Notable UK university alumni

Dan Snaith

musician · b. 1978

Canadian mathematician and composer who has performed as Manitoba, Daphni and Caribou

Imperial College London

Daniel Ings

television actor · b. 1985

British actor

Lancaster University

David Bamber

television actor · b. 1954

English actor (born 1954)

University of Bristol

David Lyndsay

genealogist · 1490–1555

Scottish noble and poet (c. 1490 – c. 1555)

University of St Andrews

David Schofield

film actor · b. 1951

British actor

LAMDA (London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art)

David Threlfall

television actor · b. 1953

English stage, film and television actor and director (born 1953)

Manchester Metropolitan University

David Wilson

diplomat · b. 1935

administrator and diplomat from England (born 1935)

SOAS University of London

Dominic Parsons

skeleton racer · b. 1987

British skeleton racer

University of Bath

Douglas Carswell

researcher · b. 1971

British politician (born 1971)

King's College London, University of London · University of East Anglia UEA

Douglas Gordon

video installation artist · b. 1966

British artist (born 1966)

Glasgow School of Art

Edward Omane Boamah

minister · 1974–2025

Ghanaian politician (1974–2025)

London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London · London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, University of London

British composer

Royal College of Music

Elijah Ngurare

politician · b. 1970

Namibian politician

University of Dundee

Elliot Cowan

film actor · b. 1976

British actor

University of Birmingham

Emily Maguire

field hockey player · b. 1987

Scottish field hockey player

University of Glasgow

Etienne Schneider

politician · b. 1971

Luxembourgish economist

University of Greenwich

British biblical scholar (1910-1990)

University of Aberdeen

Fleur East

fitness model · b. 1987

British singer

Queen Mary University of London

Frankie Boyle

autobiographer · b. 1972

British comedian

Aston University, Birmingham · University of Sussex

Fritz Joubert Duquesne

stockbroker · 1877–1956

South African journalist (1877–1956)

ARU London

Gareth Edwards

rugby union player · b. 1947

Welsh rugby union player

Cardiff Metropolitan University

Gavin Hamilton

anthropologist · 1723–1798

Scottish neoclassical history painter, trader in sculptures and paintings (1723–1798)

University of Glasgow

British historian (1921–1994)

ARU London

George Band

mountaineer · 1929–2011

English mountain climber (1929–2011)

Imperial College London

George de Roerich

dialectologist · 1902–1960

Russian tibetologist (1902–1960)

ARU London

George Henry Mackenzie

chess player · 1837–1891

American journalist (1837–1891)

University of Aberdeen

British actress

King's College London, University of London

Gilbert Burnet

linguist · 1643–1715

Minister of the Church of Scotland, Scottish theologian and historian, and Bishop of Salisbury; (1643-1716)

University of Aberdeen

former Ghanaian politician (1939-2014)

Middlesex University

Gordon Gray

Catholic bishop · 1910–1993

British Catholic cardinal (1910–1993)

St Mary's University, Twickenham

Greta Stevenson

scientific collector · 1911–1990

New Zealand mycologist (1911-1990)

Imperial College London

British novelist (born 1952)

University of Sussex

Hannah England

middle-distance runner · b. 1987

British middle-distance runner

University of Birmingham

Hans Kornberg

biochemist · 1928–2019

British biochemist (1928-2019)

University of Sheffield

Henry Drysdale Dakin

chemist · 1880–1952

British chemist (1880-1952)

University of Leeds

Hishammuddin Hussein

politician · b. 1961

Malaysian politician

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

Holly Willoughby

model · b. 1981

English television presenter, model and author

Open University

Hugh Skinner

film actor · b. 1985

British actor

LAMDA (London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art)

British jazz trumpeter, composer and writer (1933–2009)

Newcastle University

Ian Hamilton Finlay

pacifist · 1925–2006

Scottish poet, writer, artist and gardener (1925–2006)

Glasgow School of Art

English actor (1931-1984)

Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London

Immanuel Jakobovits

rabbi · 1921–1999

British rabbi, styled Baron Jakobovits (1921-1999)

ARU London

Irma

guitarist · b. 1988

Cameroonian singer-songwriter

ESCP Business School

British composer and poet

Royal College of Music

J.Y. Pillay

economist · b. 1934

Businessman and former President of Singapore

Imperial College London

British costume designer

University of Sussex

James Thomson

glaciologist · 1822–1892

British engineer (1822–1892)

University of Glasgow

James Vowles

team manager · b. 1979

British motorsport engineer

Cranfield University · University of East Anglia UEA

Jamie Demetriou

television actor · b. 1987

English comedian and actor

University of Bristol

British actress

University of Birmingham

Jeff Minter

programmer · b. 1962

British video game designer (born 1962)

University of East Anglia UEA

Jesse Armstrong

journalist · b. 1970

British comedy and television writer

University of Manchester

Jessie M. King

exlibrist · 1876–1949

Scottish Artist (1875-1949)

Glasgow School of Art

John Evan

musician · b. 1948

British musician and composer; best know as the keyboard player for the rock band Jethro Tull from April 1970 to June 1980

King's College London, University of London

John Foxx

songwriter · b. 1948

English musician and singer

University of Central Lancashire

John Wilson

literary critic · 1785–1854

Scottish advocate, literary critic and author (1785-1854)

University of Glasgow

Johnny Vegas

rugby league player · b. 1971

English actor, comedian, and ceramicist

Middlesex University

Jonathan Clements

science fiction writer · b. 1971

British author and scriptwriter (born 1971)

University of Leeds

British actor

Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London

Jonathan Tiernan-Locke

sport cyclist · b. 1984

English racing cyclist

University of Bristol