Edinburgh, United Kingdom
The University of Edinburgh Alumni
International Students
44
% of international students in the university
21588
Total International Students in the university
A historic and prestigious university in Scotland, the University of Edinburgh has educated a remarkable array of world leaders, scientists, writers, and innovators. Here's a roundup of some of its most notable alumni.
Alumni Name |
Notable Achievement / Famous For |
Degree |
Graduating Year |
---|---|---|---|
Charles Darwin |
Father of evolutionary theory |
MA |
1831 |
Alexander Graham Bell |
Inventor of the telephone |
BA |
1865 |
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle |
Creator of Sherlock Holmes |
MBChB |
1881 |
Gordon Brown |
Former Prime Minister of the UK |
PhD |
1982 |
Piers Sellers |
NASA astronaut and climate scientist |
BSc |
1978 |
Katherine Grainger |
Olympic gold medalist rower |
PhD |
2013 |
Chris Hoy |
Six-time Olympic gold medalist cyclist |
BSc |
1999 |
David Hume |
Influential philosopher and economist |
MA |
1726 |
James Clerk Maxwell |
Theorist of electromagnetism |
MA |
1854 |
Joseph Black |
Discoverer of carbon dioxide, foundational figure in chemistry |
MA |
1754 |
Sir Walter Scott |
Novelist and poet (Ivanhoe, Rob Roy) |
MA |
1786 |
Dario Fo |
Nobel Prize-winning Italian playwright |
N/A |
Honorary |
Sir Michael Atiyah |
Mathematician, Fields Medalist |
MA |
1947 |
Ian Charleson |
Actor (Chariots of Fire, Gandhi) |
MA |
1970 |
Alistair Moffat |
Historian, writer, TV executive |
MA |
1972 |
Joanna Cherry |
Scottish MP and legal expert |
LLB |
1986 |
Laura Kuenssberg |
BBC Political Editor |
MA |
1998 |
J.K. Rowling |
Harry Potter author (Honorary Degree) |
N/A |
Honorary (2004) |
Ncuti Gatwa |
Actor (Sex Education, Doctor Who) |
BA |
2013 |
Tony Blair |
Former UK Prime Minister (studied briefly before transferring) |
N/A |
N/A |
Alexander McCall Smith |
Author of The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency |
PhD |
1981 |
Iain Glen |
Actor (Game of Thrones) |
BA |
1985 |
Sir Ian Wilmut |
Lead scientist in cloning Dolly the sheep |
PhD |
1971 |
Neil MacGregor |
Former Director of the British Museum |
MA |
1967 |
Sigrid Rausing |
Philanthropist and publisher |
PhD |
1993 |
A.C. Grayling |
Philosopher, author, public intellectual |
MA |
1975 |
David Mitchell |
Author of Cloud Atlas |
MA |
1994 |
Andrew Greig |
Scottish poet and novelist |
MA |
1974 |
Tilda Swinton |
Academy Award-winning actress |
MA |
1983 |
Robert Sibbald |
Founder of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh |
MD |
1660 |
Students
The University of Edinburgh admitted student profiles
316
101
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