| 1885 | July | Approval granted for establishment of Igirisu Horitsu Gakko (English Law School) Inaugural Principal Rokuichiro Masujima |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. | Igirisu Horitsu Gakko opens with 97 students (2-chome, Kanda-Nishiki-cho, Tokyo) | |
| Oct. | Textbook published | |
| 1888 | Oct. | Igirisu Horitsu Gakko Koyukai (Alumni Association) formed (subsequently became Chuo University Alumni Association) |
| 1889 | Jan. | New school building completed |
| Oct. | Renamed Tokyo Hogakuin (Tokyo College of Law) | |
| 1892 | Apr. | School building destroyed in Great Kanda Fire |
| 1903 | Aug. | Renamed Tokyo Hogakuin Daigaku (Tokyo University of Law) Presidential system introduced and Takeo Kikuchi appointed inaugural president |
| 1905 | Aug. | Renamed Chuo Daigaku (Chuo University) |
| Aug. | Faculty of Economics established, and regular and specialized programs divided into Faculties of Law and Economics | |
| 1909 | Sept. | Faculty of Commerce founded |
| 1911 | Sept. | Faculties of Law and Economics introduce system of evening classes (in addition to existing daytime program) |
| Sept. | Chuo University Student Club Association launched | |
| 1912 | Nov. | Birkmeyer Collection included in Okuda Collection |
| 1915 | Apr. | Interested legal graduates set up law course scholarship fund and establish system of student loans |
| 1917 | June | School building and library burnt down in a fire, and Okuda Collection (including Birkmeyer Collection) lost |
| 1920 | Apr. | Foundation of Chuo University accredited by University order. Faculties of Law, Economics, and Commerce, a graduate school, and college preparatory courses established, and preparatory courses divided into No. 1 Division (Law and Economics) and No. 2 Division (Commerce) |
| 1923 | Sept. | All buildings, with exception of library and new school building, lost in Great Kanto Earthquake |
| 1926 | Aug. | Surugadai Campus completed and University relocates from Nishiki-cho |
| 1928 | Apr. | Chuo Daigaku Shogyo Gakko (Chuo University Commerce School) opens |
| 1929 | Mar. | Second preparatory course (comprising evening classes for two years) opens |
| 1930 | Nov. | Inauguration ceremony for new library |
| 1931 | Apr. | Night school opens |
| 1935 | Aug. | Auditorium completed as 50th anniversary commemorative project |

| 1940 | Oct. | For the first time, Chuo University has greatest number of successful candidates in the Higher Civil Service Examination in Law |
|---|---|---|
| 1943 | Oct. | Send-off held in Great Hall for students departing for the frontlines |
| 1944 | Apr. | Chuo Kogyo Senmon Gakko (Chuo Technical College) (offering mechanics and aviation courses) opens |
| 1945 | Sep. | Classes re-commence |
| 1946 | May. | Admission ceremony for faculties, specialized departments, preparatory course, and technical college (first women students accepted) |
| 1948 | Apr. | Chuo University Commerce School becomes Chuo University High School at Bunkyo |
| Apr. | Correspondence Division opens | |
| Nov. | Publishing Office opens | |
| Dec. | Institute of Accounting Research opens | |
| 1949 | Apr. | Under new educational system, No. 1 Division (daytime program) opens in Faculties of Law, Economics, Commerce and Engineering (Civil Engineering, Precision Mechanics, Electrical Engineering, and Industrial Chemistry), and No. 2 Division (evening program) opens in Faculties of Law, Economics, and Commerce |
| Apr. | Chuo Technical College closed June Institute of Comparative Law in Japan opens | |
| Sep. | University has greatest number of successful candidates in first-ever CPA exam | |
| Sep. | Launch of Chuo University Co-op | |
| 1950 | Apr. | No. 2 Division (evening program) opens in Engineering Faculty Aug. New school song, Kusa no Midori (The Green of the Grass), announced |
| 1951 | Mar. | Festivities to mark closure of specialized departments |
| Apr. | Faculty of Literature opens with Department of Literature (Divisions No. 1 and No. 2, daytime and evening programs) and Department of History (Divisions No. 1, daytime program) | |
| Apr. | Under new graduate school system, Master's programs offered at the Graduate School of Law, in Private and Criminal Law, Political Studies, and Anglo-American Law; at the Graduate School of Economics, in Economic Science; and at the Graduate School of Commerce, in Commerce | |
| Dec. | University has greatest number of successful candidates in National Bar Exam | |
| 1952 | Apr. | Department of Philosophy (No. 1 Division, daytime program) opens in Faculty of Literature |
| 1953 | Mar. | Festivities to mark closure of old system of faculties |
| Apr. | Doctoral program offered at the Graduate School of Law, in Private and Criminal Law and Political Science; at the Graduate School of Economics, in Economic Policy. Master's program offered at the Graduate School of Engineering, in Civil Engineering | |
| 1954 | Apr. | Departments of Law and Political Science open in Faculty of Law (Divisions No. 1 and No. 2, daytime and evening programs) Apr. Doctoral program opens in Graduate School of Commerce |
| 1955 | Apr. | Doctoral program offered at the Graduate School of Engineering, in Civil Engineering. Master's program offered at the Graduate School of Engineering, in Precision Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Industrial Chemistry; and at the Graduate School of Literature, in National History, Asian History, and French Literature |
| Nov. | Festivities to mark 70th anniversary of founding | |
| 1956 | Apr. | Master's program offered at the Graduate School of Literature, in Philosophy, Japanese Literature, English Literature, and German Literature |
| Aug. | University Hall completed | |
| 1957 | Apr. | Evening ordinary course offered at Chuo University High School at Bunkyo |
| 1958 | Aug. | Chuo University main building (one basement floor and seven aboveground floors) completed |
| 1960 | May. | University purchases approx. 3,030 square meters of land in Yugi-mura (present-day Higashi-Nakano, Hachioji-shi) as site of first stage of the Tama Campus (following year, purchases 5,455 square meters as second stage) |
| 1961 | Nov. | Statue of Young Men completed |
| 1962 | Apr. | Faculty of Engineering renamed Faculty of Science and Engineering, and Departments of Mathematics, Physics, and Industrial and Systems Engineering added to No. 1 Division (daytime program), and Departments of Physics and Industrial and Systems Engineering added to No. 2 Division (evening program) |
| Apr. | Doctoral program offered at the Graduate School of Literature, in French Literature, German Literature, National History, and Philosophy. Master's program offered in Western History and Sociology | |
| Apr. | Kasuga Mountain House and Nojiri Lakeside House opened as student university camps | |
| 1963 | Apr. | Departments of Economics, Industrial Economics, and International Economics offered in Divisions No. 1 and No. 2 (daytime and evening programs) of Faculty of Economics, and Departments of Business Administration, Accounting, and Marketing and Trade offered in Divisions No. 1 and No. 2 (daytime and evening programs) of Faculty of Commerce |
| Apr. | Doctoral program offered at the Graduate School of Literature, in Japanese Literature and Asian History. Master's program offered in National History and Asian History | |
| Apr. | Chuo University Suginami High School (boys and girls) and Chuo University High School at Koganei (boys) opened | |
| May | Faculty of Science and Engineering building completed | |
| 1964 | Apr. | Doctoral program offered at the Graduate School of Engineering, in Precision Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Industrial Chemistry; and at the Graduate School of Literature, in English and American Literature |
| June | Institute of Economic Research opened | |
| 1965 | Apr. | Doctoral program offered at the Graduate School of Literature in Sociology Oct. Festivities to mark 80th anniversary of founding |
| 1966 | June | Student Center completed |
| 1967 | Apr. | Graduate School of Engineering renamed Graduate School of Science and Engineering and Master's program in Physics offered |
| 1971 | Aug. | Tomiura Seaside House opened |
| 1972 | July | Computer Center established |
| 1975 | Aug. | Inaugural parents' meeting in Tottori-shi |
| 1977 | Nov. | Tama Campus completed |
| Nov. | Festivities to mark 90th anniversary of founding | |
| 1978 | Jan. | Relocation to Tama Campus commences |
| Apr. | Four humanities departments commence classes at Tama Campus | |
| Apr. | Festivities to mark opening of Tama Campus | |
| Oct. | Central Library completed | |
| 1979 | Mar. | 96th graduation ceremony (including final graduates from Surugadai Campus) |
| Apr. | Institutes of Social Sciences, Business Research, Cultural Science, and Health and Physical Science opened Dec. EU Documentation Centre established | |
| 1980 | Mar. | Correspondence Division relocates to Tama Campus Mar. Ceremony to mark closure of Surugadai Campus |
| Apr. | Master's and Doctoral programs offered in Public Law at the Graduate School of Law | |
| 1981 | Nov. | International Center established |
| 1985 | Nov. | Ceremony to mark centennial year of founding |
| 1986 | Dec. | Crescent Academy established |
| 1988 | Nov. | Ceremony to mark completion of Surugadai Memorial Hall |
| 1989 | Apr. | Department of Electrical Engineering in Faculty of Science and Engineering renamed Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, and Department of Industrial Chemistry renamed Department of Applied Chemistry |
| 1990 | Mar. | Old Boys' Graduation Ceremony held |
| Apr. | Departments of Sociology and Education offered in Faculty of Literature No. 1 Division (daytime program) | |
| Nov. | Inaugural Homecoming Day | |
| 1991 | Mar. | Master's program offered in Mathematics and Industrial and Systems Engineering, and Doctoral program offered in Physics at the Graduate School of Science and Engineering |
| 1992 | Apr. | Department of Information and System Engineering opens in Faculty of Science and Engineering (Division No. 1, daytime program) |
| Apr. | Master's program offered in Education at the Graduate School of Literature | |
| July | Institute of Science and Engineering opened | |
| 1993 | Apr. | Department of International Law and Business opened in Faculty of Law (Division No. 1, daytime program), and Department of Public Economics opened in Faculty of Economics |
| Apr. | Faculty of Policy Studies opened | |
| 1994 | Apr. | Department of Banking and Corporate Finance opened in Faculty of Commerce (Division No. 1, daytime program) |
| Apr. | Doctoral program offered in Mathematics at the Graduate School of Science and Engineering; and in Western History and Education at the Graduate School of Literature | |
| 1995 | Apr. | Master's program offered in Socioinformatics at the Faculty of Literature |
| Apr. | International Documents Room opened in Chuo University Library in Central Library building | |
| 1996 | Apr. | Doctoral program in Electrical Engineering at the Graduate School of Science and Engineering changed to program in Electrical and Electronic Engineering; major in Industrial Chemistry renamed major in Applied Chemistry; and Master's program offered in Information and Systems Engineering |
| Apr. | Institute of Policy and Cultural Studies opened | |
| 1997 | Apr. | Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering in Faculty of Science and Engineering changed its Japanese name from Kanri Kogaku to Keiei System Kogaku; major in National History offered in Department of Literature in Faculty of Literature renamed major in Japanese History |
| Apr. | Master's program in Industrial and Systems Engineering offered at the Graduate School of Science and Engineering changed its Japanese name from Kanri Kogaku to Keiei System Kogaku; Doctoral program in National History offered at the Graduate School of Literature renamed program in Japanese History | |
| Apr. | Doctoral program offered in Socioinformatics at the Graduate School of Literature; Master's program offered in International Business Transaction Law at the Graduate School of Law; and Master's program offered in Policy Studies at the Graduate School of Policy Studies | |
| 1998 | Apr. | Doctoral program offered in Industrial and Systems Engineering and in Information and System Engineering at the Graduate School of Science and Engineering |
| 1999 | Apr. | Doctoral program offered in International Business Transaction Law at the Graduate School of Law; and in Policy Studies at the Graduate School of Policy Studies |
| May | JETRO Institute of Developing Economies facility purchased (Ichigaya, Shinjuku-ku) | |
| 2000 | Apr. | Postgraduate classes commence at Ichigaya Campus Master's program in Psychology offered at the Graduate School of Literature |
| 2001 | Apr. | Master's programs in International Economics and Public Economics offered at the Graduate School of Economics |
| 2002 | Apr. | Major in Chinese Language and Culture offered in Department of Literature, Faculty of Literature. Graduate School of International Accounting opens |
| 2002 | July | Student Research Building ("Honoo-no-Tou") completed |
| 2003 | Feb. | Green Terrace and Hakumon Promenade completed Mar. New Building No. 3 on the Korakuen Campus completed |
| Apr. | Campus Life Facilities Building (C Square) completed | |
| 2004 | Apr. | Chuo Law School opened at Ichigaya Campus |
| 2005 | Apr. | Master’s program offered in Public Policy at Graduate School of Public Policy |
| 2006 | Apr. | Five Departments of Faculty of Letters reorganized into single department, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences |