Wuhan University traces its origins to the Ziqiang Academy, established in 1893 at the request of Zhang Zhidong, the Governor of Huguang during the late Qing Dynasty. Through a series of transformations and developments, it was officially named National Wuhan University in 1928, becoming one of the first national universities in modern China. By 1946, the university had established a balanced academic structure, consisting of six colleges: Arts, Law, Science, Engineering, Agriculture, and Medicine. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Wuhan University received high attention from the Party and government. In 1958, Chairman Mao Zedong visited the university for an inspection. During the centenary celebration in 1993, leaders such as Jiang Zemin sent congratulatory messages.

Since the reform and opening-up, Wuhan University has taken the lead in educational reforms among domestic universities, with all its sectors flourishing and its overall strength significantly improving. In 1999, the prestigious international journal Science ranked Wuhan University as one of the "most outstanding universities in China." In 2000, Wuhan University merged with Wuhan University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Wuhan University of Surveying and Mapping, and Hubei Medical University, marking a new chapter in the university's reform and development. Over the past two decades since the merger, the university's comprehensive strength and core competitiveness have continually increased.