Notable UK university alumni
13,528 people who studied at a UK university and have Wikipedia coverage. Ranked by international notability (number of language Wikipedias they appear in). Sourced from Wikidata.
Madeleine Carroll
film actor · 1906–1987
English actress (1906–1987)
University of Birmingham
Malcolm Arnold
jazz musician · 1921–2006
English composer and conductor (1921–2006)
Royal College of Music
Malcolm McLaren
conceptual artist · 1946–2010
English artist, performer and fashion designer (1946–2010)
Goldsmiths, University of London
Margareta of Romania
diplomat · b. 1949
Head of the House of Romania (2017 - present)
The University of Edinburgh
Mark Oliphant
governor · 1901–2000
nuclear physicist, Governor of South Australia (1901–2000)
University of Cambridge
Martin Parr
deltiologist · 1952–2025
British photographer (1952–2025)
Manchester Metropolitan University · Ulster University
Maurice Bishop
politician · 1944–1983
Revolutionary and Grenada 's second Prime Minister (1979-1983)
King's College London, University of London · London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London
Michael Lewis
economic journalist · b. 1960
American writer
London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London
Michaela Coel
manufacturer · b. 1987
British actress and screenwriter
Guildhall School of Music & Drama
Mikolas Josef
pop singer · b. 1995
Czech singer-songwriter and former model
LAMDA (London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art)
Mohammad Shtayyeh
economist · b. 1958
former Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority Government under Abbas and Fattah
University of Sussex
Nancy Kwan
television actor · b. 1939
Chinese-American actress
University of Cambridge
Nicholas Kaldor
politician · 1908–1986
Hungarian-British economist
London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London
Nicole Krauss
novelist · b. 1974
American novelist (born 1974)
Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London
Patricia Routledge
film actor · 1929–2025
British actress (1929–2025)
University of Liverpool
Rachel Reeves
economist · b. 1979
British politician and current Chancellor of the Exchequer (born 1979)
London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London
Rory Kinnear
film actor · b. 1978
English actor (born 1978)
LAMDA (London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art)
Rupert Sheldrake
parapsychologist · b. 1942
English biochemist, author and parapsychological researcher (*1942)
University of Cambridge
Salmaan Taseer
chartered accountant · 1944–2011
Pakistani politician (1944-2011)
University of Cambridge
Sara Ahmed
cultural studies scholar · b. 1969
British-Australian scholar (b. 1985)
Cardiff University
Sarah Gilbert
immunologist · b. 1962
British vaccinologist
University of East Anglia UEA · University of Hull
Sidney Webb
sociologist · 1859–1947
English socialist economist, 1859–1947 (1859–1947)
Birkbeck, University of London · King's College London, University of London
Sigrid Kaag
diplomat · b. 1961
Dutch diplomat and politician
University of Exeter
Taye Atske Selassie
diplomat · b. 1956
Ethiopian politician and diplomat
Lancaster University
Thomas Gold
biophysicist · 1920–2004
Austrian astrophysicist (1920-2004)
University of Cambridge
William Prout
chemist · 1785–1850
British chemist (1785-1850)
The University of Edinburgh
Yang Jiechi
diplomat · b. 1950
Politburo member of the Chinese Communist Party
London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London · University of Bath
A. N. R. Robinson
politician · 1926–2014
President and Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago (1926-2014)
ARU London · University of Oxford
Alexander McCall Smith
novelist · b. 1948
British writer
The University of Edinburgh
Alfred Austin
novelist · 1835–1913
British writer and poet (1835–1913)
ARU London
Amir Khan
boxer · b. 1986
British boxer
University of Greater Manchester
Amrit Kaur
freedom fighter · 1889–1964
Indian politician (1889–1964)
University of Oxford
Andrew Smith
explorer · 1797–1872
Scottish surgeon, explorer, ethnologist and zoologist (1797–1872)
The University of Edinburgh
Anne McClain
helicopter pilot · b. 1979
American astronaut
University of Bath · University of Bristol
Antony Flew
philosopher · 1923–2010
British analytic and evidentialist philosopher (1923-2010)
SOAS University of London
Bridget Riley
draftsperson · b. 1931
British painter (born 1931)
Goldsmiths, University of London · Loughborough University
C. S. Forester
novelist · 1899–1966
British novelist, "Hornblower" author (1899–1966)
King's College London, University of London
Chung Il-kwon
autobiographer · 1917–1994
South Korean general, politician (1917–1994)
University of Oxford
Danny Blanchflower
sports commentator · 1926–1993
Northern Irish footballer (1926-1993)
University of St Andrews
Emily Beecham
film actor · b. 1984
English-born British-American actress
LAMDA (London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art)
Eric Liddell
rugby union player · 1902–1945
Scottish athlete, sprinter, Olympian, Protestant missionary (1902-1945)
The University of Edinburgh
Esha Gupta
beauty pageant contestant · b. 1985
Indian actress
Newcastle University
Example
rapper · b. 1982
British musician
Royal Holloway, University of London
Flora Nwapa
novelist · 1931–1993
Nigerian writer
The University of Edinburgh
Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum
equestrian · b. 1982
Crown Prince of Dubai
London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London
Harini Amarasuriya
academic · b. 1970
Prime Minister of Sri Lanka
The University of Edinburgh
Jack Higgins
novelist · 1929–2022
British novelist (1929–2022)
London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London
James Bryce, 1st Viscount Bryce
legal counselor · 1838–1922
British academic (1838-1922)
University of Glasgow
James D'Arcy
film actor · b. 1975
British actor
LAMDA (London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art)
James Edward Smith
scientific collector · 1759–1828
English botanist, founder of the Linnean Society of London (1759–1828)
The University of Edinburgh
John Kerr
cleric · 1824–1907
Scottish physicist and pioneer in the field of electro-optics (1824–1907)
University of Glasgow
John Madden
film editor · b. 1949
English theatre, film, television, and radio director
University of Cambridge
John Martyn
recording artist · 1948–2009
British musician (1948–2009)
Glasgow School of Art
Joseph Ngute
minister · b. 1954
Prime Minister of Cameroon
University of Warwick
Justine Greening
economist · b. 1969
British politician (born 1969)
University of Southampton
Kamala Sohonie
biochemist · 1912–1998
Indian biochemist (1911–1998)
University of Cambridge
Kamisese Mara
cricketer · 1920–2004
President of Fiji (1920-2004)
London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London
Lennie James
television actor · b. 1965
British actor
Guildhall School of Music & Drama
Margery Allingham
novelist · 1904–1966
English writer of detective fiction, editor (1904–1966)
University of Westminster, London
Mark Phillips
event rider · b. 1948
English equestrian; first husband of Anne, Princess Royal
Royal Agricultural University