Classes were first offered in Loudoun, Manassas, and Woodbridge in the fall of 1972. Classes moved from Bailey’s Crossroads to the Alexandria Campus in 1973. The Extended Learning Institute (ELI) began offering home study courses in January 1975 and has developed into a leader in distance education, serving more than 150,000 students who have taken 350,000 classes through distance learning since its inception. In the fall of 2003, the Medical Education Campus opened in Springfield, Virginia to meet both student and employer demand for health professions education.  In 2006, the College opened two new educational centers, one in Arlington and the other in Reston.

The College’s enrollment and programs grew rapidly. By 1970, enrollment exceeded 10,000 students. By 1973, NOVA became the largest institution of higher education in Virginia with 17,260 students. During the academic year 2007-2008, the College served 64,563 students in credit courses and another 17,874  in non-credit courses. Workforce and professional classes as well as professional and cultural activities attracted approximately 275,000 people over the year.

Classes were first offered in Loudoun, Manassas, and Woodbridge in the fall of 1972.  Classes moved from Bailey’s Crossroads to the Alexandria Campus in 1973.  The Extended Learning Institute (ELI) began offering courses in January 1975 and has developed into a leader in distance education.  In the fall of 2003, the Medical Education Campus opened in Springfield, Virginia to meet both student and employer demand for health professions education.  In 2006, the College opened two new educational centers, one in Arlington and the other in Reston.

The College’s enrollment and programs grew rapidly.  By 1970, enrollment exceeded 10,000 students.  By 1973, NOVA became the largest institution of higher education in Virginia with 17,260 students.  During the academic year 2009-2010, the College served more than 70,000 students in credit courses and another 17,875 in non-credit courses.  More than 275,000 people came to NOVA campuses throughout the year for various cultural enrichment activities.