Notable UK university alumni

David Artell

association football coach · b. 1980

association football player and manager (born 1980)

University of Chester

David Bates

medieval historian · b. 1945

British historian

University of Exeter

David Bedford

athletics competitor · b. 1949

British long distance runner

St Mary's University, Twickenham

David Coburn

politician · b. 1959

British politician (born 1959)

University of Leeds

David Hanson

politician · b. 1957

British politician (born 1957)

University of Hull

David Mayer de Rothschild

environmentalist · b. 1978

British environmentalist

Oxford Brookes University

David Moorcroft

middle-distance runner · b. 1953

athlete with world records in middle and long distance running

Loughborough University

British linguist (1926–2001)

SOAS University of London

David Olusoga

television presenter · b. 1970

British historian and television presenter

University of Liverpool

David Snellgrove

Tibetologist · 1920–2016

British Tibetologist (1920-2016)

University of Southampton

British composer for film and television (born 1963)

Guildhall School of Music & Drama

Deborah Warner

opera director · b. 1959

British theatre director

Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London

Welsh mezzo-soprano

Royal Academy of Music, University of London

Dentaa

television presenter · b. 1983

British Ghanaian entrepreneur, actress, TV presenter, singer, producer, and manager

Buckinghamshire New University

Northern Irish musician (1935–2002)

Royal College of Music

Derek Clark

politician · 1933–2023

British politician (1933–2023)

University of Bristol · University of Exeter

Derek Vaughan

trade unionist · b. 1961

British politician (born 1961)

Swansea University

Dermot O'Leary

presenter · b. 1973

English television presenter

Middlesex University

Ghanaian politician

Cranfield University

Desmond Swayne

politician · b. 1956

British politician (born 1956)

University of St Andrews

Diana Wallis

university teacher · b. 1954

British politician (born 1954)

University of Kent

Bangladeshi comedy actor (1930-1984)

Guildhall School of Music & Drama

Dirk Moses

university teacher · b. 1967

Australian historian (born 1967)

University of St Andrews

Donald McIntyre

baritone singer · 1934–2025

New Zealand opera singer (1934–2025)

Guildhall School of Music & Drama

Donald Petrie

scientific collector · 1846–1925

New Zealand botanist and botanical collector (1846–1925)

University of Aberdeen

Doreen Carwithen

film score composer · 1922–2003

British composer of classical and film music (1922–2003)

Royal Academy of Music, University of London

Dorothy Bonarjee

poet · 1894–1983

poet and lawyer

Aberystwyth University

British mycologist (1874-1955)

University of Reading

Scottish linguist (1798-1868)

University of St Andrews

Dwijendralal Ray

playwright · 1864–1913

Bengali poet, playwright, and musician

Royal Agricultural University

Edgar Bainton

music educator · 1880–1956

British composer (1880–1956)

Royal College of Music

Edmund de Waal

printmaker · b. 1964

British ceramic artist and writer (born 1964)

University of Sheffield

Edward Downes

oboist · 1924–2009

British conductor (1924–2009)

Royal College of Music · University of Birmingham

Edward Ellice

merchant · 1783–1863

British politician (1783-1863)

University of Aberdeen · University of St Andrews

British politician (1912-2012)

Durham University

British administrator, diplomat and sinologist (1924–1986)

SOAS University of London

Welsh-language activist (1921–2012)

Cardiff University

British academic

University of Warwick

Italian biochemist (born 1967)

Imperial College London

Elham Aminzadeh

politician · b. 1964

Iranian academic/lawmaker/cabinet vice-president

University of Glasgow

Elin Jones

politician · b. 1966

Welsh politician, Llywydd of the Senedd (born 1966)

Aberystwyth University · Cardiff University

Greek historian (1931-2018)

SOAS University of London

British writer

University of Leeds

Emma Pollock

guitarist · b. 1971

Scottish singer

University of Strathclyde

Emmanuel de Mérode

primatologist · b. 1970

Belgian conservationist

Durham University

Emmanuel Kwadwo Agyekum

entrepreneur · b. 1973

Ghanaian politician

University of Westminster, London

Ephraim Amu

musicologist · 1899–1995

musicologist, composer and teacher (1899–1995)

Royal College of Music

Belgian-French musician

Royal Academy of Music, University of London

Eve Balfour

crime fiction writer · 1898–1990

noblewoman; 20th-century organic farming pioneer

University of Reading

F. J. M. Stratton

parapsychologist · 1881–1960

British astronomer (1881–1960)

University of Birmingham

Faisal Naseem

politician · b. 1973

Maldivian politician and 7th Vice President of the Maldives

Cardiff Metropolitan University · University of Birmingham

Fanny Waterman

piano teacher · 1920–2020

English musician (1920–2020)

Royal College of Music

Farid Esack

activist · b. 1955

South African activist

University of Birmingham

Fatima Akilu

psychologist

Nigerian psychologist and public speaker

University of Reading

Fatmir Besimi

politician · b. 1975

Macedonian politician

University of Staffordshire

Fatou Baldeh

human rights defender · b. 1983

Gambian human rights activist and women's rights activist

University of Wolverhampton

Felicity Montagu

film actor · b. 1960

British actress

Loughborough University

Felix Finkbeiner

non-fiction writer · b. 1997

German enivronmentalist

SOAS University of London

British actor

Guildhall School of Music & Drama

Feryal Clark

council member · b. 1979

British politician and Labour MP

University of Exeter