Originally established as Königliche Seedampf-Maschinistenschule (Royal School for Naval Steam Machinists) the university was founded in 1886. Until 1975 the FHF mainly educated marine engineers and officers. The expansion of the study program over the past 30 years has added all major engineering and information technology disciplines and a school for business administration.
The various institutes and schools are divided in two major faculties (Fachbereiche) offering undergraduate and graduate study and research programs in the listed range of sciences.