• 1985-1992
  Secondary education, Montessori Lyceum Amsterdam
• 1992-1993
  Teacher training (history) (foundation year), Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences
• 1993-1996
  Dutch law (foundation year), University of Amsterdam
• 1997-2001
  M.A. in Cultural Studies, specialising in Cultural History of Europe (Policy & Management focus), University of Amsterdam
• 2008-2015
  Studied for PhD; doctoral thesis on ‘Homer, Troy and the Turks: Heritage & Identity in the Late Ottoman Empire, 1870-1915

• 1997-1999
  General manager, Corendon International Trade BV, Haarlem
• 2001-2018
  Lecturer in Cultural Studies: Heritage Studies, Museum Studies, Cultural Policy and Management & Organisation, University of Amsterdam (with intervals)
• 2002-2005
  Project manager for education and events, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
• 2011-2013
  Curator of various exhibitions at the Allard Pierson Museum, the Amsterdam Museum and elsewhere
• 2014-2022
  Director of Global Hotel Development & Design, Corendon, Badhoevedorp
• 10 January 2022
  Appointed State Secretary for Culture and Media in the fourth Rutte government

Gunay Uslu has held various board roles and supervisory and advisory positions, including: 

• 2006-2014
  Member and chair of the board of the My First Art Collection foundation
• 2009-2013
  Board member of the Theater RAST foundation, Amsterdam
• 2013-2022
  Chair of the board of the Corendon Foundation
• 2017-2021
  Adviser to the Council for Culture Museums Committee, Ministry of Education, Culture and Science
• 2018-2019
  Member of the supervisory board of the Migration Museum, The Hague
• 2018-2022
  Member and chair of the supervisory board of the EYE Film Institute, Amsterdam
• 2018-2022
  Adviser to Vereniging Rembrandt
• 2019-2022
  Board member of the NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies
• 2019-2022
  Member of the advisory council of the Allard Pierson Museum, University of Amsterdam
• 2021-2022
  Member of the advisory council of the Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis
• 2021-2022
  Chair of the supervisory board of the Amsterdam 750 Foundation
• 2021-2022
  Member of the assessment committee for the Dutch Research Council Mosaic scholarship programme