joint degree program in Psychology Erasmus Mundus Global-MINDS. 

SWPS University is a member of several international associations: the European Universities Association (EUA), EUA Council for Doctoral Education, European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR), Global Academy of Liberal Arts (GALA), Baltic University Programme (BUP), the European Union of Private Higher Education (EUPHE), and the International Association of Universities (IAU).