Cappadocia University, which laid the foundation of its academic, financial, and administrative experience as Cappadocia Vocational School, started its educational activities in the 2005–2006 academic year with five associate degree programs determined in line with the regional development goals. As of the 2020–2021 academic year, it continues its educational activities with a total of 31 associate degree, 15 undergraduate, and 11 graduate programs across four campuses located in Mustafapaşa, Ürgüp, Uçhisar, and Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport.

In 2009, the focus shifted to civil aviation, and programs such as Balloon Piloting, Aircraft Technology, Civil Aviation Management (English), Civil Aviation Cabin Services, and Flight Operations Management were launched. Accordingly, in 2011, in addition to the education provided in Nevşehir, a campus was established within Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport with the support of the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries.

In 2012, Cappadocia Vocational School began to focus on health programs in response to the growth targets of the healthcare sector and the resulting demand for qualified personnel. In the 2011–2012 academic year, the Child Development program was launched; in the 2012–2013 academic year, Oral and Dental Health, Operating Room Services, Dialysis, Physiotherapy, and Medical Imaging Techniques programs were added; in the 2013–2014 academic year, Anesthesia, Electroneurophysiology, First and Emergency Aid, Audiometry, and Opticianry programs; in the 2014–2015 academic year, English-medium Dialysis, Medical Laboratory Techniques, Health Tourism Management, Social Services, and Pathology Laboratory Techniques programs; and in the 2015–2016 academic year, the Dental Prosthetics Technology program were opened.

In 2014, fully equipped practical training facilities were established to conduct applied training for programs such as First and Emergency Aid, Medical Imaging Techniques, Operating Room Services, Anesthesia, Dialysis, Audiometry, and Opticianry. To support the applied training of programs conducted at Cappadocia Vocational School, four centers were founded in 2014: the Oral and Dental Health Application and Research Center, the Child Development Application and Research Center, the Physical Therapy and Healthy Living Application and Research Center, and the Continuing Education Center.

As of 2013, a Distance Education Unit was established, and in 2014 the Tourism Guidance Distance Education program and in 2015 the Child Development Distance Education program began admitting students.

In the 2015–2016 academic year, a new field was added to the curriculum with the opening of the Justice associate degree program in the field of law, followed in the 2017–2018 academic year by the Penal Enforcement and Security Services associate degree program.

With the law numbered 7033, published in the Official Gazette on July 1, 2017, Cappadocia Vocational School continued its path as Cappadocia University.

Incorporating Cappadocia Vocational School and its research centers, Cappadocia University now operates under the faculties and schools of the Faculty of Humanities, Faculty of Dentistry, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Faculty of Architecture, Design and Fine Arts, School of Foreign Languages, School of Health Sciences, School of Applied Sciences, and the Institute of Graduate Education, Teaching and Research.