Alagappa University is located on a sprawling and ideally suited expanse of about 420 acres in the business town of Karaikudi in Sivaganga District in Tamil Nadu. Karaikudi is 400 Km South of Madras, in the Madras - Rameswaram line and is accessible from Tiruchirappalli and Madurai in about 2 hours by road/rail.

This seat of higher education has emerged from the galaxy of institutions initially founded by Dr.RM.AlagappaChettiar. Alagappa University was brought into existence by a special Act of the Government of Tamil Nadu in May 1985 with the objective of fostering research, development and dissemination of knowledge in various branches of learning.

Alagappa University is recognized by the University Grants Commision (UGC), Government of India. Alagappa University, hitherto of unitary type has been converted into an affiliating type, by the Tamil Nadu Universities Act, 2002, with a view to widen the horizon of its academic activities by bringing into its jurisdiction, the Arts and Science colleges in the Districts of Ramanathapuram and Sivaganga. Further, as per this Act, the Government colleges in the above districts have become the constituent colleges of Alagappa University.

As a member of the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), as well as the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), it has rewarding relations with other academic institutions, research laboratories and industrial establishments that promise a spectacular feature. The University's motto is "Excellence in Action" and the University keeps before it the vision of excellence in all spheres of its action.