Notable UK university alumni

Robert Stirling

cleric · 1790–1878

clergyman, engineer, inventor of the Stirling engine (1790–1878)

The University of Edinburgh · University of Glasgow

Roger Whittaker

recording artist · 1936–2023

British singer-songwriter and musician

Bangor University

Russell Kirk

peace activist · 1918–1994

American political theorist, moralist, historian, social critic, literary critic, and writer (1918–1994)

University of St Andrews

Said Musa

politician · b. 1944

3rd Prime Minister of Belize from 1998 to 2008

University of Manchester

Sara Danius

literary scholar · 1962–2019

Swedish academic

University of Nottingham

Silvester Belt

pop singer · b. 1997

Lithuanian singer and songwriter

University of Westminster, London

Simon Callow

film actor · b. 1949

British actor

Queen's University Belfast

Sylvanie Burton

politician · b. 1956

Dominican politician

University of Manchester

Tara Westover

historian · b. 1986

American historian and author

University of Cambridge

Thomas Adès

music educator · b. 1971

British composer, pianist and conductor

Guildhall School of Music & Drama

Thomas Hodgkin

abolitionist · 1798–1866

British pathologist and social reformer (1798-1866)

King's College London, University of London · The University of Edinburgh

Tim Farron

politician · b. 1970

British politician (born 1970)

Newcastle University

Tom Udall

diplomat · b. 1948

American politician and diplomat (born 1948)

University of Cambridge

Vanessa Bell

designer · 1879–1961

British painter and interior designer (1879–1961)

King's College London, University of London

Virginia McKenna

conservationist · b. 1931

British actress

Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London

Virginijus Sinkevičius

economist · b. 1990

Lithuanian economist and politician

Aberystwyth University

British evolutionary biologist (1936–2000)

London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London

William Henry

chemist · 1774–1836

British chemist who formulated the law on the solubility of gases into liquids

The University of Edinburgh

Zainab Hawa Bangura

diplomat · b. 1959

Sierra Leonean politician

University of Nottingham

Željko Ivanek

film actor · b. 1957

Slovenian–American actor

LAMDA (London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art)

Bosnian writer

University of Oxford

Abd ar-Rahman al-Bazzaz

university teacher · 1913–1973

Iraqi politician, academic and pan-Arab nationalist (1913–1973)

King's College London, University of London

Abraham Robinson

engineer · 1918–1974

American mathematician (1918–1974)

ARU London

Akosua Busia

film actor · b. 1966

Ghanaian-born British actress and songwriter

Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London

Ann Packer

middle-distance runner · b. 1942

Olympic gold medallist

University of Greenwich

Anthony Wilding

tennis player · 1883–1915

New Zealand tennis player (1883-1915)

University of Cambridge

Apolo Nsibambi

university teacher · 1940–2019

Ugandan Prime MInister (1940-2019)

ARU London

Ari Ólafsson

singer · b. 1998

Icelandic singer

Royal Academy of Music, University of London

Berhaneyesus Demerew Souraphiel

Catholic bishop · b. 1948

Ethiopian Catholic Archbishop of Addis Abeba

King's College London, University of London

Bree Turner

film actor · b. 1977

American actress

King's College London, University of London

Camilla Luddington

motion capture acting · b. 1983

British actress (born 1983)

University of Oxford

Caroline Criado-Perez

feminist · b. 1984

British journalist and author

London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London

Charles Mackay

journalist · 1814–1889

British writer (1814-1889)

University of Glasgow

Charles Stross

science fiction writer · b. 1964

British science fiction writer and blogger

University of Bradford

Dambisa Moyo, Baroness Moyo

economist · b. 1969

Zambian-born economist

University of Oxford

David Bruce

tropical physician · 1855–1931

Australian-British physician, pathologist and microbiologist (1855–1931)

The University of Edinburgh

David Gray

film score composer · b. 1968

British singer-songwriter

University of Liverpool

E. D. Morel

pacifist · 1873–1924

British politician (1873-1924)

University of Cambridge

Edward Lowassa

minister · 1953–2024

Tanzanian politician (1953–2024)

University of Bath

English writer (1909–1998)

ARU London

Érik Orsenna

academic · b. 1947

French writer and politician

London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London

Fiona Graham

anthropologist · 1961–2023

Australian anthropologist, geisha (1961–2023)

University of Oxford

Fiona May

long jumper · b. 1969

British-born Italian long jumper

Leeds Trinity University · University of Leeds

Scottish physician, traveller and naturalist (1762-1829)

The University of Edinburgh

Gareth Jones

journalist · 1905–1935

Welsh journalist (1905–1935)

Aberystwyth University

Gavin Williamson

salesperson · b. 1976

British Conservative party politician (born 1976)

University of Bradford

Graham Coxon

painter · b. 1969

British musician

Goldsmiths, University of London

Hassan Ali Khayre

politician · b. 1968

Prime Minister of Somalia

Heriot-Watt University · The University of Edinburgh

Ian Stewart

science fiction writer · b. 1945

mathematician and author

University of Warwick

Iselin Solheim

singer-songwriter · b. 1990

Norwegian singer-songwriter

Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts

British author

Chesterfield College · University of Cambridge

John Barbirolli

music educator · 1899–1970

British conductor and cellist (1899-1970)

Royal Academy of Music, University of London

French-British film director, writer and producer (1925–2015)

University of Cambridge

John Lennox

philosopher of science · b. 1943

Northern Irish mathematician and philosopher of science (b. 1943)

Cardiff University · University of Cambridge · University of Oxford · University of Surrey

John Nettles

opinion journalist · b. 1943

British actor and writer

University of Southampton

John Richardson

scientific collector · 1787–1865

Scottish naval surgeon, naturalist and arctic explorer (1787–1865)

The University of Edinburgh

John Scott Haldane

philosopher · 1860–1936

British physiologist (1860–1936)

The University of Edinburgh

John Simm

film actor · b. 1970

British actor, director, singer and guitarist

Blackpool and the Fylde College

John Smith

politician · 1938–1994

Labour Party leader from Scotland (1938-1994)

University of Glasgow

John Williams

classical guitarist · b. 1941

Australian classical guitarist (born 1941)

Royal College of Music