The history of the Tula State University begins in 1930 when the Tula Mechanical Institute (TMI) was established by the decision of the Council of Labor and Defense. The initiative of its opening belongs to the Tula workers, provincial party and Soviet bodies, was supported by A.V. Lunacharsky, K.E. Voroshilov, G.M. Krzhizhanovskiy, government organizations.

Since October 1, 1930, 240 students in four specialties – cold and hot processing of metals, tool production, machine-tool construction – began to study at the institute. Training of specialists for defense enterprises of Tula was conducted at 8 departments by 35 teachers, without their own academic buildings and hostels. In the formation of the educational process, substantial assistance was rendered by the leading Moscow universities, general theoretical chairs were headed by prominent Moscow scientists, professors V.I. Zhivago, I.V. Stankevich, L.B. Sokolov, F.K. Gerke, S.P. Finikov, V.N. Deputies; For some time the seminars on the chairs were led by Prof. M.A. Lavrentiev, later Vice-President of the USSR Academy of Sciences, and Academician P.P. Lazarev. From factories and design bureaus to special departments came talented engineers and designers. December 16, 1934, the first defense of graduate projects graduates of the Institute.

The first faculties – mechanical and special – appeared in 1937. In 1939, the first candidate’s thesis at the Institute was defended by M.A. Mamontov.

In 1941, TMI had 25 departments, where 11 associate professors, six of whom had a Ph.D. In the 10 prewar years of existence, the Institute trained 703 qualified engineers, many of which are proud of the university today. In the first days of the war, most of the employees and students of TMI went to the front or to the militia. In memory of those of them who died on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War, on May 9, 1985, a Memory Stem was erected, funded by students and teachers. In connection with the approach of the front from October 14, the evacuation of the institute to Izhevsk begins, where it joins the previously evacuated there MMMBI N.E. Bauman (then the Moscow Mechanics and Machine Building Institute). In March 1942 the Institute partially returns to Tula and resumes classes on April 10; in full, the university began work in 1943.

In 1962, specialists were trained for Bulgaria, and today there are thousands of university graduates working in universities, research institutes and enterprises, including doctors and candidates of science.

In 1963, the decision of the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Special Education of the RSFSR of July 19, 1963 formed the Tula Polytechnic Institute (TPI) by combining the TMI and the Tula Mining Institute, which was established in 1953 with two specialties and admission to 200 students to meet the need Near Moscow coal basin in skilled mining engineers. The Tula Mining College, which existed since 1943, also becomes an integral part of the TPI. In the university, there are 9 faculties, which train in 24 specialties. To intensify scientific research and ensure a closer connection between the departments and industry, 10 branch research laboratories are being created. The scientific potential of the university is being increased, including the increase in the number of doctors of sciences, which allowed the creation in 1969 of the first academic council for the protection of doctoral dissertations; new specialties are being opened, new educational buildings and dormitories for students are being built.

In 1980, TPI was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor in connection with the 50th anniversary of the foundation and for the success in educational and scientific work. During this period the institute had about 15 thousand students trained in 32 specialties (mainly technical), 33 doctors of science and 520 candidates of science. There are well-known scientific schools, academic and cultural traditions, a fairly powerful material base was created. The level of work of the TPI is highly appreciated within the state: the university is entrusted with carrying out all-union scientific and technical conferences; in 1982, 1984 and 1986 TPI is awarded banners in the republican socialist competitions. The best teachers are awarded honorary titles, State Prizes, Lenin Prizes.