USU was founded in 1997 as InterAmerican College by Reymundo and Maria Marin, as a non-profit college geared to help immigrants transfer degrees. According to the 2008 WASC report on InterAmerican College, the area of which the college was previously located (National City) was once considered the 13th most impoverished city in the nation and one of the initial goals of the college was to serve the needs of educated immigrants. Foreign college transcripts would be evaluated by an independent panel that would appraise course work and give the student credit for up to three years of college course work. There would then be one-month courses on weeknights and weekends to complete any remaining requirements for an American degree. This early focus on immigrant education garnered positive press such as a 1999 Associated Press articleand a 2002 San Diego Union Tribune article.
In its first eight years InterAmerican College was initially dedicated to educating future bilingual teachers. The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing granted the institution the initial accreditation and approved the liberal studies program as well as the multiple and single subject credential programs. The United States University nursing program has increased in popularity in comparison to the additionally offered teaching programs.
In 2010, the institution changed its name to United States University to reflect the new status of University granted to the college. This name change was initiated by the new leadership team which took the reins in early 2010. Dr. Yoram Neumann, previously the vice president for academic affairs at California State University Dominguez Hills and the President, CEO, and founder of TUI University, was appointed president of USU. Three years later, the university settled a civil suit brought by the federal government alleging fraud related to financial aid charges. A local news outlet described the case as unusual as it resulted in criminal charges against the individual involved - the director of financial aid who pled guilty - as well as civil charges against the university.
During its June 18, 2014 meeting, the Structural Change Committee of the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) granted United States University (USU) approval for a change of ownership from Educacion Significativa, LLC, to Linden, LLC.
