Wakayama University (和歌山大学, Wakayama Daigaku), or Wadai (和大), is a national university located in Wakayama, Japan.

It was founded in 1949 and is organized in four faculties.

Wakayama University was established in May 1949 as a new style of university with a goal and mission of "undertaking research and education in highly specialized academic fields based on a broad range of knowledge, mainly in academia and culture, in accordance with the spirit of the Fundamental Law of Education and the School Education Law, in order to foster individuals who will contribute to society."

The University was created through the integration of three educational institutions, each of which had its own long history and traditions: Wakayama Normal School (Men's Division and Women's Division), Wakayama Normal School for Youth, and Wakayama Technical School of Economics.

In 1995, the "Faculty of Systems Engineering" was established, followed by the "Faculty of Tourism" in 2008 and the "School of Socio-Infomatics" in 2023.