The history of the university began a few decades before its founding when the medical school of the Fukuoka Domain (福岡藩) was established in 1867, the final year of the Edo period.

[7] Kyushu University's incumbent president is Tatsuro Ishibashi, who was elected in 2020 and is expected to serve until September 2026.

[9][10] Kyushu University Hospital, with historical roots in the 1867 Sanseikan established by the Kuroda Clan, evolved significantly over time.

In 1903, it became associated with the newly formed Fukuoka Medical College, a branch of Kyoto Imperial University.

The hospital's history also includes a dark chapter in 1945, involving fatal and torturous medical experiments including live dissection on American POWs by the university's medical faculty, resulting in war crimes convictions.

[36] Kyushu University is a prestigious institution, and its selectivity for undergraduate degrees is regarded as being among the top 15 in the country.