The foundation for student influence at Uppsala University was cemented with the establishment of the Uppsala Student Union in 1849. As the Faculty of Pharmacy moved to Uppsala from Stockholm in the 70s, the Pharmaceutical Student Union followed and the Uppsala Student Union was no longer the only union at Uppsala University. Gotland's student union Rindi was granted union status at Uppsala University in 2013 when the University of Gotland became a part of Uppsala University. Uppsala Union of Engineering and Science Students was established in 2014 as a formal student union by the Uppsala Student Union renouncing union status for the Faculty of Science and Technology at Uppsala University. In 2016, the Legal Association and the Uppsala Economists were established as independent student unions at Uppsala University.

With the increasing number of student unions at Uppsala University, the need for a clear central student voice has increased. In order to unite the student voice towards Uppsala University, the organization UUFS was started in January 2020, of which the six student unions are members.