Notable UK university alumni

Ahmad Massoud

chief executive officer · b. 1989

Afghan politician and military leader (born 1989)

King's College London, University of London

Archie Panjabi

film actor · b. 1972

British actress (born 1972)

Brunel University of London

Ayad Allawi

head of government · b. 1944

Prime Minister of Iraq from 2004 to 2005

ARU London

Ben Browder

film actor · b. 1962

American actor

Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London

Christopher McDonald

film actor · b. 1955

American actor

LAMDA (London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art)

David Amess

politician · 1952–2021

British politician (1952–2021)

Bournemouth University

Diana Dors

autobiographer · 1931–1984

English actress

LAMDA (London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art)

DJ Qualls

film actor · b. 1978

American actor

King's College London, University of London

Edward Waring

university teacher · 1736–1798

English mathematician

University of Cambridge

Edwin Arnold

philologist · 1832–1904

English poet and journalist (1832–1904)

King's College London, University of London

Erskine Hamilton Childers

politician · 1905–1974

4th President of Ireland (1905-1974)

University of Cambridge

Fabrice Muamba

association football player · b. 1988

Congolese association football player (born 1988)

University of Staffordshire

German-born British painter (1931–2024)

London South Bank University

Guy Scott

economist · b. 1944

Zambian politician

University of Sussex

Herbert Chapman

association football coach · 1878–1934

English association football player and manager (1878-1934)

University of Sheffield

Hilla Limann

diplomat · 1934–1998

eighth President of the Republic of Ghana (1934–1998)

ARU London · London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London

István Tisza

head of government · 1861–1918

Hungarian politician (1861–1918)

University of Oxford

James Bruce

linguist · 1730–1794

Scottish explorer and botanist (1730–1794)

The University of Edinburgh

James May

broadcaster · b. 1963

English television presenter and journalist

Lancaster University

Jennifer Egan

novelist · b. 1962

American novelist, short story writer

University of Cambridge

Jerry Hall

television actor · b. 1956

American model

Open University

Jon Ossoff

investigative journalist · b. 1987

American politician and filmmaker (born 1987)

London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London

Joseph Quinn

voice actor · b. 1994

British actor

LAMDA (London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art)

Kelly Holmes

middle-distance runner · b. 1970

British middle distance athlete and Olympic gold medallist

Sheffield Hallam University

Kurt Koffka

university teacher · 1886–1941

German psychologist (1886–1941)

The University of Edinburgh

M. S. Swaminathan

administrator · 1925–2023

Indian agronomist (1925–2023)

University of Cambridge

Mark Fisher

theorist · 1968–2017

British cultural theorist (1968-2017)

University of Hull · University of Warwick

Marouf al-Bakhit

university teacher · 1947–2023

Jordanian politician

King's College London, University of London

Matt Lucas

film actor · b. 1974

British actor, comedian and screenwriter

University of Bristol

Michael Dummett

philosopher · 1925–2011

British philosopher (1925–2011)

University of Oxford

Michael Ignatieff

novelist · b. 1947

Canadian professor, writer and politician

University of Oxford

Pauline Collins

actor · 1940–2025

British actress (1940–2025)

Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London

Peter Phillips

manager · b. 1977

son of Anne, Princess Royal (born 1977); nephew of Charles III; first grandchild of Elizabeth II

University of Exeter

Quentin Crisp

autobiographer · 1908–1999

English writer, humorist and actor (1908-1999)

King's College London, University of London · University of Westminster, London

Roy Jenkins

biographer · 1920–2003

British politician (1920–2003)

Cardiff University

Simon Donaldson

university teacher · b. 1957

English mathematician

University of Oxford

Soha Ali Khan

film actor · b. 1978

Indian actress

London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London

Sophia Myles

television actor · b. 1980

English actress (born 1980)

University of Cambridge

Stanley Fischer

pedagogue · 1943–2025

Israeli-American economist

London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London

Stephen Moyer

film actor · b. 1969

British actor

LAMDA (London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art)

Storm Thorgerson

film director · 1944–2013

English graphic designer (1944-2013)

University of Leicester

British-American historian (1948–2010)

University of Cambridge

Tracey Emin

conceptual artist · b. 1963

English sculptor, painter, and installation artist (born 1963)

Goldsmiths, University of London

Wade Barrett

professional wrestler · b. 1980

British professional wrestler (born 1980)

University of Liverpool

Anthony Head

film actor · b. 1954

English actor

LAMDA (London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art)

Bernard Lovell

university teacher · 1913–2012

English physicist and radio astronomer

University of Bristol

Chris Eagles

association football player · b. 1985

English footballer (born 1985)

University of Greater Manchester

Cotton Mather

pamphleteer · 1663–1728

American religious minister and scientific writer (1663–1728)

University of Glasgow

Dina Asher-Smith

athletics competitor · b. 1995

British sprinter

King's College London, University of London

Drew McIntyre

professional wrestler · b. 1985

Scottish professional wrestler

Glasgow Caledonian University

E. E. Evans-Pritchard

social anthropologist · 1902–1973

British anthropologist (1902–1973)

London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London · University of Oxford

Fay Weldon

television writer · 1931–2023

British writer (1931–2023)

University of St Andrews

Francis Ysidro Edgeworth

statistician · 1845–1926

Irish economist (1845–1926)

University of Oxford

British mathematician and physicist (1886-1975)

University of Cambridge

George Ezra

recording artist · b. 1993

English singer-songwriter

BIMM University

Giorgos Vasiliou

entrepreneur · 1931–2026

3rd President of the Republic of Cyprus (1988-1993)

ARU London

Graham Swift

novelist · b. 1949

English writer (born 1949)

University of York

Harriet Harman

jurist · b. 1950

British politician (born 1950)

University of York

Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales

aristocrat · 1594–1612

eldest son and heir apparent of James VI and I

University of Oxford

Hugh Lofting

civil engineer · 1886–1947

British author (1886–1947)

University of Westminster, London