Universitas Mohammad Natsir didirikan oleh Yayasan Rumah Sakit Islam Sumatera Barat (YARSI SUMBAR) yang notabene merupakan kristalisasi gagasan Bapak Mohammad Natsir. Pendirian YARSI SUMBAR mengacu kepada Khittah Dakwah dan Perjuangan Mohammad Natsir. Sebagai bagian dari upaya pelayanan dan dakwahnya kepada umat, YARSI SUMBAR memiliki dua fokus unit kegiatan usaha yakni unit bidang kesehatan dan unit bidang pendidikan. Sebagaimana diketahui, sejak 1969 hingga 2012 keberadaan YARSI SUMBAR telah memiliki 5 Rumah Sakit, 1 Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Kesehatan, 1 Swalayan dan 1 Radio. Dalam rangka meningkatkan kapasitas dakwah di bidang pendidikan, YARSI SUMBAR mulai merintis pendirian Perguruan Tinggi setingkat Universitas. Pada tanggal 28 Agustus 2012 Pengurus YARSI SUMBAR mengajukan permohonan kepada Direktorat Kelembagaan dan Kerjasama DIKTI untuk mendirikan Universitas baru tersebut. Berkat Rahmat Allah Yang Maha Kuasa dan dengan penuh kesadaran serta tanggung jawab segenap pihak yang terlibat dalam pengajuan usulan Universitas baru tersebut, akhirnya niat mulia YARSI SUMBAR itupun menemukan muaranya. Berdasarkan Keputusan Menteri Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan Republik Indonesia No. 501/E/I/2014 tentang Izin Pendirian Universitas Mohammad Natsir di Kota Bukittinggi, pada 16 Oktober 2014 Universitas Mohammad Natsir Bukittinggi pun resmi berdiri dengan menyelenggarakan 10 Program Studi yaitu 1) Prodi Sarjana Farmasi.; 2) Prodi Sarjana Ilmu Gizi; 3) Prodi Sarjana Kimia 4) Prodi Sarjana Fisika 5) Prodi Sarjana Biologi; 6) Prodi Sarjana Administrasi Rumah Sakit; 7) Prodi Sarjana Ilmu Hukum; 8) Prodi Sarjana Administrasi Negara; 9) Prodi Sarjana Sastra Arab; 10) Prodi Sarjana Akuntansi. Universitas Mohammad Natsir Bukittinggi memulai operasionalisasi perkuliahan angkatan pertama sejak TA 2015/2016. Mohammad Natsir University was founded by the West Sumatra Islamic Hospital Foundation (YARSI SUMBAR) which in fact is the crystallization of Mr. Mohammad Natsir's ideas. The establishment of YARSI SUMBAR refers to the Khittah Da'wah and the struggle of Mohammad Natsir. As part of its service and preaching efforts to the people, YARSI SUMBAR has two focused business activity units, namely the health sector unit and the education sector unit. As is known, from 1969 to 2012 YARSI SUMBAR had 5 hospitals, 1 College of Health Sciences, 1 Supermarket and 1 Radio. In order to increase the capacity of da'wah in the field of education, YARSI SUMBAR began pioneering the establishment of universities at the university level. On August 28 2012, the YARSI SUMBAR management submitted an application to the Directorate of Institutions and Cooperation at DIKTI to establish the new university. Thanks to the grace of Allah Almighty and with full awareness and responsibility of all parties involved in submitting the proposal for the new university, YARSI SUMBAR's noble intentions finally found their way out. Based on the Decree of the Minister of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia No. 501/E/I/2014 concerning Permits to Establish Mohammad Natsir University in Bukittinggi City, on October 16 2014 Mohammad Natsir Bukittinggi University was officially established by organizing 10 Study Programs, namely 1) Bachelor of Pharmacy Study Program; 2) Bachelor of Nutrition Science Study Program; 3) Undergraduate Chemistry Study Program 4) Undergraduate Physics Study Program 5) Undergraduate Biology Study Program; 6) Bachelor of Hospital Administration Study Program; 7) Bachelor of Law Study Program; 8) Bachelor of Public Administration Study Program; 9) Arabic Literature Bachelor Study Program; 10) Bachelor of Accounting Study Program. Mohammad Natsir Bukittinggi University has started operationalizing its first class of lectures since FY 2015/2016.