Notable alumni of University of Oxford

J. R. R. Tolkien

prose writer · 1892–1973

English writer and philologist (1892–1973)

Erwin Schrödinger

theoretical physicist · 1887–1961

Austrian physicist (1887–1961)

Thomas Hobbes

in-home tutor · 1588–1679

English philosopher (1588–1679)

Lewis Carroll

diarist · 1832–1898

British author and scholar (1832–1898)

Robert Mugabe

politician · 1924–2019

2nd President of Zimbabwe from 1987 to 2017

Richard Dawkins

geneticist · b. 1941

English ethologist, evolutionary biologist and author (born 1941)

William Golding

science fiction writer · 1911–1993

British novelist, poet, playwright and Nobel Prize for Literature laureate (1911–1993)

Mohammad Ali Jinnah

freedom fighter · 1876–1948

politician and the founder of Pakistan (1876–1948)

Edward Gibbon

classical scholar · 1737–1794

English historian and politician (1737–1794)

Dorothy Hodgkin

crystallographer · 1910–1994

British chemist

Robert Hooke

diarist · 1635–1703

English natural philosopher, architect and polymath (1635 — 1703)

Imran Khan

autobiographer · b. 1952

22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan

Edmond Halley

mathematician · 1656–1742

English astronomer, mathematician, geophysicist, meteorologist and physicist (1656–1742)

William of Ockham

Catholic theologian · 1287–1349

English Franciscan friar and theologian (c.1287–1347)

Anthony Eden

foreign minister · 1897–1977

British soldier, diplomat and politician (1897–1977)

W. H. Auden

literary historian · 1907–1973

British-American poet (1907–1973)

Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck

monarch · b. 1980

fifth and reigning King of Bhutan

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto

diplomat · 1928–1979

4th President and 9th Prime Minister of Pakistan (1928–1979)

Roger Bacon

music theorist · 1220–1292

English polymath, philosopher and friar (c.1219/20–c.1292)

Susan Sontag

women's rights activist · 1933–2004

American writer and filmmaker, professor, and activist (1933–2004)

Rupert Murdoch

financier · b. 1931

Australian-American business magnate (born 1931)

Ghil'ad Zuckermann

linguist · b. 1971

Linguist, language revivalist, professor, author, hyperpolyglot

Richard von Weizsäcker

jurist · 1920–2015

President of Germany from 1984 to 1994

Christopher Wren

anatomist · 1632–1723

English architect (1632–1723)

Kate Beckinsale

film actor · b. 1973

English actress

Christopher Hitchens

autobiographer · 1949–2011

English American author and journalist (1949–2011)

Duns Scotus

philosopher · 1266–1308

Scottish Franciscan friar and philosopher (c. 1265/66–1308)

Martin Ryle

researcher · 1918–1984

English radio astronomer (1918–1984)

Luc Montagnier

virologist · 1932–2022

French virologist and joint recipient of the Nobel Prize of Physiology or Medicine (2008)

Erik Erikson

non-fiction writer · 1902–1994

American German-born psychoanalyst & essayist

Sydney Brenner

geneticist · 1927–2019

South African biologist, Nobel prize in Physiology or Medicine 2002

Anthony James Leggett

university teacher · 1938–2026

British physicist (1938–2026)

Charles Scott Sherrington

pathologist · 1857–1952

English footballer, neurophysiologist and Nobel Prize recipient (1857–1952)

Geoffrey of Monmouth

Catholic bishop · 1100–1155

Historian and Bishop of St Asaph, Wales (c.1095–1155)

Bongbong Marcos

merchant · b. 1957

president of the Philippines since 2022

John Kufuor

politician · b. 1938

fifth President of the Republic of Ghana and Lawyer

Peter Medawar

autobiographer · 1915–1987

English-brazilian biologist (1915–1987)

Cyril Norman Hinshelwood

physical chemist · 1897–1967

English physical chemist (1897-1967)

J.B.S. Haldane

scientific collector · 1892–1964

Geneticist and evolutionary biologist (1892-1964)

John Cornforth

university teacher · 1917–2013

Australian-British chemist

Terrence Malick

film actor · b. 1943

American film director and screenwriter (born 1943)

Iveta Radičová

sociologist · b. 1956

Slovak politician and sociologist, former prime minister

Haitham bin Tarik Al Said

sovereign · b. 1955

Sultan of Oman since 2020 (born 1955)

Bob Hawke

trade unionist · 1929–2019

Australian politician, 23rd Prime Minister of Australia (1929-2019)

Guðni Jóhannesson

university teacher · b. 1968

President of Iceland (2016-2024)

Anna Wintour

media executive · b. 1949

English magazine editor

Nur Muhammad Taraki

journalist · 1917–1979

1st General Secretary of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan

Ed Miliband

podcaster · b. 1969

British politician (born 1969)

Rachel Maddow

journalist · b. 1973

American television news host and political commentator

Henry Moseley

chemist · 1887–1915

English physicist

Risto Ryti

head of government · 1889–1956

President of Finland (1889–1956)

James Bradley

university teacher · 1693–1762

English astronomer; Astronomer Royal

George Tupou V of Tonga

politician · 1948–2012

King of Tonga

William Petty

demographer · 1623–1687

English scientist, philosopher, statistician and economist (1623-1688)

Pedro Pablo Kuczynski

banker · b. 1938

Peruvian politician and economist; Prime Minister (2005–06), President (2016–18)

Otto Jespersen

Idist · 1860–1943

Danish linguist (1860–1943)

Brian Greene

theoretical physicist · b. 1963

American physicist

Robert Penn Warren

children's writer · 1905–1989

American poet, novelist, and literary critic (1905-1989)

Michael Spence

university teacher · b. 1943

American economist (born 1943)

Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson

journalist · b. 1975

prime minister of Iceland 2013 - 2016

A. J. P. Taylor

historian of Modern Age · 1906–1990

English historian (1906-1990)

Alexander V

theologian · 1339–1410

Catholic cardinal and antipope (1339-1410)

Timothy Snyder

academic · b. 1969

American historian (born 1969)

Tony Hoare

programmer · 1934–2026

British computer scientist

Nicanor Parra

academic · 1914–2018

Chilean writer, poet, mathematician, and physicist (1914-2018)

British anthropologist (1921–2007)

Robert Grosseteste

Catholic deacon · 1168–1253

English bishop and philosopher

Donald Crisp

film screenwriter · 1882–1974

English film actor and film director (1882–1974)

Paweł Pawlikowski

film screenwriter · b. 1957

Polish film director and screenwriter

British-Australian chemist

Thomas Harriot

linguist · 1560–1621

British scientist (*~1560 – †1621)

Niall Ferguson

economic historian · b. 1964

British historian

Elizabeth Bowen

short story writer · 1899–1973

Anglo-Irish novelist and diarist (1899–1973)

Stuart Hall

art theorist · 1932–2014

Jamaican-born British sociologist and cultural theorist

Robert Recorde

philosopher · 1510–1558

Welsh mathematician and inventor of the symbol '='

George Chapman

linguist · 1559–1634

16th/17th-century English dramatist, poet, and translator

American political scientist (1928-2018)

Stephen Wolfram

opinion journalist · b. 1959

British-American scientist and businessman (born 1959)

George Shaw

non-fiction writer · 1751–1813

English botanist and zoologist (1751–1813)

Mary Cartwright

mathematician · 1900–1998

British mathematician (1900–1998)

Bobby Jindal

politician · b. 1971

American politician and 55th governor of Louisiana (born 1971)

George Pell

Catholic deacon · 1941–2023

Australian Catholic cardinal (1941–2023)

Eva Kaili

journalist · b. 1978

Greek politician and newscaster

Simon Johnson

university teacher · b. 1963

British-American economist (born 1963)

Emerald Fennell

film actor · b. 1985

English actress, filmmaker and writer (born 1985)

Kellyanne Conway

campaign manager · b. 1967

Senior Counselor to the President of the United States from 2017 to 2020

John Frederic Daniell

inventor · 1790–1845

English chemist and physicist

Princess Märtha Louise of Norway

alternative therapist · b. 1971

Norwegian princess; daughter of Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway

William Walton

opera composer · 1902–1983

English composer (1902–1983)

Holland Roden

television actor · b. 1986

American actress

Jerry Fodor

philosopher · 1935–2017

American philosopher (1935–2017)

Norbert Lammert

university teacher · b. 1948

German politician, president of the Bundestag

Michael Ignatieff

novelist · b. 1947

Canadian professor, writer and politician

Simon Donaldson

university teacher · b. 1957

English mathematician

István Tisza

head of government · 1861–1918

Hungarian politician (1861–1918)

Michael Dummett

philosopher · 1925–2011

British philosopher (1925–2011)

British actor (1925–2017)

Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales

aristocrat · 1594–1612

eldest son and heir apparent of James VI and I

E. E. Evans-Pritchard

social anthropologist · 1902–1973

British anthropologist (1902–1973)

Salvador de Madariaga

literary scholar · 1886–1978

Spanish diplomat, writer and historian (1886-1978)

Francis Ysidro Edgeworth

statistician · 1845–1926

Irish economist (1845–1926)

Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy

barrister · 1892–1963

Bengali barrister and politician (1892–1963)

John Barrow

theoretical physicist · 1952–2020

British physicist and mathematician (1952-2020)

Robert Reich

university teacher · b. 1946

American political economist (1946–)

Ilan Pappé

university teacher · b. 1954

Israeli-British historian (born 1954)

David Deutsch

non-fiction writer · b. 1953

British physicist

Jerome of Prague

philosopher · 1380–1416

Czech philosopher

Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna of Russia

benefactor · b. 1953

Head of the House of Romanov (born 1953)

Elizabeth Dole

jurist · b. 1936

American politician

Epeli Nailatikau

traditional leader or chief · 1941–2026

President of Fiji from 2009 to 2015 (1941–2026)

Princess Astrid, Mrs. Ferner

aristocrat · b. 1932

Norwegian princess; elder sister of King Harald V of Norway

Sarah Rafferty

film actor · b. 1972

American actress

Bill Bradley

senior advisor · b. 1943

American basketball player and politician (born 1943)

Grigol Mgaloblishvili

official · b. 1973

Georgian politician and diplomat; Prime Minister of Georgia (2008-2009)

John Arbuthnot

mathematician · 1667–1735

Scottish physician, satirist and polymath in London (1667-1735)

Hu'akavameiliku

politician · b. 1970

Prime Minister of Tonga from 2021 to 2024

Chung Il-kwon

autobiographer · 1917–1994

South Korean general, politician (1917–1994)

Amrit Kaur

freedom fighter · 1889–1964

Indian politician (1889–1964)

A. N. R. Robinson

politician · 1926–2014

President and Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago (1926-2014)

Helmuth James Graf von Moltke

resistance fighter · 1907–1945

German resistance fighter (1907–1945)

John Theophilus Desaguliers

philosopher · 1683–1744

French-born British natural philosopher and clergyman

Euclid Tsakalotos

philosopher · b. 1960

Greek economist and politician

Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke

philosopher · 1678–1751

English politician and Viscount (1678-1751)

British-American economist (1910-1993)

William Robert Grove

barrister · 1811–1896

British judge and chemist (1811–1896)

Walter Hasenclever

poet lawyer · 1890–1940

German poet and playwright (1890–1940)

Matt Hancock

economist · b. 1978

British politician (born 1978)

David Lewis

philosopher · 1941–2001

American philosopher (1941–2001)

Da'Vine Joy Randolph

film actor · b. 1986

American actress

Bosnian writer

Dambisa Moyo, Baroness Moyo

economist · b. 1969

Zambian-born economist

Michael Scot

philosopher · 1175–1235

Scottish mathematician and scholar (1175–c.1232)

Fiona Graham

anthropologist · 1961–2023

Australian anthropologist, geisha (1961–2023)

John Lennox

philosopher of science · b. 1943

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

Camilla Luddington

motion capture acting · b. 1983

British actress (born 1983)

English composer, organist and editor

Kurt Hahn

head teacher · 1886–1974

German educator (1886-1974)

William Brouncker, 2nd Viscount Brouncker

university teacher · 1620–1684

English mathematician

David Vitter

lobbyist · b. 1961

American politician (born 1961)

Keith Andes

television actor · 1920–2005

American actor (1920–2005)

Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne

foreign minister · 1845–1927

British statesman (1845-1927)

Will Kymlicka

philosopher · b. 1962

Canadian philosopher

Prince Carlos Hugo, Duke of Parma

aristocrat · 1930–2010

Head of the House of Bourbon-Parma (1930-2010)

Ferdinand Canning Scott Schiller

philosopher · 1864–1937

German-born British philosopher

Dan Houser

video game producer · b. 1973

English video game producer

Meglena Kuneva

journalist · b. 1957

Bulgarian politician

Bellamy Young

television actor · b. 1970

American actress

John Wesley Shipp

television actor · b. 1955

American actor

John N. Kennedy

politician · b. 1951

American politician; United States senator from Louisiana (born 1951)

Henry Luce

publisher · 1898–1967

American magazine publisher (1898–1967)

Yang Jiang

film screenwriter · 1911–2016

Chinese writer (1911-2016)

English composer (born 1974)

Doreen Massey

non-fiction writer · 1944–2016

British social scientist and geographer

Henry Beaufort

Catholic priest · 1375–1447

Lord Chancellor of England; Bishop of Lincoln; Bishop of Winchester

Johannes de Sacrobosco

university teacher · 1195–1256

English astronomer and mathematician

Siddhartha Mukherjee

oncologist · b. 1970

Indian-American physician and writer (born 1970)

John Nunn

non-fiction writer · b. 1955

English chess player

Les Aspin

university teacher · 1938–1995

American politician (1938-1995)

Yi-Fu Tuan

philosopher · 1930–2022

Chinese-American geographer (1930-2022)

fictional character and protagonist of the television series The X-Files

Kofi Abrefa Busia

head of government · 1913–1978

Prime Minister of Ghana (1969-1972)

John Bull

music professor · 1562–1628

English composer, musician and organ builder

American sociologist (1929–2008)

Joakim Bonnier

Formula One driver · 1930–1972

Swedish racing driver

Patrick Bauchau

film actor · b. 1938

Belgian actor

George Robinson, 1st Marquess of Ripon

diplomat · 1827–1909

British politician (1827–1909)

Bevil Rudd

athletics competitor · 1895–1948

athletics competitor (1894–1948)

Susan Cooper

science fiction writer · b. 1935

English-American fantasy writer

Eric Lander

epidemiologist · b. 1957

director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and Science Advisor to the President

Ajayi Crowther

Bible translator · 1809–1891

Yoruba linguist and the first African Anglican bishop in Nigeria (1809-1891)

Richard Lovelace

poet · 1617–1658

English writer and poet (1617-1658)

Tatiana Schlossberg

journalist · 1990–2025

American journalist and author (1990–2025)

Kate Raworth

university teacher · b. 1970

English economist

Maisie Richardson-Sellers

film actor · b. 1992

English actress

Lina M. Khan

legal scholar · b. 1989

American legal scholar and jurist (born 1989)

Taiye Selasi

writer · b. 1979

British-American writer and photographer of Nigerian and Ghanaian origin

Francesc Eiximenis

philosopher · 1330–1409

Catalan philosopher, titular Patriarch of Jerusalem, Palestine, and Bishop of Elne

Enele Sopoaga

diplomat · b. 1956

Tuvaluan politician and diplomat

Tommy Hampson

middle-distance runner · 1907–1965

British athlete (1907-1965)

Icelandic politician (1924-2010)

Nicholas Gonzalez

television actor · b. 1976

American actor

British historian

Johann Christoph Pepusch

music theorist · 1667–1752

German composer (1667–1752)

Stuart J. Russell

artificial intelligence researcher · b. 1962

British computer scientist (1962-)

James Maynard

mathematician · b. 1987

British mathematician

R.F. Kuang

novelist · b. 1996

Chinese-American writer

Lucy Burns

feminist · 1879–1966

American suffragist (1879-1966)

A. C. Grayling

philosopher · b. 1949

English philosopher

Carole Pateman

women's rights activist · b. 1940

British feminist, academic political theorist

Nicholas Stern, Baron Stern of Brentford

university teacher · b. 1946

British economist and academic (born 1946)

Roy Harrod

economist · 1900–1978

English economist (1900–1978)

Sadiq al-Mahdi

politician · 1935–2020

Prime Minister of Sudan (1966–1967, 1986–1989)

Samuel Daniel

playwright · 1563–1619

Poet and historian

David Szalay

novelist · b. 1974

Canadian-born Hungarian-British writer (born 1974)

Anita Anand

law professor · b. 1967

Canadian politician and professor (born 1967)

Henry Nicholas Ridley

scientific collector · 1855–1956

English botanist and geologist (1855–1956)

John Obadiah Westwood

scientific collector · 1805–1893

English entomologist and archaeologist (1805-1893)

José Padilha

manufacturer · b. 1967

Brazilian film director

Caryl Churchill

translator · b. 1938

British dramatist

John Addington Symonds

literary critic · 1840–1893

British poet, literary critic and cultural historian (1840–1893)