Notable UK university alumni

Michelle Gildernew

politician · b. 1970

Irish politician (born 1970)

Ulster University

English footballer (born 1964)

Swansea University

British archaeologist and academic

Cardiff University · Open University

Australian composer, musician and writer (1913–2005)

Royal College of Music

Mo Foster

session musician · 1944–2023

British session musician, playing primarily jazz, jazz-fusion and rock bass guitar

University of Sussex

Monica McWilliams

politician · b. 1954

British politician and academic (born 1954)

Queen's University Belfast

Montell Douglas

athletics competitor · b. 1986

British athlete and bobsledder

Middlesex University

Monty Panesar

cricketer · b. 1982

English cricketer

Loughborough University

English YouTuber (born 1995)

University of Warwick

Muhammad Khan Achakzai

politician · 1930–2023

Pakistani politician

University of Strathclyde

Tanzanian health administrator

London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, University of London

English actress

LAMDA (London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art)

Nanna Vainio

Olympic competitor · b. 1991

badminton player

Loughborough University

Natalia Pelevine

blogger · b. 1976

British writer

University of East London

Natalie Payida Jabangwe

engineer · b. 1983

Zimbabwean computer engineer and entrepreneur (born c. 1983)

Imperial College London · Middlesex University

Navin Chawla

biographer · 1945–2025

Retired Indian civil servant and 16th Chief Election Commissioner of India

SOAS University of London

Naz Shah

politician · b. 1973

British Labour MP (born 1973)

University of Bradford

Nazhat Shameem

jurist · b. 1960

Fijian judge and prosecutor

University of Sussex

Neel Mukherjee

novelist · b. 1970

Indian writer

University of East Anglia UEA

Neil Codling

keyboardist · b. 1973

British musician

University of Hull

Nicholas Buckland

ice dancer · b. 1989

English ice dancer

Nottingham Trent University

British composer (1935–2009)

Royal Academy of Music, University of London

Nick Compton

cricketer · b. 1983

England cricketer

Durham University

Nicol Stephen, Baron Stephen

politician · b. 1960

British politician (born 1960)

University of Aberdeen

Nikki Sinclaire

politician · b. 1968

British politician (born 1968)

University of Kent

Nosheena Mobarik, Baroness Mobarik

politician · b. 1957

British life peer (born 1957)

University of Strathclyde

Nuno Loureiro

university teacher · 1977–2025

Portuguese plasma physicist (1977–2025)

Imperial College London

Oliver Jeffers

picture book writer · b. 1977

British writer and illustrator

Ulster University

British actress

University of Manchester

Omar Abu Risha

playwright · 1910–1990

Syrian poet and diplomat (1910–1990)

University of Manchester

Palestinian gynaecologist

University of Leeds

Omar Victor Diop

visual artist · b. 1980

Senegalese photographer (born 1980)

ESCP Business School

Oona King

politician · b. 1967

British politician (born 1967)

University of York

Orzala Ashraf Nemat

activist · b. 1977

Afghan scholar and civil society activist

SOAS University of London

Owen Thompson

politician · b. 1978

Scottish politician (born 1978)

Edinburgh Napier University

English mycologist (1916-2005)

Royal College of Music

Panagiotis Kokoras

composer · b. 1974

Greek born classical contemporary music composer

University of York

Paris Paloma

singer-songwriter · b. 1999

British singer-songwriter

Goldsmiths, University of London

Patience Mthunzi

university teacher · b. 1976

South African laser scientist

University of St Andrews

Patrick Cormack, Baron Cormack

politician · 1939–2024

British politician (1939–2024)

University of Hull

Patrick Walsh

Catholic bishop · 1931–2023

Irish prelate of the Roman Catholic Church (1931–2023)

Queen's University Belfast

Paul Boateng

barrister · b. 1951

politician and the UK's first black Cabinet minister (born 1951)

University of Bristol

Paul Kogerman

university teacher · 1891–1951

Estonian chemist and politician (1891–1951)

Imperial College London

British sociologist

University of Birmingham

Paula Cox

lawyer · b. 1964

Premier of Bermuda

University of Manchester

Pauline Black

film actor · b. 1953

British actress and Ska singer

Coventry University

Penny Coomes

ice dancer · b. 1989

English ice dancer

Nottingham Trent University

Penny Rimbaud

philosopher · b. 1943

writer, poet, philosopher, painter, musician and activist

University of Essex

Percy Jones

jazz musician · b. 1947

Welsh musician

University of Liverpool

Hungarian-British filmmaker and cartoonist (1924-1977)

Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London

Peter Purves

film actor · b. 1939

English actor and television presenter

Manchester Metropolitan University

Peter Watson

art historian · b. 1943

art historian

Durham University

Philip Sparke

trumpeter · b. 1951

British composer

Royal College of Music

Philippa Whitford

surgeon · b. 1958

Scottish physician and politician (born 1958)

University of Glasgow

Scottish-South African ornithologist (1917-2001)

Glasgow School of Art

Prince Seeiso of Lesotho

diplomat · b. 1966

Younger brother of Lesotho's king, Letsie III of Lesotho

University of Birmingham

British musician

Guildhall School of Music & Drama

Rachel Treweek

Anglican priest · b. 1963

Anglican bishop in England

University of Reading

Rafi Pitts

film editor · b. 1967

British-Iranian film director, screenwriter and film producer

University of Westminster, London

Rahnaward Zaryab

novelist · 1944–2020

Afghan novelist, short story writer, journalist, and literary critic/scholar (1944-2020)

University of South Wales