20 Famous Oxford Alumni Who Changed the World  

20 Famous Oxford Alumni Who Changed the World  

Oxford University’s famous alumni make it an inspirational location for a summer school. Many famous names studied there, from key individuals on the world political stage, to iconic literary figures and familiar faces from the silver screen.

Whether you’re walking under 19th-century buildings or past lamp-lit colleges at night, to visit Oxford is to feel part of history and to study there is to follow in the footsteps of many who have had a profound impact on the world.

With so many famous Oxonians to choose from, let’s take a look at 20 famous Oxford alumni who have helped build the iconic reputation of the university into what it is today.

World Leaders and Politicians  

A significant reason why Oxford University is considered among the most prestigious universities in the world is that 28 British Prime Ministers and over 30 international leaders have studied there. This has formed a definite association between the colleges of Oxford and corridors of power.

As well as Harvard University, Oxford is also a popular choice to start a political career, as is Columbia University where President Obama graduated. Famous Oxford alumni from the political sphere include:

• Bill Clinton: Bill Clinton, the former US President, studied at University College as a Rhodes scholar, majoring in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics.

• Tony Blair: Former British Prime Minister, studied Law at St John’s College.

• Margaret Thatcher: Margaret Thatcher, the UK’s first female Prime Minister, studied Chemistry at Somerville College.

• Malala Yousafzai: Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate, attended Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford. She studied Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE). 

• Benazir Bhutto: Benazir Bhutto, former Prime Minister of Pakistan, studied at Lady Margaret Hall. She became the first female leader of her country.

• Boris Johnson: Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson studied Classics at Balliol College.

• Indira Gandhi: Former Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi studied History at Oxford.

King Abdullah II of Jordan: King Abdullah II of Jordan attended Oxford for a one-year Special Studies course in International Politics and World Affairs.

If you have ever dreamt about feeling part of history in one of the most celebrated academic cities in the world, then you too can follow in the footsteps of world leaders and even sample the very same subjects at Oxford College. We have courses in Law and Politics & Economics where you can be part of inspirational courses as part of your own preparation for your own extraordinary future. Discover Oxford Summer School.

Famous Scientists 

As well as politics, Oxford has also long been a hub for groundbreaking scientific research. Notable scientific Oxford graduates include:

• Tim Berners Lee: Tim Berners Lee is a fellow physicist who graduated from the University of Oxford with a first-class degree in Physics in 1976, before going on to invent the world wide web in 1989. 

• William of Ockham: William of Ockham was an English Franciscan philosopher who challenged scholasticism and the papacy. He went on to become a philosopher best known for Ockham’s razor, which is the notion that: It is vain to do with more what can be done with less.

• Stephen Hawking: Stephen Hawking was a theoretical physicist known for his groundbreaking work on black holes and the nature of the universe. While he is more commonly associated with Cambridge University, where he spent much of his academic career, Hawking began his undergraduate studies at University College, Oxford, before moving to Cambridge for his graduate studies.

• Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin: Dorothy Hodgkin was a British chemist who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1964 for her pioneering work on the structure of important biochemical substances using X-ray crystallography. She studied at Somerville College, Oxford, and her research laid the foundation for understanding the structures of complex molecules like penicillin and vitamin B12.

Aside from these famous graduates, Oxford also has a link with perhaps the iconic scientists of all: Albert Einstein. From 1931 to 1933, Einstein visited Oxford three times, delivering lectures on cosmology and the importance of academic freedom. 

On many of our Science courses, you too will have the chance to sample university-style lectures, get to engage and challenge ideas, and have the opportunity to present unique ideas of your own in our exciting Time to Shine projects.

Famous Computer Scientists 

Although Oxford University has plenty of historic tradition, it continues to inspire the latest innovations and developments in technology. To this day, a number of famous Oxford graduates continue to make their name in Computer Science. They include:

Joy Adowaa Buolamwini: Joy Buolamwini is a computer scientist and digital activist known for her work on algorithmic bias and facial recognition technology. She studied at Jesus College, and founded the Algorithmic Justice League to address the social implications of artificial intelligence.

Famous Entrepreneurs 

Famous Oxford alumni also include a range of entrepreneurs, who have cut their teeth within the hallowed walls of the University. One of these budding businessmen and businesswomen includes:

• Martha Lane Fox: Martha Lane Fox is a British entrepreneur and philanthropist who co-founded Lastminute.com during the dot-com boom. She has since been involved in various business ventures and charitable initiatives.

Martha studied at Magdalen college; and her and Buolamwini’s journey would have started using the very same twenty-first century skills that you can develop in our Time to Shine projects in our very own Business course.

Famous Writers and Editors  

Allied to the famous Oxford alumni we have explored so far, the University has also hosted its fair share of writers and editors. These include:

• Oscar Wilde: Over a hundred years ago, a certain intellectual and poet named Oscar Wilde also studied at Magdalen College at Oxford. When Wilde looked back on his life after he had become the toast of English society for his essays and his only novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, he said, ‘the two great turning points in my life were when my father sent me to Oxford, and when society sent me to prison.’

• J.R.R. Tolkien: Another literary great who needs little in the way of introduction is J R R Tolkien, who attended Oxford and was in the middle of his studies in English Literature at Exeter College when the First World War broke out. He was able to defer enlisting until his degree was finished, when he joined the Oxford University Officers Training Corps.

Famous Actors

Many familiar names from the world of film at some point developed their acting skills at the Oxford University Dramatic Society. Just some of these notable names include: 

• Hugh Grant: The esteemed actor Hugh Grant, notable for performances in Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill, attended New College and studied English Literature. 

• Emma Watson: Emma Watson, of Harry Potter fame, also read English Literature at Brown University and later had a year in Oxford at Worcester College. Interestingly, Emma Watson actually did much of her schooling in Oxford, where she attended Headington Independent School for Girls, which is also on our roster of summer school locations.

• Rowan Atkinson: The actor Rowan Atkinson, who you might know more commonly as the world famous comedy act Mr. Bean, did a Masters in Electrical Engineering at The Queen’s College but he didn’t complete it, as he had already started working at the BBC.

If you too would like to learn more about what an Engineering Degree is like before beginning your journey to international stardom you can do so, with our very own Engineering programme.

Famous Economists 

Last but not least, the colleges of Oxford have also helped many economists on the way to shaping the world of finance. Perhaps the most notable of these famous Oxford graduates is regarded as one of the most influential people in economic history:

Adam Smith: If you are interested in economics then you will have certainly heard of Adam Smith, who is regarded as the father of modern economics. Author of ‘The Wealth of Nations’ Adam Smith graduated in 1740, and actually travelled on horseback to Oxford, where he stayed at Balliol College. Thankfully things are much simpler now and our helpful admissions team will help support you in your journey to Oxford.

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