Okayama University was originally founded as the Medical Training Place (医学館, Igakkan) in 1870 by Okayama-Han.

After the abolition of the han system, it became the Okayama Prefectural Medical School (岡山県医学校) in 1880.

The faculties of Okayama University, except the Medical School, were gradually relocated to Tsushima Campus.

The university at first had five faculties: Law and Letters, Education, Science, Agriculture and Medicine.

[10] In 2023, Okayama University ranked 21st in Japan and 351-400th in Asia according to Times Higher Education.