The predecessor to Keio, a school for "Dutch studies" (rangaku), was founded in 1858. Keio itself was formally established in 1868 (the fourth year of the reign of Keio, thus the school's name). It is Japan's oldest university.
慶應大學的前身「蘭學塾」創辦於一八五八年，慶應大學正式成立於一八六八年（日本年號為慶應四年，慶應因此得名），至今有一百卅年歷史，比日本的第一所公辦大學﹘﹘東京大學成立的時間還早，是日本創辦最久、最古老的一所大學。