Early Life and Education of Elon Musk: A Complete Timeline

How education and upbringing influenced the life of Elon Musk. A timeline of key moments.

Elon Musk is a businessman primarily known for his involvement in Tesla, SpaceX, and Twitter. As of 2025, he holds a senior advisory position to US President Donald Trump and effectively leads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). With an estimated net worth of $320 billion USD in March 2025, Forbes recognizes him as the wealthiest individual globally.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

June 28, 1971: Elon Musk's Birth

On June 28, 1971, Elon Reeve Musk was born. He would later become a businessman known for his roles in Tesla, SpaceX, and Twitter (now X).

Others born on this day/year

1980: Parents' Divorce

In 1980, Elon Musk's parents divorced, and he chose to live primarily with his father.

June 1989: Arrival in Canada

In June 1989, Elon Musk arrived in Canada and worked odd jobs.

1989: Emigration to Canada

In 1989, Elon Musk emigrated from South Africa to Canada, obtaining citizenship through his mother.

1990: Enrollment at Queen's University

In 1990, Elon Musk entered Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario.

1994: Internships in Silicon Valley

In 1994, Elon Musk held two internships in Silicon Valley: at Pinnacle Research Institute and Rocket Science Games.

1995: Studies Until 1995

Elon Musk studied at the University of Pennsylvania until 1995.

1995: Acceptance to Stanford and Job Application at Netscape

In 1995, Elon Musk was accepted to a graduate program at Stanford University but did not enroll. He also applied for a job at Netscape, reportedly without receiving a response.

1997: Awarded Degrees from the University of Pennsylvania

In 1997, Elon Musk was awarded a Bachelor of Arts in physics and a Bachelor of Science in economics from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School.

2000: Musk contracts malaria in South Africa

In 2000, Elon Musk contracted a severe case of malaria while on vacation in South Africa.

2000: Musk marries Justine Wilson

In 2000, Elon Musk married Justine Wilson, a Canadian author he met at Queen's University in Ontario, Canada.

2001: Musk founds the Musk Foundation

In 2001, Elon Musk founded the Musk Foundation.

2002: Death of Musk's first child

In 2002, Elon Musk and Justine Wilson's first child, Nevada Musk, died of sudden infant death syndrome at 10 weeks old.

2002: Musk becomes a U.S. citizen

In 2002, Elon Musk became a U.S. citizen.

2002: Acquisition of PayPal by eBay and Musk Becomes a U.S. Citizen

In 2002, PayPal was acquired by eBay for $1.5 billion, after X.com merged to form PayPal. That year, Elon Musk also became a U.S. citizen.

2004: Musk and Wilson have twins

In 2004, Elon Musk and Justine Wilson had twins via in vitro fertilization (IVF).

2006: Musk and Wilson have triplets

In 2006, Elon Musk and Justine Wilson had triplets via in vitro fertilization (IVF).

2008: Musk and Wilson divorce

In 2008, Elon Musk and Justine Wilson divorced and began shared custody of their children.

2008: Musk begins dating Talulah Riley

In 2008, Elon Musk began dating English actress Talulah Riley.

2012: Musk and Riley divorce

In 2012, Elon Musk and Talulah Riley divorced.

2014: Musk files for divorce from Riley a second time

In 2014, Elon Musk briefly filed for divorce from Talulah Riley for a second time.

2015: Musk receives honorary doctorate and IEEE membership

In 2015, Elon Musk received an honorary doctorate in engineering and technology from Yale University and an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Honorary Membership.

2016: Musk and Riley finalize second divorce

In 2016, Elon Musk and Talulah Riley finalized their second divorce.

2017: Musk dates Amber Heard

In 2017, Elon Musk dated Amber Heard for several months.

2018: Musk and Grimes confirm relationship

In 2018, Elon Musk and Canadian musician Grimes confirmed they were dating.

March 2019: Musk releases rap track

In March 2019, through his label Emo G Records, Elon Musk released a rap track titled "RIP Harambe" on SoundCloud.

August 2020: Musk Acquires Second Private Jet

In August 2020, Elon Musk acquired a second private jet owned by Falcon Landing LLC, a SpaceX-linked company.

2020: Musk and Grimes have first child

In 2020, Elon Musk and Grimes had their first child.

2020: Musk relocates to Texas

In late 2020, Elon Musk relocated to Cameron County, Texas, citing California's complacency regarding its economic success, after residing in California since the early 2000s.

September 2021: Musk and Grimes are semi-separated

In September 2021, Elon Musk confirmed reports that he and Grimes were "semi-separated."

December 2021: Musk says he is single

In December 2021, Elon Musk stated in an interview with Time that he was single.

2021: Musk has twins with Shivon Zilis

In 2021, Elon Musk had twins with Shivon Zilis, director of operations and special projects at Neuralink, via IVF.

2021: Musk reveals possible Asperger syndrome diagnosis

In 2021, while hosting Saturday Night Live, Elon Musk stated that he has Asperger syndrome (now merged with autism spectrum disorder), although he has not been medically diagnosed.

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2022: Musk's Political Contributions Shift to Republicans

Beginning in 2022, Elon Musk's political contributions have mostly supported Republicans, with his first vote for a Republican going to Representative Mayra Flores in the 2022 Texas's 34th congressional district special election.

2022: Musk and Grimes have third child

In 2022, Elon Musk and Grimes had their third child.

2022: Musk's child changes name

In 2022, Elon Musk's elder twin with Justine Wilson came out as a trans woman and officially changed her name to Vivian Jenna Wilson, adopting her mother's surname to disassociate from Musk.

October 2023: Grimes sues Musk over parental rights

In October 2023, Grimes sued Elon Musk over parental rights and custody of their child, X Æ A-Xii.

2023: Errol Musk Recounts Emerald Mine Deal

In 2023, Errol Musk recounted that the deal he made was to receive "a portion of the emeralds produced at three small mines" in Zambia, contrary to previous statements.

January 2024: Reports of Musk's alleged drug use surface

Since January 2024, media outlets have reported alleged drug use by Elon Musk, including ketamine, marijuana, LSD, ecstasy, mushrooms, and cocaine. Musk initially refused to comment, later stating he hadn't tested positive for drugs and would take them if they improved his productivity.