The History of IFFluminense began in the last century, with former President Nilo Peçanha, who created (with Decree No. 7.566/1909) the Escolas de Aprendizes Artífices, with the purpose of educating and providing job opportunities for young people from less favored classes. In 1945, the school was renamed the Escola Técnica Federal de Campo (with Decree nº 4.073/1942), allowing the continuation of studies on vocational training at high-school level. According to Law no. 9,394/1996, in relation to the teaching reform resulting from the Lei de Diretrizes e Bases, in 1998, the School implemented its first HE program in Technology in Data Processing. In 1999, the Technical School was renamed the Centro Federal de Educação Tecnológica de Campos. In the process of expanding Professional and Technological Education, the Federal Government instituted the Rede Federal de Educação Profissional, Científica e Tecnológica and created the Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia Fluminense (Law No. 11,892 / 2008).

Currently IFFluminense is present in 11 municipalities in the state, with 12 campuses, an Innovation Pole, a Reference Center for Technology, Information and Communication in Education and the Rectory, bringing together 18,051 students, 945 lecturers, and 713 technical-administrative staff (data from 2019). Its distribution in the state occurs in the metropolitan region (in Itaboraí and Maricá), in the Baixadas Litorânea, in Cabo Frio and in the Norte Fluminense (Campos dos Goytacazes, São João da Barra, Quissamã and Macaé) and in the Northwest Fluminense (Bom Jesus do Itabapoana, Itaperuna, Cambuci and Santo Antônio de Pádua). The IFF has 79 technical programs, both on-campus and distance learning, 32 HE programs, including technologists, bachelors’ and licensure programs, 15 specialization degree programs, 7 professional master’s degree program and 1 Professional Doctorate.