1997
• Istanbul Kültür University was founded in July 1997 as a public entity FOUNDATION UNIVERSITY.
• In our first year we started education with Mathematics-Computers department at the Faculty of Science and Letters, Business Administration department at the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Civil Engineering and Computer Engineering departments at the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, and Business Administration and Computer Programming departments at our Vocational Schools with a total of 157 FIRST students and 32 instructors on the Şirinevler Campus.

1998
• In our second year, International Relations Department at the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Architecture and Industrial Engineering Department at the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Tourism Administration and Industrial Electronic Program at our Vocational Schools met their first students.
• Our student population increased to 585 and our academic staff to 90.

1999
• Our Faculty of Law met its first students.
• English Language and Literature Department at the Faculty of Science and Letters, Economics department at the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Tourist Guiding, Advertising and Public Relations at our Vocational Schools were founded. Post graduate programs at the Institute of Social Sciences and the Institute of Science met their first students.
• Our Vocational Schools had their first graduates.
• Our student population was 1210 and the academic staff population was 154.

2000
• Atatürk’s Principles and History of Turkish Revolution Research and Application Center was founded and brought into operation. Fine Arts Research and Application Center was founded and brought into operation with a heavy exhibition schedule.
• Our student population was 1814; our academic staff population was 199.

2001
• Istanbul Kültür University was considered worthy of government support after a series of inspections on topics such as full-time academic staff population and their quality, abundance of academic staff training programs, broad scholarship opportunities, and scientific publications.
• The Faculty of Arts and Design was founded.
• Turkish Language and Literature Department at our Faculty of Science and Letters met its students for the first time.
• Public Law Department, Private Law Department, and Finance and Economics Department were founded within the body of the Faculty of Law.
• The Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture and the Faculty of Science and Letters graduated their first students.
• Construction at the Ataköy Campus began.
• The construction of the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences building at the Şirinevler Campus began.
• Our student population was 2109; our academic staff population was 233 and the total number of alumni was 201.

2002
• After a series of inspections, our university was deemed worthy of government support for the third time.
• Communication Designs, Communication Arts, Art Management and Interior Architecture& Environmental Design Departments at our Faculty of Arts and Design accepted their first students.
 • Accounting, Banking and Insurance, Radio-TV Broadcasting, Computer Hardware and Electronic Commerce Programs were founded at our Vocational School.
• The Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences moved to its new premises on the Şirinevler Campus.
• Our student population was 2702, our academic staff population was 302 and the total number of graduates was 473.

2003
• After a series of inspections, our university was found worthy of government support for the fourth time.
• The first Law PhD degree program among foundation universities met its first students at our Institute of Social Sciences. Our Civil Engineering PhD degree Program began accepting students at our Faculty of Sciences.
• The Faculty of Science and Letters moved to Ataköy Campus.
• Our student population was 3602; our academic staff population was 377, and total number of alumni was 812.

2004
• After a series of inspections, our university was honored with government support for the fifth time.
• The Department of Physics at the Faculty of Science and Letters and Electronic Engineering Department at the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture accepted their first students.
• The Research and Application Center of Family Businesses and Entrepreneurship was founded.
• The Faculty of Engineering and Architecture and the Faculty of Arts and Design moved to our Ataköy campus.
• Female Students Dormitory was put into service at our Şirinevler campus.
• Our student population was 4743; our academic staff population was 470, and total number of graduates was 1407.

2005
• After a series of inspections, our university was rewarded with government support for the sixth time.
• Mathematics PhD degree program began within the body of our Institute of Sciences.
• The Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences and the Faculty of Arts and Sciences moved to our Ataköy Campus.
• Male Students Dormitory was put into service at our Şirinevler campus.
• Our student population was 5875; our academic staff population was 520.

2006
• After a series of inspections, our university was regarded as worthy of government support for the seventh time.
• Female Students House was put into service at the Şirinevler Campus.
• Our student population was 6476; our academic staff population was 560.

2007
• After a series of inspections, our university was found worthy of government support for the eighth time.
• Psychology Department and Molecular Biology and Genetics Department began accepting students within the Faculty of Science and Letters.
• Akıngüç Auditorium, with a total audience capacity of 840, was opened at the Ataköy Campus.
 • Our student population was 6900; our academic staff population was 584.

2008
• After a series of inspections, our university was deemed worthy of government support for the ninth time.
• Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Department at the Vocational School of Technical Sciences met its first students. International Transport and Logistics Management, Graphics and Advertising, International Trade and the European Union Departments of Vocational School of Business Administration also met their first students.
• Our student population was 7021; our academic staff population was 622.