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.
Guillaume V, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
b. 1981
monarch of Luxembourg since 2025
Brunel University of London
Henry Campbell-Bannerman
diplomat · 1836–1908
British Prime Minister from 1905 to 1908 (1836–1908)
University of Glasgow
J. G. Ballard
science fiction writer · 1930–2009
British novelist (1930–2009)
University of Cambridge
Jim Broadbent
film actor · b. 1949
English actor (born 1949)
LAMDA (London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art)
John Flamsteed
astronomer · 1646–1720
English astronomer and the first Astronomer Royal
University of Cambridge
Julie Walters
film actor · b. 1950
British actress
Manchester Metropolitan University
Kristin Scott Thomas
film actor · b. 1960
British-French actress
Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London
Mark Strong
film actor · b. 1963
British actor
Royal Holloway, University of London
Nur Muhammad Taraki
journalist · 1917–1979
1st General Secretary of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan
University of Oxford
Randy Schekman
biochemist · b. 1948
Nobel prize winning American cell biologist
The University of Edinburgh
Robert Fisk
journalist · 1946–2020
English writer and journalist (1946–2020)
Lancaster University
Shankar Dayal Sharma
politician · 1918–1999
President of India from 1992 to 1997
University of Cambridge
Tom Wilkinson
television actor · 1948–2023
English actor (1948–2023)
University of Kent
Vanessa-Mae
alpine skier · b. 1978
British violinist
Royal College of Music
Anthony Minghella
film producer · 1954–2008
British film director, playwright and screenwriter (1954-2008)
University of Hull
Arthur Lewis
university teacher · 1915–1991
Saint Lucian economist (1915–1991)
London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London
Barham Salih
politician · b. 1960
President of Iraq (2018-2022)
Cardiff University · University of Liverpool
David Suchet
actor · b. 1946
English actor
LAMDA (London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art)
Festus Mogae
politician · 1939–2026
President of Botswana from 1998 to 2008
University of Sussex
Iain Banks
science fiction writer · 1954–2013
Scottish writer (1954–2013)
University of Stirling
Isaac Barrow
historian of mathematics · 1630–1677
English Christian theologian, and mathematician (1630-1677)
University of Cambridge
James Mill
linguist · 1773–1836
Scottish historian, economist, political theorist and philosopher (1773-1836)
The University of Edinburgh
John Boyega
film actor · b. 1992
English actor (born 1992)
University of Greenwich
Karl Pearson
eugenicist · 1857–1936
English mathematician, biometrician, and eugenicist (1857–1936)
King's College London, University of London · University of Cambridge
Kim Cattrall
film actor · b. 1956
British actress (born 1956)
LAMDA (London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art)
Michael Atiyah
topologist · 1929–2019
British mathematician
University of Cambridge
Nataša Pirc Musar
public relations officer · b. 1968
President of Slovenia since 2022
University of Salford
Paul Nurse
neurobiologist · b. 1949
Nobel prize winning British biochemist
University of Birmingham · University of East Anglia UEA
Rachel Maddow
journalist · b. 1973
American television news host and political commentator
University of Oxford
Robert Mundell
university teacher · 1932–2021
Canadian economist (1932–2021)
London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London
Tassos Papadopoulos
politician · 1934–2008
5th President of the Republic of Cyprus (2003-2008)
King's College London, University of London
Thandiwe Newton
film actor · b. 1972
English actress (born 1972)
University of Cambridge
Tony Scott
director · 1944–2012
British film director and producer (1944–2012)
University of Sunderland
Ulrich Beck
sociologist · 1944–2015
German sociologist & scholar (1944–2015)
London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London
Vanessa Kirby
actor · b. 1988
British actress (born 1987)
University of Exeter
Wilfred Owen
soldier · 1893–1918
English poet and soldier (1893-1918)
University of Reading
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
television actor · b. 1967
English actor
ARU London · King's College London, University of London
Birgit Nilsson
opera singer · 1918–2005
Swedish opera singer (1918–2005)
Royal Academy of Music, University of London
Erasmus Darwin
entomologist · 1731–1802
English physician (1731-1802)
The University of Edinburgh
Fraser Stoddart
university teacher · 1942–2024
Scottish chemist and Nobel Laureate in 2016 for the design and synthesis of molecular machines
The University of Edinburgh
George M. Dallas
diplomat · 1792–1864
vice president of the United States from 1845 to 1849 (1792–1864)
The University of Edinburgh
Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway
heir apparent · b. 1973
Crown Prince of Norway
London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London
Hage Geingob
researcher · 1941–2024
President of Namibia from 2015 to 2024
University of Leeds
Henry Moseley
chemist · 1887–1915
English physicist
University of Oxford
John Wallis
music theorist · 1616–1703
English mathematician (*1616 – †1703)
University of Cambridge
Michael Smith
geneticist · 1932–2000
Canadian Nobel laureate in chemistry
University of Manchester
Mungo Park
traveler · 1771–1806
Scottish naturalist and explorer of the African continent
The University of Edinburgh
Osborne Reynolds
civil engineer · 1842–1912
Anglo-Irish innovator (1842-1912)
University of Cambridge
Paul Robeson
activist · 1898–1976
American singer, actor, and political activist (1898–1976)
SOAS University of London
Peter II of Yugoslavia
king · 1923–1970
last King of Yugoslavia from 1934 to 1945 (1923-1970)
University of Cambridge
Sarah Brightman
film actor · b. 1960
British singer and actress
Royal College of Music
Billy Idol
guitarist · b. 1955
English singer
University of Sussex
Clive Granger
econometrician · 1934–2009
British economist
University of Nottingham
George MacDonald
philosopher · 1824–1905
Scottish writer and Christian minister (1824–1905)
University of Aberdeen
George Martin
music arranger · 1926–2016
English record producer (1926–2016)
Guildhall School of Music & Drama
Jony Ive
product designer · b. 1967
English designer and former Chief Design Officer at Apple (born 1967)
Northumbria University, Newcastle
Mohamed Nasheed
journalist · b. 1967
Maldivian politician, 4th president of the second republic of Maldives
Liverpool John Moores University
Nika Melia
official · b. 1979
Georgian politician (born 1979)
Oxford Brookes University
Peter Cushing
explorer · 1913–1994
British actor (1913–1994)
Guildhall School of Music & Drama
Richard Aldington
novelist · 1892–1962
English writer and poet (1892–1962)
ARU London