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Which famous people who went to Oxford? It’s actually a long list! Do you know that Oxford has raised over 55 Nobel Prize Winners and 28 British Prime Ministers since its founding?
If you’re a student attending our Oxford summer schools, then who knows? Maybe you’ll be the next on this list!
It’s the oldest university in the UK, and it sure has shaped the history of the world through its illustrious alumni. In this article, you’ll encounter just some of the famous people who went to Oxford.
C.S. Lewis – Writer and Scholar
If you’ve read or watched the famous children’s fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia, then you’d know who C.S. Lewis is! C.S. Lewis (Clive Staples Lewis) was born in Ireland on November 29, 1898. He’s one of the most famous people who went to Oxford and authored over 40 books in his lifetime, most of which revolve around Christian Apologetics.
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After serving France in World War I, C.S. Lewis began his studies in Oxford. There, he showed his academic prowess, achieving first-class honours in his various Classics subjects.
From 1954 to 1963, he taught at Magdalen College, Oxford, which is one of the many colleges at Oxford University.
In the Chronicles of Narnia series, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe are the most popular. His other notable works include Out of the Silent Planet, That Hideous Strength, and The Screwtape Letters.
J.R.R. Tolkien – Author and Academic
There is little doubt that you’ve read or watched the legendary Lord of the Rings trilogy, or if you were shorter on time, The Hobbit. The man responsible for writing them is J.R.R. Tolkien (John Ronald Reuel Tolkien), born in South Africa on January 3, 1892.
World War I broke out while J.R.R. Tolkien took English Literature at Oxford University. After finishing his education, he served in what is known as one of the oldest units in the British Army – Oxford University Officers’ Training Corps.
It was during his service that he began to write. His experience in war was a significant influence in his writings. He was shedding light on human greed amidst great suffering through his poetry.
After the war, he went back to the University of Oxford. He served as a professor until his retirement in 1959.
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Theresa May – Former British Prime Minister
Theresa May (Theresa Mary May) is the second female UK Prime Minister in history. She also served as the Leader of the Conservative Party from 2016 to 2019.
Theresa was born in Sussex, England, on October 1, 1956. In 1977, she earned her B.A. in Geography at St. Hugh’s College at the University of Oxford. After graduation, she began working at the Bank of England for the next few years. Her political career began in earnest when she was elected as Member of Parliament for Maidenhead in 1997.
Theresa May is one of the famous people who went to Oxford who has achieved national fame more recently. During her time in office, she focused on economic policies aimed at reducing national debt and increasing employment. Her premiership, however, was largely defined by the challenges of the Brexit process, and she is often associated with the phrase, “Brexit means Brexit, and we are going to make a success of it.”
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Bill Clinton – Former President of the United States
Bill Clinton (William Jefferson “Bill” Clinton) is most widely known as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993-2001. He was born in Arkansas on August 29, 1946. As president, he led his country through “the longest economic expansion in its history.”
President Bill Clinton entered the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. There, he established relationships with several students who later became members of his administration. After his presidency, President Clinton founded the William J Clinton Foundation to boost global health and world economies.
President Clinton was the third-youngest president in the history of the U.S., and he left the office with the presidential approval rating of any American president since World War II.
Helen Fielding – English Author and Screenwriter
Helen Fielding won the British Book of the Year award for her novel Bridget Jones’s Diary and is arguably one of the most beloved famous people who went to Oxford. The massive success of her book made her well-loved by her readers. On February 19, 1958, she was born at Morley, West Yorkshire.
Helen graduated from St. Anne’s College, Oxford, with a Major degree in English. She started her career working for BBC’s news magazine called Nationwide in 1979. Eventually, she wrote her first novel Cause Celeb.
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In 1997, she published Bridget Jones’s Diary in paperback, instantly becoming a best-selling novel. She released the sequel for the book Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason two years later. She wrote the screenplay for their film adaptations in both stories, starring prominent stars Colin Firth, Renée Zellweger, and Hugh Grant.
Hugh Grant – Actor
Hugh Grant (Hugh John Mungo Grant) is famous for his leading roles in romantic comedy shows, one of which is Bridget Jones’s Diary. He was born on September 9, 1960, in London, England. What brought him into the raving hearts of the public was his endearing performance in Four Weddings and a Funeral in 1994, as a result of which he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor.
Hugh first tested the waters of acting during his senior year at the University of Oxford, where he studied English Literature. He first appeared in a student film, Privileged. Afterwards, he joined the Oxford University Dramatic Society.
His other awards include the 5th Empire Awards for Best British Actor because of his performance in Notting Hill; London Critics Circle Film Awards 2002 for ALFS Award for British Actor of the Year in About a Boy; and Evening Standard Award for Best Supporting Actor for starring in Paddington 2.
Lord Howard Florey – Nobel Prize-Winning Pathologist
Lord Howard Florey (Howard Walter Florey) won the Nobel Prize Winner for Physiology or Medicine after isolating and purifying penicillin alongside Ernst Chain and Sir Alexander Fleming in 1945. Because of their work, penicillin became available for general clinical use.
On September 24, 1898, Lord Howard was born in Adelaide, South Australia. He studied medicine at both Adelaide and Oxford universities. He proceeded to become an Oxford professor of pathology from 1935 to 1962 and is one of the most famous people who went to Oxford.
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Aside from his Nobel Prize, he received many other honours and awards. He received the Medal of Merit of the U.S. Army, the Lister Medal of the Royal College of Surgeons, and more. He has also been appointed as President of the Royal Society since 1960.
Dorothy Hodgkin, Nobel Prize-Winning Chemist
Dorothy Hodgkin (Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin) is known for determining the molecular structure of vitamin B12 and penicillin, earning her the 1964 Nobel Prize for Chemistry. She was born in Cairo, Egypt, on May 12, 1910.
Ever since childhood, she’s had a keen interest in crystals. Despite the social norms of her time—when girls were often discouraged or outright barred from studying science alongside boys—she remained determined to pursue her passion. Her persistence led her to study chemistry at Oxford, where she eventually pioneered the use of X-ray crystallography to determine the structures of vital biochemical substances. Her early love of crystals was more than a childhood curiosity; it laid the foundation for a groundbreaking scientific career that would earn her a Nobel Prize.
Aside from her notable Nobel Prize achievement, she also became a part of the Royal Society – the UK’s national academy of sciences. She was given the distinguished title of being a member of the Order of Merit only a year later.
Stephen Hawking – Professor and Physicist
Stephen Hawking (Stephen William Hawking) is famous for his theories on the universe’s origins. He has extensive studies on exploding black holes and space-time singularities. Stephen was born on January 8, 1942, in Oxfordshire, England.
Stephen is widely known for translating complex physics into understandable prose that laypersons find entertaining. His best-selling books quickly made him a household name worldwide. The most famous of these is A Brief History of Time.
He garnered several accolades while living with a degenerative condition called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Stephen was awarded the Copley Medal in 2006 by the Royal Society of London. It’s the highest scientific award in the UK. No wonder he’s one of the most famous people who went to Oxford!
He was also given the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009, selected by the President of the United States himself for having made an “especially meritorious contribution to the national interest of the United States.” Stephen died at the age of 76, on March 14, 2018.
Indira Gandhi – First Female Prime Minister of India
Indira Gandhi was born in Allahabad, India, on November 19, 1917, and made history as India’s first and only female Prime Minister. She’s widely regarded as one of the most powerful political figures in modern Indian history.
Indira studied at Somerville College, Oxford, where she read history. While she didn’t complete her degree due to illness, her time at Oxford shaped her political thinking and exposed her to international affairs.
She rose to become Prime Minister in 1966, steering India through major events such as the Bangladesh Liberation War and a state of emergency in the 1970s. Her bold leadership, global presence, and enduring influence secure her spot as one of the famous people who went to Oxford. Today, she remains a symbol of both controversy and strength, and certainly one of the most famous people who went to Oxford.
Oscar Wilde – Playwright and Poet
Oscar Wilde (Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde) was born in Dublin on October 16, 1854, and is renowned for his razor-sharp wit and enduring literary works. His most famous play, The Importance of Being Earnest, is still performed around the world.
He studied at Magdalen College, Oxford, where he quickly stood out for both his academic brilliance and flamboyant style. He won the Newdigate Prize for poetry and became deeply involved in the aesthetic movement.
Oscar Wilde’s legacy as one of the most dazzling figures in literature easily makes him one of the most famous people who went to Oxford. Even today, his quotes, plays, and lifestyle are widely discussed—he’s among the most influential and famous people who went to Oxford from the 19th century.
Imran Khan – Former Prime Minister of Pakistan and Cricket Star
Imran Khan (Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi) was born in Lahore, Pakistan, on October 5, 1952. He’s best known for two things: leading Pakistan’s national cricket team to a World Cup victory in 1992 and serving as the country’s Prime Minister from 2018 to 2022.
Imran studied Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) at Keble College, Oxford, graduating in 1975. His Oxford years helped shape his political awareness and leadership qualities.
From international sport to national politics, Imran has had a rare dual legacy. He’s undoubtedly one of the most famous people who went to Oxford, admired for both his athletic and political careers. Few famous people who went to Oxford have straddled such different worlds quite as successfully.
T.S. Eliot – Poet and Critic
T.S. Eliot (Thomas Stearns Eliot) was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on September 26, 1888. He’s one of the giants of 20th-century poetry, known for works like The Waste Land and Four Quartets.
Although originally American, Eliot studied at Merton College, Oxford, as part of a graduate fellowship. It was during his time in England that he immersed himself in European philosophy, literature, and religion—elements that shaped his later writing.
He went on to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1948 and became a British citizen. As both a poet and critic, Eliot holds a unique place among famous people who went to Oxford. His work helped define an era, and he remains one of the most intellectually influential famous people who went to Oxford.
Malala Yousafzai – Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Activist
Malala Yousafzai was born on July 12, 1997, in Mingora, Pakistan. She rose to global prominence as a teenager advocating for girls’ education after surviving an attack by the Taliban.
She later studied Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, graduating in 2020. Her time at Oxford marked a continuation of her advocacy work, including co-authoring a memoir and running the Malala Fund.
As the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize winner, Malala is a symbol of courage and resilience. Among the many famous people who went to Oxford, she represents the new generation of changemakers. It’s no wonder she’s often listed as one of the most famous people who went to Oxford – and the youngest in our list!
Rosalind Franklin – Chemist and DNA Pioneer
Rosalind Franklin was born on July 25, 1920, in London, England. She played a critical role in discovering the structure of DNA, although her contributions were largely overlooked during her lifetime.
She studied Natural Sciences at Newnham College, Cambridge, but later conducted pioneering research at Oxford’s Physical Chemistry Laboratory. Her X-ray crystallography work produced “Photograph 51,” which proved key to unlocking the DNA double helix structure.
Though not always given due credit during her life, Rosalind Franklin is now recognised as one of the most important scientists of the 20th century. Her connection to Oxford makes her one of the overlooked but no less important famous people who went to Oxford. In recent years, she has rightfully taken her place among the most inspiring famous people who went to Oxford.
Oxford’s Notable Alumni – Who’s Your Favourite?
There you have it. You’ve met some of the most famous alumni from the University of Oxford. Who knows, you may join their ranks someday! Who among the list is your favourite? Why?
