| 1889 | Nihon Law School (present: College of Law) founded.
The Founder was the then Minister of Justice, Count Akiyoshi YAMADA.
Count Kentaro KANEKO, LL.D. (Hon.), the later Minister of Justice, inaugurated as First Director. |
| 1893 | The first Graduation Ceremony held. Baron Yasukowa MATSUOKA, the later Minister of Agriculture and Commerce, inaugurated as Second Director (later, First President).
Alumni Association organized. |
| 1898 | Higher Courses established and the graduates awarded the Degree of Bachelor of Japanese Law. |
| 1901 | Higher Teachers' department (present: College of Humanities and Sciences) established. |
| 1903 | Renamed to Nihon University |
| 1904 | Become a university under the Specialized School Order.
Commerce department (present: College of Economics and College of Commerce) established. |
| 1906 | The first student sent to Europe. The first Foundation Anniversary Ceremony held. |
| 1920 | Become a university based on the University Order. The first female students granted admission.
The School Song composed.
School of Higher Engineering (present: College of Science and Technology) established. |
| 1921 | Aesthetic department (present: College of Art) established. Toyo Dental School (founded 1916, present: School of Dentistry) absorbed into Nihon University. The College Color decided. The first issue of Nihon University Newspaper published. |
| 1922 | Yasukowa MATSUOKA inaugurated as First President of Nihon University. |
| 1923 | Baron Kiichiro HIRANUMA, LL.D., the later Prime Minister, inaugurated as Second President. |
| 1925 | Medical Department of Technical College (present: School of Medicine) established. |
| 1929 | New School Song (present school song) composed. |
| 1933 | Mannosuke YAMAOKA, LL.D. inaugurated as Third President. |
| 1936 | The University Flag designed. |
| 1943 | College of Agriculture (present: College of Bioresource Sciences) established. |
| 1946 | Fumiaki KURE, D.Econ. inaugurated as Fourth President. |
| 1947 | Engineering Department of Technical College (present: College of Engineering) moved to Koriyama-shi, Fukushima prefecture. |
| 1948 | Correspondence Division established. |
| 1949 | Become a university under the new educational system. "The Founding Spirit of the University" instituted. |
| 1950 | Junior College established. |
| 1951 | Graduate Schools based on the new school system established. |
| 1952 | Industrial Administration department (present: College of Industrial Technology) established.
Department of Pharmacy (present: College of Pharmacy) established. |
| 1958 | Kikushiro NAGATA, LL.D. inaugurated as Fifth President. |
| 1959 | "The Founding Spirit of the University" revised. |
| 1969 | Masaru SUZUKI, D.M. inaugurated as Sixth President. |
| 1971 | Matsudo Dental University (present: College of Dentistry at Matsudo) established. |
| 1978 | College of International Relations established. |
| 1984 | Masayuki TAKANASHI, LL.D. inaugurated as Seventh President. |
| 1989 | The Centennial Anniversary Ceremony held. |
| 1990 | Shigenori KINOSHITA, D.Eng. inaugurated as Eighth President. |
| 1993 | Yoshio SEZAI, D.Litt. inaugurated as Ninth President. |
| 1996 | Yukiyasu SEZAI, MD. inaugurated as Tenth President. |
| 2005 | Katsue KOJIMA, D.Eng. inaugurated as Eleventh President. |
| 2008 | Takeo SAKAI, DVM, PhD. inaugurated as Twelfth President. |
