Nişantaşı University joined the higher education system by the Nişantaşı Education Foundation as "Nişantaşı Vocational School" with the publication of the establishment decision dated 09.09.2009 and numbered 24480 in the Official Gazette dated 17.09.2009 and numbered 27352. It is a foundation higher education institution that started associate degree education on 10.10.2010.

Nişantaşı University is a public legal entity through the Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Faculty of Art and Design, Institute of Science and Social Sciences and Institute of Social Sciences and Nişantaşı Vocational School has also been transferred to Nişantaşı University.

When our university started to provide associate degree education as Nişantaşı Vocational School (MYO) in 2010-2011 academic year, there were 14 in the Vocational School, 19 in the 2011-2012 academic year, 28 in the 2012-2013 academic year, 58 in the 2013-2014 academic year, 78 in the 2014-2015 academic year, 82 in the 2015-2016 academic year, 97 in the 2016-2017 academic year, and 97 education program in the 2017-2018 academic year. In the 2018-2019 academic year, 84 programs continue to be provided.

Our university has started to provide undergraduate education besides associate degree since 2013-2014 academic year and in the relevant period. A total of 23 undergraduate program has been provided including 13 departments in the Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences, 5 in the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture and 5 in the Faculty of Art and Design. The medium of instruction of all departments was Turkish in the relevant academic year.

In the 2014-2015 academic year, undergraduate education was provided with a total of 30 departments, 19 in the Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences, 5 in the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, and 6 in the Faculty of Art and Design. In the relevant academic year, education started in our Psychology department whose medium of instruction is English, along with the Psychology Department whose medium of instruction is Turkish.

In the 2015-2016 academic year, undergraduate education was provided with a total of 30 departments, 19 in the Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences, 5 in the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, 6 in the Faculty of Art and Design. In the relevant academic year, the same departments whose medium of instruction was Turkish were preserved, and the total number of departments with English as the medium of instruction increased to 4 (Psychology, New Media, International Relations, Architecture).

In the 2016-2017 academic year, undergraduate education was provided with a total of 44 departments, 25 in the Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences, 10 in the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, and 9 in the Faculty of Art and Design. In the relevant academic year, the same departments whose medium of instruction was Turkish were preserved, and the total number of departments with English as medium of instruction (Psychology, New Media, International Relations, Architecture, Aviation Management, Social Service, Interior Architecture, Civil Engineering) increased to 8.

In the 2017-2018 academic year, undergraduate education was provided with a total of 44 departments, 25 in the Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences, 10 in the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, and 9 in the Faculty of Art and Design. In the relevant academic year, the total number of departments which had English as the medium of instruction were 8.

In the 2018-2019 academic year, undergraduate education was provided with a total of 44 departments, 25 in the Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences, 10 in the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, and 9 in the Faculty of Art and Design. In the relevant academic year, the total number of departments which had English as the medium of instruction were 8.

Since the 2016-2017 academic year, besides our faculties, the School of Civil Aviation has 3 departments, the School of Physical Education and Sports 3, and the School of Applied Sciences has 3 departments in our university. In the academic years of 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 and 2018-2019, the relevant programs continued to provide undergraduate education with their current departments.

In the 2020-2021 academic year, 2 new associate degree programs were opened within the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, 3 within the Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences, 2 within the School of Health Sciences, 1 under the School of Physical Education and Sports and 3 new associate degree programs within the Vocational School.

In our university, apart from the departments whose medium of instruction is English, as detailed above, the curriculum of the departments whose medium of instruction is Turkish are also carried out mainly with English language lessons (speaking, writing and professional English). The main purpose of this regulation is to prevent our students from making extra efforts to increase their international competition and to learn languages.

After receiving the approval of graduate education at our university in 2013, graduate education has been started for Psychology, Business Management (without thesis), Textile and Fashion Design (without Thesis), in 2014 for International Financial Reporting and Audit (without Thesis), Business Management (with Thesis), Health Management (with Thesis) in 2015, For Health Management (without Thesis), and in 2016, for Political Science and International Relations (with Thesis), Political Science and International Relations (without Thesis), Human Resources Management (without Thesis), Human Resources Management (with Thesis). Approval for doctorate education at our university was obtained in 2015 for the Business Management program. Our associate degree students, who meet the graduation requirements, gain an associate degree, our undergraduate students gain a bachelor's degree, our graduate students have a master's degree, and our doctoral students have a doctorate degree. In the 2018-2019 academic year, all associate, undergraduate and graduate programs at our university are conducted in the form of formal education.

On the other hand, in order for our students to gain competitive advantage in business life and to train them better equipped in different fields; Double Major and Minor Programs are applied in accordance with the "Regulation on the Principles of Transition between Associate and Undergraduate Degree Programs in Higher Education Institutions, Double Major, Minor and Credit Transfer Between Institutions" published in the Official Gazette dated 24/4/2010 and numbered 27561.

With the Double Major Program application students studying in undergraduate programs can obtain a diploma in a second branch by taking the courses of another undergraduate program simultaneously.  In addition, students enrolled in an undergraduate program can obtain a certificate with a Minor Program by taking some courses from another undergraduate program curriculum simultaneously.