Established on 1 September 1919 by the Parliament of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the university started with faculties of history and philology, physics and mathematics, and law and medicine, with an initial enrollment of 1094.

However, in 1934 the university was reestablished again and continued to work through the difficult years of World War II experiencing a shortage of faculty members.

The university was established as a part of 4 faculties (history and philology, physics and mathematics, lawing, and medicine).

University continued to grow and develop under the presidency of Heydar Aliyev, with further specialties, departments, and scientific laboratories beginning their operation.

Given its extensive historical background, Baku State University was always a major scientific and educational center in Azerbaijan.

The 100th anniversary of Baku State University was commemorated throughout during the year 2019 in Azerbaijan and also in Vienna, Austria (September 2019) and at the headquarter of UNESCO in Paris (June 2019).

[2] As a result of these initiatives, the university holds joint scientific conferences, workshops, and publishes textbooks.

BSU provides education at three levels: bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs, according to the European Credit Transfer System.

BSU consists of several research institutes and centers, including Applied Mathematics, Physics, Azerbaijani Language and Literature, History, Genetics, and Nanotechnology.

[24]Starting from the academic year 2011-2012, English-language programs were expanded in 16 disciplines: mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, computer science, law, international relations, economics, and journalism.

SABAH groups, established in 2014-2015, provide students with field-specific and competitive training; the curriculum is carried out in modern-equipped classrooms.

Students take part in teaching, research, and industrial internships with partner institutions including Coca-Cola, SOCAR, and pharmaceutical companies.

Altıağac Training and Practice Base, established in 1990, supports field studies in ecology, soil science, and biology.