Sichuan University has a long history. It is an institution that comprises three former national universities: the former Sichuan University, the former Chengdu University of Science and Technology, and the former West China University of Medical Sciences.

The former Sichuan University is the earliest modern institute of higher education in Southwest China, with many predecessors. The earliest predecessor of Sichuan University is Jinjiang Shuyuan ( Jinjiang Academy ) established in 1740 at Chengdu Fuxue ( Chengdu Academy ) which was originated in BCE 141. Officially it is recognized that the former Sichuan University was established in 1896, the year when the Sichuan Zhongxi School ( literally Sichuan Chinese and Western School ) which taught both Chinese learnings and western modern learnings was founded by Chuanlin Lu, Governor of Sichuan on the orders of Emperor Guangxu. In 1902, Jinjiang Shuyuan, and Zunjing Shuyuan which was established in 1875, the two Chinese classical learning schools, were merged with Sichuan Zhongxi School which was a new modern type school with studies from western modern learnings, and formed Sichuan University ( Sichuan Daxuetang ) which soon renamed Sichuan Higher School. In 1916, with the merger of Sichuan Higher School and Sichuan Higher Normal School which was established in 1905, National Chengdu Higher Normal School was founded, and it was later divided to form National Chengdu University in 1926 and National Chengdu Normal University in 1927. In 1931, by the merger of National Chengdu University, Chengdu Normal University, and the Public Sichuan University which was formed in 1927 by merger of five Sichuan provincial specialized schools, National Sichuan University was established. By 1949, National Sichuan University had developed into one of the biggest national multidisciplinary universities with 6 schools, respectively in: literature, science, engineering, agriculture, law, and teacher training. At this year, it was renamed "Sichuan University".

The former Chengdu University of Science and Technology was established as the Engineering Institute of Chengdu in 1954 as the result of the nationwide "Adjustment of Universities and Colleges", which was a part of formal National Sichuan University. It specialized in chemical engineering, hydroelectricity, mechanics, textiles, and light industry.

The former West China University of Medical Sciences, original West China Union University, was established by five Christian missionary groups, with offered courses in stomatology, biomedicine, basic medicine and clinical medicine. It was not only one of the first universities in the western tradition, but also one of the pioneering universities to offer postgraduate programs in China. It was originally built as a private medical school, once known as Huaxi Xiehe College ( West China Union College ) and then West China University of Medical Science.

In 1994, the former Sichuan University and the former Chengdu University of Science and Technology merged into Sichuan United University, and it was renamed Sichuan University in 1998. The second merger took place in 2000 when Sichuan University and the former West China University of Medical Sciences joined together. Today, Sichuan University is the most comprehensive and largest university in Western China, and also a top university in China supported by the “Double First-class” Initiative.