Born into an old untitled noble family of Polish origin, he was the second son of Konstantin Petrovich Kulchitsky (b.

1827), a naval officer, and his wife, Elizaveta Prokofyevna Pavlova, daughter of a Colonel in Russian Imperial army.

In 1893 he became professor of histology at the university of Kharkiv, and was later appointed director of education in Kazan School District [ru].

In 1906 Kulchitsky was a member of council of Kharkiv branch of The Union of Russian People.

In 1916 he was appointed Minister of Education of the Russian Empire, a post he held until the February Revolution.