BISHOP HEBER COLLEGE is a religious minority educational institution established by Tiruchirappalli – Thanjavur Diocese of the Church of South India. Its main objective is to cater for the higher educational needs of the members of the Church of South India and other Christians and specially to provide for them an educational atmosphere in keeping with the Christian ideals of the Church. The College, however, admits students of all faiths and religions and seeks to provide for them the best possible higher education.

Bishop Heber College traces its origin back to Heber Memorial School, which became a full-fledged High School in 1864. In 1873, the School was raised to a Second Grade College and in 1882, it became a First Grade College. It was then known as S.P.G. College. It was the first College to be established in Tiruchirappalli. Honours Courses in History and Mathematics were introduced in 1925. The College came to be known as Bishop Heber College in the late 1920s and its Diamond Jubilee was celebrated in 1926 under the Presidentship of the then Governor of Madras, Lord Goschen.

The Lindsay Commission on Christian Higher Education in India recommended the merger of the Bishop Heber College with the Madras Christian College, Chennai. Accordingly, Bishop Heber College was closed in 1934 and merged with Madras Christian College, Thambaram. In memory of this, Heber Hall and Heber Chapel emerged at Madras Christian College. The Most Rev. Dr. Solomon Doraisawmy, who was the consecrated Bishop of Tiruchirappalli-Thanjavur Diocese in 1964, succeeded in reviving the College on June 24, 1966. The College functioned at Teppakulam in the Old College Buildings from 1966 to 1969, having only Pre-University classes. In July 1968, the College was upgraded to the Degree Standard with three Degree Programmes viz. History, Economics and Mathematics and the Degree Classes were conducted at Puthur,where the College had acquired a site for its permanent buildings.

The University Grants Commission, New Delhi and Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli granted Autonomy to the College during 2004-2005. The College was accredited with 5 STAR by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) during 2001 and was reaccredited at the A+ level in March 2007. The College was reaccredited at A Grade by NAAC with CGPA of 3.58 out of 4. On September 14, 2023, the College has been reaccredited at A++ Grade by NAAC with a CGPA of 3.69 out of 4 in the IV Cycle. The College was ranked 4th by MHRD –NIRF 2017, 44th Rank in 2019, 39th in 2020, 43rd Rank in 2021 & 2022 and 34th rank in 2023. UGC has elevated the College from the status of "College with Potential for Excellence" to the status of "College of Excellence" in April 2017 for the period of 5 years.

The College has a modern Library, fully computerized with a holding of about 1,28,779 Volumes, with 73,999 titles and it subscribes for 114 journals and 85 Magazines.

UGC has sanctioned Rs. 75 Lakhs for introducing B. Voc. Programme in Information Technology and Accounting & Taxation. DST-FIST has sanctioned Rs.82.50 Lakhs towards 'College as a Whole' Scheme for the development of PG programmes. DBT has sanctioned Rs. 45.48 lakhs for the development of Life Sciences along with Basic Sciences at the UG level under "Star College Scheme". UGC has sanctioned Rs.1 Crore for building Multipurpose Gymnasium. UGC has sanctioned Rs. 1 .31 Crores under 'College of Excellence'. Apart from this, the College has been sanctioned with research grants through various Funding Agencies, like UGC, ICSSR, DST, DBT, ICMR, TNSCST, etc., for carrying out Major and Minor Research Projects. The College Management has spent Rs. 11.66 Lakhs for promoting research activities through Faculty Development Programmes, management-sponsored research projects and reimbursement of expenses incurred towards presenting papers at conferences and seminars held both at national and international levels, paper publications, and patent registration. The College Management provided Student Support through Fee Concession and Noon Meal Scheme under Student Helpline for a sum of Rs. 1. 58 Crores Lakhs during 2022-2023.