Today's "EBS University of Business and Law" was founded as the European Business School by Prof. Dr. Klaus Evard in Offenbach am Main in 1971. This makes it the oldest private university for business administration in Germany. EBS has been based at Schloss Reichardtshausen in Oestrich-Winkel since 1980. In 2005, it moved to a second location in Schierstein.

In 1977, EBS received state recognition as a university of applied sciences, in 1980 the alumni association eXebs was founded, in 1989 it received state recognition as a scientific university, in 1993 it was granted the right to award doctorates and in 1998 the right to habilitate. In 2010, EBS was elevated to the status of a university in foundation and was given the new name "EBS University of Business and Law" on September 1, 2011. The sole shareholder is a foundation in which companies as well as individuals and organizations are represented. In 2004, all degree courses were converted to Bachelor's and Master's degree courses. The House of Logistics & Mobility (HOLM) was established in 2009. In June 2010, the Faculty of Law building on Gustav-Stresemann-Ring in Wiesbaden was inaugurated and law studies began in fall 2011.

Around 650 students studied at EBS around 1990, in 2013 there were around 1,650. Since 2016, EBS has been part of a foundation company based in Heidelberg.