Pachaiyappa's College, Chennai was established in 1842. The college is affiliated to the Madras University. 

Pachaiyappa's College, Chennai is the offspring of a superlative act of private philanthropy of its progenitor, Pachaiyappa Mudaliar, who had made himself a master financier and merchant prince when he was just 22 years old. Around this age many of us are in the threshold of our collegiate educational career. We must be inspired and motivated by the preciousness and large-heartedness of the benevolent founder.

The Golden Jubilee of Pachaiyappa's Institutions was celebrated on November 26, 1892 in Pachaiyappa's Hall. Lord Lansdowne, the then viceroy of India presided.

Growth of the college in terms of new courses was rather sluggish in the few years after the Golden jubilee Celebrations. The Diamond Jubilee eas celebrated in a grand fashion on November 21, 1902, Lord Pentland, the then Governor of Madras presided over the celebrations. In his impressive speech, the Governor referred to the special qualities of Pachaiyappa's Institutions. He said that the college and the school were "No Ordinary educational Institutions of ordinary origin and ordinary growth. They have several unusual and highly important characteristics. In the first place, they owe their existence to the munificent endowment made by a single private individual; in the second place, they are purely HIndu Institutions, managed by Hindus for Hindus with the smallest possible assistant and interference on the part of the Government. And in the third place, they lay claim in a very special manner to aims and Objects of the highest importance. The often declared object of the Trustees is to provide a national education to make the college a seat of culture.

The college offers bachelors, masters and reserach programs in Tamil, English, Economics, History, Philosophy and Corporate Secretaryship, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Botany and Zoology and commerce.

Pachaiyappa's College college campus spans an 38 plus acres situated in the Egmore– Nungambakkam Taluk. 

The College was accredited by the NAAC (an autonomous Institution of University Grants Commission) with B++ Grade on 25.05.2006.

From 2005-2009m the administration of the College was handed over the Administrator General and Official Trustee of Tamil Nadu.