SAUT-Mbeya Centre was established on 25th September, 2002 by the Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU) as per the Provisional Education Act No. 10 of 1995. It is run according to the University Act 2005, CAP 346 that was amended in 2013, Ex Corde Ecclesiae, and SAUT University Charter (2010).

On July 09, 2020 TCU approved upgrading SAUT-Mbeya Centre into a new college with a new name of The Catholic University College of Mbeya (CUCoM), being a Constituent College of St. Augustine University of Tanzania and the ceremony of officially launching SAUT-Mbeya Centre into a new College took place on Tuesday, August 04, 2020 at the same SAUT-Mbeya main Campus. The Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU) at its 116th meeting held on 26th October, 2023 granted approval for Catholic University College of Mbeya (CUCoM) to transform into a fully-fledged University to be known as Catholic University of Mbeya (CUoM) with effect from 1st January, 2024. CUoM invites all aspirants of higher education regardless of their religious affiliations, race, ethnicity, gender, disability, or caste.