{"id":15222,"date":"2023-02-20T15:25:08","date_gmt":"2023-02-20T15:25:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.summerboardingcourses.com\/?post_type=blog&#038;p=15000"},"modified":"2026-10-16T11:49:06","modified_gmt":"2026-10-16T10:49:06","slug":"famous-oxford-alumni","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.summerboardingcourses.com\/blogs\/famous-oxford-alumni\/","title":{"rendered":"Famous Oxford Alumni"},"content":{"rendered":"<section\n  class=\"block bg-white relative overflow-x-clip legacy-page-header-spacing mb-10 md:mb-16 lg:mb-24 wp-block-page-header\" id=\"famous-oxford-alumni\"\n   style=\"--block-width: var(--container-wide); --block-gutter: 91.6667%\" >\n      <div class=\"relative overflow-clip\"  style=\"padding-top: var(--wp--preset--spacing--large); padding-bottom: var(--wp--preset--spacing--large)\" >\n    <div class=\"items-center justify-center pointer-events-none absolute inset-0 z-0 flex h-full w-full -z-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n    <svg 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         <\/div>\n                              <\/div>\n\n              <div\n          class=\"page-header__media has-white-color lg:w-1\/3 relative z-0 order-1 block lg:absolute lg:right-0 lg:top-0 lg:h-full\">\n                      <img width=\"700\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.summerboardingcourses.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Oxford-radcliffe-cuilding-summer-sbc.jpg\" class=\"page-header__cutout lg:absolute lg:top-0 lg:left-0 w-full h-full object-cover object-center z-10\" alt=\"Oxford-radcliffe-cuilding-summer-sbc\" loading=\"eager\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1280px) 862px, (min-width: 1024px) 60vw, 92vw\" \/>\n            <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 444 444\" width=\"444\" height=\"444\" xmlns:v=\"https:\/\/vecta.io\/nano\" class=\"page-header__star absolute z-10 w-[35%] h-auto block bottom-0 left-1\/2 -translate-x-1\/2 translate-y-1\/2 lg:bottom-auto lg:left-0 lg:top-1\/2 lg:-translate-x-1\/2 lg:-translate-y-1\/2\">\n  <path d=\"M0 222.005c122.605 0 222 99.39 221.995 221.995 0-122.605 99.395-222 222.005-222.005-122.605 0-222-99.39-221.995-221.995 0 122.605-99.395 222-222.005 222.005z\" class=\"fill-current\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" \/>\n<\/svg>\n                  <\/div>\n          <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n    <\/section>\n\n\n<section\n  class=\"block bg-white relative wp-block-title-text\" id=\"intro\"\n   style=\"padding-top: var(--wp--preset--spacing--x-large); padding-bottom: var(--wp--preset--spacing--x-large); --block-width: var(--container-md); --block-gutter: 91.6667%\" >\n      <div class=\"relative\">\n    <div class=\"u-wrapper--medium relative z-10 flex flex-col flex-wrap justify-center\">\n                          <div\n          class=\"prose prose--content text-left  max-w-full [&#038;_a]:text-current\">\n          <p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Oxford University\u2019s famous alumni make it an inspirational location for a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.summerboardingcourses.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">summer school<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Many famous names studied there, from key individuals on the world political stage, to iconic literary figures and familiar faces from the silver screen.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Whether you\u2019re 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.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">With so many famous Oxonians to choose from, let\u2019s take a look at Oxford University\u2019s <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">famous <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">alumni who have helped build the iconic reputation of the university into what it is today.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">World Leaders and Politicians<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">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. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This has formed<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> a definite association between the colleges of Oxford and corridors of power.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As well as Harvard University, Oxford is also a popular choice to start a political career, as is Columbia University where President Obama graduated. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Famous Oxford alumni from the political sphere include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Bill Clinton<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Bill Clinton, the former US President, studied at University College as a Rhodes scholar, majoring in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Tony Blair:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Former British Prime Minister, studied Law at St John\u2019s College.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Margaret Thatcher<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Margaret Thatcher, the UK\u2019s first female Prime Minister, studied Chemistry at Somerville College.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Malala Yousafzai:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> 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).\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Benazir Bhutto<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Benazir Bhutto, former Prime Minister of Pakistan, studied at Lady Margaret Hall. She became the first female leader of her country.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Boris Johnson<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson studied Classics at Balliol College.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Indira Gandhi<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Former Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi studied History at Oxford.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>King Abdullah II of Jordan:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> King Abdullah II of Jordan attended Oxford for a one-year Special Studies course in International Politics and World Affairs.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">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 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.summerboardingcourses.com\/courses\/law-summer-school\/oxford-college\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Law<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.summerboardingcourses.com\/courses\/politics-and-economics-summer-school-courses\/politics-oxford-college\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Politics &amp; Economics<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> where you can be part of inspirational courses as part of your own preparation for your own extraordinary future. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Discover <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.summerboardingcourses.com\/oxford-summer-schools\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Oxford Summer School.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Scientists<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As well as politics, Oxford has also long been a hub for groundbreaking scientific research. Notable scientific Oxford graduates include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Tim Berners Lee:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> 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.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>William of Ockham<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: 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\u2019s razor, which is the notion that: It is vain to do with more what can be done with less.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Stephen Hawking<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: 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.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: 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.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">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.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">On many of our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.summerboardingcourses.com\/courses\/science-summer-school\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Science courses<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, 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.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Computer <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Scientists<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Although Oxford University <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">has plenty of historic tradition,<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> 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:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Joy Adowaa Buolamwini:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> 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.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Entrepreneurs<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">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:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Martha Lane Fox: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">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.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Martha studied at Magdalen college; and her and Buolamwini\u2019s 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 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.summerboardingcourses.com\/courses\/business-summer-school\/business-courses-at-oxford-college\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Business course<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Writers and Editors\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">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:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Oscar Wilde: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">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, \u2018the two great turning points in my life were when my father sent me to Oxford, and when society sent me to prison.\u2019<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>J.R.R. Tolkien<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: 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.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Actors<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">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:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Hugh Grant<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: The esteemed actor Hugh Grant, notable for performances in Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill, attended New College and studied English Literature.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Emma Watson<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: 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 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.summerboardingcourses.com\/campuses\/headington-oxford\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Headington Independent School for Girls<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, which is also on our roster of summer school locations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Rowan Atkinson<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: The actor Rowan Atkinson, who you might know more commonly as the world famous comedy act Mr. Bean, did a Masters in Electrical <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.summerboardingcourses.com\/courses\/engineering-summer-school\/engineering-summer-school-at-oxford-college\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Engineering<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> at The Queen\u2019s College but he didn\u2019t complete it, as he had already started working at the BBC.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">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 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.summerboardingcourses.com\/courses\/engineering-summer-school\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Engineering programme<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Economists<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">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:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Adam Smith<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">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 \u2018The Wealth of Nations\u2019 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 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.summerboardingcourses.com\/campuses\/oxford-college\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Oxford<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Walk in the footsteps of greatness with<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Summer Boarding Courses\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">At SBC we want to give you the opportunity of finding inspiration at the University of Oxford, by enjoying the very same surroundings of Oxford\u2019s most famous alumni. With a variety of courses from to choose from, we want you to experience what elite education at a historic location feels like on your path to defining your bright future.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As well as helping shape your unique talents by helping your essential presentation and soft skills to grow, at SBC <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.summerboardingcourses.com\/oxford-summer-schools\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Oxford Summer School<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> we want to broaden your cultural horizons by taking you on unforgettable trips to places such as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.summerboardingcourses.com\/campuses\/london-summer-schools\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">London<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.summerboardingcourses.com\/campuses\/cambridge-college\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Cambridge<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. This is<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> not forgetting our fun packed activities programme carefully planned each year to help you make wonderful new friends and have a fantastic time to tell home about.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n                <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n    <\/section>\n\n\n<section\n  class=\"block form relative overflow-hidden mt-6 md:mt-10 lg:mt-12 wp-block-form has-text-color has-navy-color has-background has-sage-background-color relative has-explicit-block-background\" id=\"form\"\n   style=\"padding-top: var(--wp--preset--spacing--large); padding-bottom: var(--wp--preset--spacing--large)\" >\n      \n    \n    \n    \n          <div class=\"block__author-background has-background has-sage-background-color\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\n        ><\/div>\n    \n    \n    <div class=\"relative z-10\"><div class=\"forms--gradient\">\n      <div class=\"forms-bg pointer-events-none absolute inset-0\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n        <span class=\"forms-bg__circle forms-bg__circle--pink\"><\/span>\n        <span class=\"forms-bg__circle forms-bg__circle--sage\"><\/span>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"mx-auto w-11\/12 max-w-lg relative isolate z-20\">\n        <div class=\"relative z-20 grid gap-7 lg:grid-cols-12\">\n          <div class=\"relative z-20 lg:col-span-4\">\n                          <h2 class=\"fs-2 text-left mb-6 font-serif md:mb-8 lg:mb-11\">\n  Enquire Today\n  <\/h2>\n            \n                          <div class=\"text-lg\">\n                <p>Our admissions experts are happy to answer any questions you have and support you in finding the perfect summer experience.<\/p>\n\n              <\/div>\n                      <\/div>\n\n          \n          <div class=\"js-hubspot-form sbc-form relative z-20 lg:col-span-7 lg:col-start-6\"\n             id=\"enquiry_form_scroll\" >\n                          \n\t\t\t\t\t\t<script>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\twindow.hsFormsOnReady = window.hsFormsOnReady || [];\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\twindow.hsFormsOnReady.push(()=>{\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\thbspt.forms.create({\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tportalId: 25708812,\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tformId: \"65ebd89d-2d04-4953-aa1d-4943d22435e5\",\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\ttarget: \"#hbspt-form-1792525605000-1750559568\",\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tregion: \"eu1\",\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t})});\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/script>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hbspt-form\" id=\"hbspt-form-1792525605000-1750559568\"><\/div>\n                      <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div><\/div>\n    <\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15222","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.7 (Yoast SEO v28.7) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>20 Famous Oxford Alumni Who Changed the World | Summer Boarding Courses<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Oxford&#039;s famous alumni make it an inspirational location for summer school. 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