Politeknik Negeri Semarang is one of six polytechnics established with the assistance of the World Bank in accordance with the Decree of the Directorate General of Higher Education Number 03/Dj/Kep/1979. With this decree, polytechnics were established in Medan, Palembang, Jakarta, Bandung, Semarang and Malang. The establishment of these six polytechnics follows the existence of the Swiss Manufacturing Polytechnic and ITB which were founded in 1976.

When it first accepted new students in 1982, the Semarang State Polytechnic at that time was named the Diponegoro University Polytechnic and opened three departments, namely the Department of Civil Engineering, the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and the Department of Electrical Engineering. In its development, the Department of Commerce was opened (1985) and the development of the Department of Electrical Engineering became the Department of Electrical Engineering and the Department of Electronics/Telecommunication Engineering.

Based on the Decree of the Minister of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia Number 313/O/1991 dated June 6, 1991 regarding the Arrangement of Polytechnics within State Universities and Institutes, in 1992 the department and study program at the Polytechnic of Diponegoro University were arranged as follows:

1. Civil Engineering Department, with D-III Building Construction and D-III Civil Construction study programs;
2. Mechanical Engineering Department, with D-III Mechanical Engineering and D-III Energy Conversion Engineering study programs;
3. Department of Electrical Engineering, with D-III Electrical Engineering, D-III Electronic Engineering, and D-III Telecommunication Engineering study programs;
4. Accounting Department, with D-III Accounting and D-III Finance & Banking study programs; as well as
5. Department of Commerce Administration, with a D-III Secretariat and Office Administration study program.

In accordance with the Decree of the Minister of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia (Kepmendikbud) Number 175/O/1997 dated August 6, 1997, the Diponegoro University Polytechnic was declared an independent work unit (satker) under the name Semarang State Polytechnic (Polines). The Polines Statute was stipulated by Kepmendikbud Number 311/O/1998 which was updated by Regulation of the Minister of National Education of the Republic of Indonesia (Permendiknas) Number 7 of 2008 and the latest is currently regulated by Regulation of the Minister of Research, Technology and Higher Education of the Republic of Indonesia (Permenristekdikti) Number 45 of 2016 .

The Organization and Work Procedures (OTK) of Polines is regulated through the Decree of the Minister of National Education of the Republic of Indonesia (Kepmendiknas) Number 134/O/2002 which was updated with the Regulation of the Minister of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia (Permendikbud) Number 71 of 2014. The Minister of Education and Culture Number 71 of 2014 then implemented internally through the Decree of the Director of Polines Number 0816/PL4.7.2/SK/2015 concerning Organizational Arrangements and Work Procedures of the Semarang State Polytechnic.