Set in a world inhabited by monsters, the story follows a young and ambitious Mike Wazowski who dreams of becoming a professional Scarer—a revered position in the monster world. To achieve his goal, Mike enrolls in the prestigious scare program at Monsters University, the leading institution for scare education. Initially an enthusiastic and overachieving student, Mike is eager to excel academically to prove that he has what it takes to be a top Scarer, despite not being naturally intimidating.

Mike's path takes an unexpected turn when he crosses paths with James P. "Sulley" Sullivan, a fellow scare student from a well-known Scarer family. Unlike Mike, Sulley relies on his natural talent and family reputation rather than hard work and study. The two are fierce competitors, but when their rivalry gets out of hand, it leads to consequences that jeopardize their future careers. In order to rectify the situation and stay in the scare program, Mike and Sulley are forced to work together, along with a ragtag group of misfit monsters, and compete in the Scare Games—an ultimate showdown that will test their abilities and determine their fates at the university. Their journey of collaboration and self-discovery challenges their preconceived notions of what it means to be a true Scarer.