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List of prime ministers of the United Kingdom by education

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Universities attended by British prime ministers
University Number of prime ministers
University of Oxford
31
University of Cambridge
14
University of Edinburgh
3
University of Glasgow
3
Other university in UK
4
University outside UK
5
No university
8
A bar chart of universities attended by British prime ministers.

A list of prime ministers of the United Kingdom and the educational institutions they attended. As of July 2024, of the 58 prime ministers to date, 31 were educated at the University of Oxford (including 13 at Christ Church), and 14 at the University of Cambridge (including six at Trinity College). Three attended the University of Edinburgh, three the University of Glasgow, two Mason Science College, a predecessor institution of the University of Birmingham, and one - the incumbent prime minister Keir Starmer - the University of Leeds. John Major was (as of 2024) the last of the eight prime ministers who did not attend university after leaving secondary education. A number of the prime ministers who attended university never graduated. Oxford gained its 29th prime-ministerial alumnus when Liz Truss succeeded Boris Johnson in September 2022, and its 30th - and fifth consecutive - a month later in Rishi Sunak.[1] Starmer followed his undergraduate degree at Leeds with a postgraduate Bachelor of Civil Law degree at Oxford.

Twenty prime ministers were schooled at Eton College, of whom nine were educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford, including all three who held office between 1880 and 1902 (Gladstone, Salisbury, Rosebery). Seven were educated at Harrow School and six at Westminster School. Rishi Sunak was the second to be educated at Winchester College. Eleven prime ministers to date have been educated at only non-fee-paying schools; these include all five who held office between 1964 and 1997 (Wilson, Heath, Callaghan, Thatcher, Major). Theresa May was educated at both independent and grammar schools. Three did not receive (primary or secondary) school education and were homeschooled during childhood.

Sixteen Prime ministers trained as barristers at the Inns of Court, including 12 at Lincoln's Inn (although not all were called to the bar). Two (Wellington and Churchill) completed officer training at military academies.

Although William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath (in 1746) and James Waldegrave, 2nd Earl Waldegrave (in 1757) briefly attempted to form governments, neither is usually counted as prime minister. They are not listed below.

List of British prime ministers by education

[edit]
Prime Minister Term of office School University Degree Professional training
Walpole, RobertRobert Walpole 17211742 Eton College Cambridge (King's Coll.) 1696–98, did not graduate (LL.D. 1728)[2]
Compton, SpencerSpencer Compton
Earl of Wilmington
17421743 St Paul's School Oxford (Trinity Coll.) 1690–?, did not graduate (D.C.L. 1730)[3] Inns of Court: Middle Temple
Pelham, HenryHenry Pelham 17431754 Westminster School Cambridge (King's Coll.) 1709–10[4]
Oxford (Hart Hall) 1710–?, did not graduate[5]
Pelham-Holles, ThomasThomas Pelham-Holles
Duke of Newcastle
17541756
17571762
Westminster School Cambridge (Clare Coll.) 1710–?, did not graduate (LL.D. 1728)[6]
Cavendish, WilliamWilliam Cavendish
Duke of Devonshire
17561757 [7]
Stuart, JohnJohn Stuart
Earl of Bute
17621763 Eton College Groningen University Civil law
1730–32[8]
Leiden University Civil law
1732–34, graduated 1734[9]
Grenville, GeorgeGeorge Grenville 17631765 Eton College Oxford (Christ Church) 1730–?, did not graduate[10] Inns of Court: Inner Temple
Watson-Wentworth, CharlesCharles Watson-Wentworth
Marquess of Rockingham
17651766
1782
Westminster School [11]
Pitt, William 1William Pitt the Elder
Earl of Chatham
17661768 Eton College Oxford (Trinity Coll.) 1727–28, did not graduate[12]
Utrecht University 1728[13]
FitzRoy, AugustusAugustus FitzRoy
Duke of Grafton
17681770 Westminster School Cambridge (Peterhouse) 1751–53, M.A. 1753[14]
North, FrederickFrederick North 17701782 Eton College Oxford (Trinity Coll.) 1749–50, M.A. 1750[15]
Leipzig University 1751–52[16][17]
Petty, WilliamWilliam Petty (FitzMaurice)
Earl of Shelburne
17821783 [18] Oxford (Christ Church) 1755–57, did not graduate[19][20]
Cavendish-Bentinck, WilliamWilliam Cavendish-Bentinck
Duke of Portland
1783
18071809
Westminster School Oxford (Christ Church) 1755–57, M.A. 1757[21]
Pitt, William 2William Pitt the Younger 17831801
18041806
[22] Cambridge (Pembroke Coll.) 1773–76, M.A. 1776[23]
Addington, HenryHenry Addington 18011804 Winchester College Oxford (Brasenose Coll.) 1774–78, B.A. 1778 (M.A. 1780)[24] Inns of Court: Lincoln's Inn
Grenville, WilliamWilliam Grenville
Lord Grenville
18061807 Eton College Oxford (Christ Church) 1776–80, B.A. 1780[25] Inns of Court: Lincoln's Inn
Perceval, SpencerSpencer Perceval 18091812 Harrow School Cambridge (Trinity Coll.) 1780–82, M.A. 1782[26] Inns of Court: Lincoln's Inn
Jenkinson, RobertRobert Jenkinson
Earl of Liverpool
18121827 Charterhouse School Oxford (Christ Church) 1787–90, M.A. 1790[27]
Canning, GeorgeGeorge Canning 1827 Eton College Oxford (Christ Church) 1787–91, B.A. 1791 (M.A. 1794)[28]
Robinson, Frederick JohnFrederick J. Robinson
Viscount Goderich
18271828 Harrow School Cambridge (St John's Coll.) 1799–1802, M.A. 1802[29]
Wellesley, ArthurArthur Wellesley
Duke of Wellington
18281830
1834
Eton College French Royal Academy of Equitation, Angers
Grey, CharlesCharles Grey
Earl Grey
18301834 Eton College Cambridge (Trinity Coll.) 1781–83, did not graduate[30]
Lamb, WilliamWilliam Lamb
Viscount Melbourne
1834
18351841
Eton College Cambridge (Trinity Coll.) 1796–99, M.A. 1799[31] Inns of Court: Lincoln's Inn
Glasgow University Resident pupil of Prof. John Millar
1799–1801
[32]
Peel, RobertRobert Peel 18341835
18411846
Harrow School Oxford (Christ Church) Classics and Mathematics
1805–08, B.A. 1808 (M.A. 1814)[33]
Inns of Court: Lincoln's Inn
Russell, JohnJohn Russell
Earl Russell
18461852
18651866
Westminster School Edinburgh University Resident pupil of Prof. John Playfair
1809–12
[34]
Smith-Stanley, EdwardEdward Smith-Stanley
Earl of Derby
1852
18581859
18661868
Eton College Oxford (Christ Church) Classics
1817–20, did not graduate[35][36]
Hamilton-Gordon, GeorgeGeorge Hamilton-Gordon
Earl of Aberdeen
18521855 Harrow School Cambridge (St John's Coll.) 1800–04, M.A. 1804[37]
Temple, Henry JohnHenry John Temple
Viscount Palmerston
18551858
18591865
Harrow School Edinburgh University Resident pupil of Prof. Dugald Stewart
1800–03
[38][39]
Cambridge (St John's Coll.) 1803–06, M.A. 1806[40]
Disraeli, BenjaminBenjamin Disraeli
Earl of Beaconsfield
1868
18741880
Dr Cogan's School, Walthamstow Inns of Court: Lincoln's Inn
Gladstone, WilliamWilliam Ewart Gladstone 18681874
18801885
1886
18921894
Eton College Oxford (Christ Church) Classics and Mathematics
1828–32: B.A. 1832 (M.A. 1834)[41]
Inns of Court: Lincoln's Inn
Gascoyne-Cecil, RobertRobert Gascoyne-Cecil
Marquess of Salisbury
18851886
18861892
18951902
Eton College Oxford (Christ Church) Mathematics
1847–50, B.A. 1850 (M.A. 1853),
Fellow of All Souls Coll. 1853
[42]
Inns of Court: Lincoln's Inn
Primrose, ArchibaldArchibald Primrose
Earl of Rosebery
18941895 Eton College Oxford (Christ Church) 1866–68, did not graduate[43][44]
Balfour, ArthurArthur Balfour 19021905 Eton College Cambridge (Trinity Coll.) Moral Sciences
1866–70, B.A. 1870 (M.A. 1874)[45]
Campbell-Bannerman, HenryHenry Campbell-Bannerman 19051908 High School of Glasgow Glasgow University Greek and Logic
1851–53[46]
Cambridge (Trinity Coll.) Classics
1854–58, B.A. 1858 (M.A. 1861)[47]
Asquith, Herbert HenryH. H. Asquith 19081916 City of London School Oxford (Balliol Coll.) Classics
1870–74, B.A. 1874, Fellow 1874–82[48]
Inns of Court: Lincoln's Inn
Lloyd George, DavidDavid Lloyd George 19161922 Llanystumdwy National School Solicitor
Law, BonarBonar Law 19221923 High School of Glasgow Glasgow University Extramural student
1879–80[49]
Baldwin, StanleyStanley Baldwin 19231924
19241929
19351937
Harrow School Cambridge (Trinity Coll.) History
1885–88, B.A. 1888 (M.A. 1892)[50]
Mason College Metallurgy
Macdonald, RamsayRamsay MacDonald 1924
19291935
Drainie Parish School Birkbeck Literary and Scientific Institution Extramural student
1886–87[51][52]
Chamberlain, NevilleNeville Chamberlain 19371940 Rugby School Mason College Metallurgy
1887–89[53]
Churchill, WinstonWinston Churchill 19401945
19511955
Harrow School RMC Sandhurst
Attlee, ClementClement Attlee 19451951 Haileybury College Oxford (University Coll.) Modern History
1901–04, B.A. 1904 (M.A.)[54]
Inns of Court: Inner Temple
Eden, AnthonyAnthony Eden 19551957 Eton College Oxford (Christ Church) Persian and Arabic
1919–22, B.A. 1922 (M.A.)
Macmillan, HaroldHarold Macmillan 19571963 Eton College Oxford (Balliol Coll.) Classics
1912–14, did not graduate
Douglas-Home, AlecAlec Douglas-Home
Earl of Home
19631964 Eton College Oxford (Christ Church) Modern History
1922–25, B.A. 1925 (M.A.)
Wilson, HaroldHarold Wilson 19641970
19741976
Royds Hall Grammar School;
Wirral Grammar School for Boys
Oxford (Jesus Coll.) PPE (transferred from Modern History)[55]
1934–37, B.A. 1937 (M.A.)
Fellow of University Coll. 1938–45
[56]
Heath, EdwardEdward Heath 19701974 Chatham House Grammar School Oxford (Balliol Coll.) PPE
1935–39, B.A. 1939 (M.A.)
Callaghan, JamesJames Callaghan 19761979 Northern Secondary School, Portsmouth Civil Service: Inland Revenue
Thatcher, MargaretMargaret Thatcher 19791990 Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School Oxford (Somerville Coll.) Chemistry
1943–47, B.A. 1947 (M.A. 1950)
Inns of Court: Lincoln's Inn
Major, JohnJohn Major 19901997 Rutlish School Correspondence course in banking
Blair, TonyTony Blair 19972007 Fettes College Oxford (St John's Coll.) Law
1972–75, B.A. 1975 (M.A.)
Inns of Court: Lincoln's Inn
Brown, GordonGordon Brown 20072010 Kirkcaldy High School Edinburgh University History
1967–82, M.A. 1972, Ph.D. 1982,[57]
University Rector 1972–75[58]
Cameron, DavidDavid Cameron 20102016 Eton College Oxford (Brasenose Coll.) PPE
1985–88, B.A. 1988 (M.A.)
May, TheresaTheresa May 20162019 Holton Park Girls' Grammar School Oxford (St Hugh's Coll.) Geography
1974–77, B.A. 1977 (M.A.)
Johnson, BorisBoris Johnson 20192022 Eton College Oxford (Balliol Coll.) Classics
1983–87, B.A. 1987 (M.A.)
Truss, LizLiz Truss 2022 Roundhay School Oxford (Merton Coll.) PPE
1993–96, B.A.
Rishi Sunak 20222024 Winchester College Oxford (Lincoln Coll.) PPE
1998–2001, B.A.
Stanford University Business administration
2004–06, M.B.A. 2006[59]
Keir Starmer 2024–present Reigate Grammar School Leeds University Law
1982–85, LL.B. 1985
Inns of Court: Middle Temple
Oxford (St Edmund Hall) Law
1985–86, B.C.L. 1986
Prime Minister Term of office School University Degree Professional training

University offices held

[edit]

Chancellor

[edit]

The following Prime Ministers served as Chancellor of their university:

Cambridge:

Oxford:

Member of Parliament

[edit]

The following Prime Ministers served as MP for the university constituency for their university:

Cambridge:

Oxford:

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Rishi Sunak set to be PM as penny Mordaunt drops out of leadership race". BBC News. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  2. ^ "Walpole, Robert (WLPL695R)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
  3. ^ Foster, Joseph (1888–1892). "Compton, Spencer" . Alumni Oxonienses: the Members of the University of Oxford, 1715–1886. Oxford: Parker and Co – via Wikisource.
  4. ^ "Pelham, Henry (PLHN709H)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
  5. ^ Foster, Joseph (1888–1892). "Pelham, Henry (2)" . Alumni Oxonienses: the Members of the University of Oxford, 1500–1714. Oxford: Parker and Co – via Wikisource.
  6. ^ "Pelham, Thomas (PLHN709T)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
  7. ^ Thompson, Andrew, History of Government: William Cavendish Duke of Devonshire: "Initially educated at home by tutors, he, like many young aristocrats of the period, completed his education by undertaking the Grand Tour to France and Italy."
  8. ^ "Schotse oud-student werd premier van Engeland". Groninger Gezinsbode (in Dutch). 15 November 2012. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  9. ^ Gillan, Caroline (2018). Lord Bute and eighteenth-century science and patronage. NUI Galway: PhD Theses (Thesis). NUI Galway. p. 44. Retrieved 29 June 2019. He left Eton College in 1730, and subsequently travelled to the Netherlands where he too pursued civil law, first attending Groningen University, before moving to Leiden University in 1732. After spending two years in Leiden, Bute left in March 1734 with a degree in civil law.
  10. ^ Foster, Joseph (1888–1892). "Grenville, George" . Alumni Oxonienses: the Members of the University of Oxford, 1715–1886. Oxford: Parker and Co – via Wikisource.
  11. ^ Rigg, J. M. (1899). "Watson-Wentworth, Charles" . In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 60. London: Smith, Elder & Co. — has Rockingham attending St John's College, Cambridge. However, there is no mention of him in Alumni Cantabrigienses, and the DNB is not followed in this detail by the Oxford DNB.
  12. ^ Foster, Joseph (1888–1892). "Pitt, William (1)" . Alumni Oxonienses: the Members of the University of Oxford, 1715–1886. Oxford: Parker and Co – via Wikisource.
  13. ^ Williams, Basil (2014-01-14). The Life of William Pitt, Earl of Chatham. Vol. 1. Routledge. p. 39. ISBN 978-1-136-62559-6. Retrieved 27 June 2019. In the following year [1728] he went to Utrecht, where he probably acquired the knowledge he afterwards displayed of Grotius and other writers on international law and diplomacy. How long he studied at Utrecht is not known; he was certainly there during the first quarter of 1728, in company with his cousin Lord Villiers and Lord Buchan and two other Erskines.
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  18. ^ Bloy, Dr Marjorie, A Web of English History: "He appears not to have had much education: in his autobiography, he noted, "From the time I was four years old till I was fourteen, my education was neglected to the greatest degree". He was sent to an ordinary school and then was taught by a tutor until he went to Christ Church, Oxford in 1755."
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  21. ^ Foster, Joseph. "Bentinck, William Henry Cavendish, Marquis of Titchfield (1)" . Alumni Oxonienses  – via Wikisource.
  22. ^ Pitt the Younger was tutored at home, until entering Cambridge a month before turning 14.
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  28. ^ Foster, Joseph. "Canning, George (1)" . Alumni Oxonienses  – via Wikisource.
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  30. ^ "Grey, Charles (GRY781C)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
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