It is said that the first case of Gakumonryo granted by Daigaku-besso was the one granted by Kobun-in, which was established by WAKE no Hiroyo ("Nihon Koki" (Later Chronicle of Japan)).
大学別曹における学問料の初例は和気広世が設置した弘文院によるものとされる（『日本後紀』）。