Tangaza – Theological Centre of Religious opened its doors to the first group of students on 25 August 1986. Twenty students came from seven countries and from three religious congregations (Consolata Fathers, Salesians of Don Bosco and the Congregation of the Holy Spirit).

• On 30 October 1987, in the presence of the Pro-Nuncio, the College was blessed and formally inaugurated by His Eminence Maurice Cardinal Otunga, Archbishop of Nairobi. The enrolment at Tangaza University (as it is now legally known) has continued to increase since 1987. In the academic year 2008-2009, a total of 1206 students, 436 of these in the School of Theology, were studying in the College.
• On 3 November 1992, the charter of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) was granted by the President of Kenya. With the conferring of this charter and in accordance with the terms of the document, Convention for the Constituent Colleges of Catholic University of Eastern Africa, 1997, Tangaza University College was recognized as a constituent College of CUEA. While remaining administratively autonomous, Tangaza University College was an integral part of the main University (CUEA) for academic purposes.

Over the years a number of Institutes have been affiliated to the University or have been established as integrated Institutes of the University

• In November 1995, the Tangaza Board of Governors then approved the Institute of Social Ministry in Mission (ISMM, now referred to as the Institute for Social Transformation- IST) and it became an integral part of Tangaza College.
• In May 1996, Christ the Teacher Institute for Education (CTIE, now the School of Education) was accepted by the Board of Governors as an affiliated Institute of Tangaza University College.
• In August 1996, the Tangaza Board of Governors approved the Institute of Spirituality and Religious Formation (ISRF) and it became an integral part of Tangaza University College.
• In May 1999, The Maryknoll Institute of African Studies (MIAS, now referred to as Tangaza Maryknoll Centre for African Studies- TAMCAS) was academically affiliated to Tangaza University College.
• In November 2002 the Board of Governors approved that the Social Communication Department of the School of Theology be upgraded to an Institute of Social Communication (ISC). It was inaugurated in March 2003 on Tangaza Day and became an integrated Institute of Tangaza University College.
• In November 2002, the Board of Governors approved the Institute of Youth Ministry (IYM, now referred to as Institute of Youth Studies) as an integrated Institute of Tangaza University College. It received its first students in August 2003.
• Beginning in August 2007, Tangaza University College entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with DePaul University Chicago – School for New Learning, through which a Bachelor’s degree programme in Leadership and Management was put on offer under the Institute of Spirituality and Religious Formation. The programme later grew to be autonomous and its now domicile in the Centre for Leadership and Management (CLM).
• In February 2010, Tangaza University College entered into a Memorandum of understanding with Duquesne university in Pittsburgh USA, enabling the School of Theology to offer Masters programs in Theology and in Pastoral Ministry, accredited by Duquesne University.
• In 2010 the Governing Council approved the Embulbul Educational and Counselling Institute as an affiliated institute of Tangaza University College.
• In November 2010 Tangaza entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Catholic University of Milan to enable the Institute of Social Ministry in Mission (Now IST) to offer an MBA in Social Entrepreneurship accredited by the Catholic University of Milan.
• In August 2014 the School of Theology (SOT) was academically affiliated to the faculty of Theology of the Pontificia Universita Urbaniana. In November the Board of Trustees elevated the Centre for Leadership and Management to an integrated Institute of the College.
• On 2nd May 2024, Tangaza University was awarded her Charter, by the President of the Nation of Kenya, Dr. William Ruto, and the juridical status by the ArchBishop of Nairobi, His Grace Philip Anyolo earning the status of a fully-fledged university, civilly and ecclesiastically.
  
  

The following 22 Religious orders are registered as corporate members of the Tangaza University Consortium: