The Jesuit College in Polotsk was founded in the XVI century during the reign of Stefan Batory. Polotsk – traditionally Orthodox city was captured during the Lithuanian war in 1579. In order to approve it in Catholicism, which is the basic belief of the Great Lithuanian Principality, the king turned to the Jesuit clergy with a request to establish in Polotsk monastery and College.

In 1580 the College was consecrated. Since then, the Polotsk turns into a major European religious and educational center. In addition to religious subjects, teaching secular subjects such as rhetoric, languages, music, ancient literature.

Despite the fact that Polotsk was a bone of contention between Russia and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, despite repeated destruction and fires, the College grew and developed, after it was rebuilt each time better and more beautiful. In the XVII century at the College were already operating a library, art gallery, pharmacy, charity hospital, acted in the theater and the print house.

In 1777 Catherine II, known for his sympathies to the Jesuit order, a special decree was allowed to open in Polotsk Catholic novitiate. After the prohibition of the activities of the Jesuit order in Europe, Polotsk becomes a kind of Jesuit capital. Here come the prominent scientists and religious leaders.

In 1812 by decree of Emperor Alexander I of Polotsk Jesuit Collegium was transformed into the Academy. In 1820 because of the concern of the authorities of the missionary activities of the Jesuits in the territory of the Russian Empire, the Academy was closed, and the Jesuits expelled from Russia.

In the XIX century in the walls of the former Jesuit College was first occupied Polotsk high school, then the Polotsk cadet corps. In Soviet times there were a military hospital. Since 2005 in a former Jesuit College located two of the faculty of Polotsk state University: history and Philology and information technology.