Gymnastics is a sport at the World University Games (formerly branded as the Universiade, before 2020). It was first contested in 1961 as an optional sport, and turned compulsory in 1963. Since then, it has been out of the program twice, in 1975 and 1989. In 1973, for the first time, a competition in apparatus was added to the program; it would become mandatory in 1979. In 1991, rhythmic gymnastics was one of the two optional sports chosen by the organizers. It was present with the same status in 1995 and 1997, becoming a compulsory sport in 2001. At the 2011 edition, aerobic gymnastics was also part of the program.