List of prime ministers of the United Kingdom by education

A list of prime ministers of the United Kingdom and the educational institutions they attended. , of the 59 prime ministers to date, 31 were educated at the University of Oxford (including 13 at Christ Church), and 15 at the University of Cambridge (including six at Trinity College), including the incumbent, Andy Burnham. 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 at the University of Leeds. John Major was (as of ) the only one of the ten living prime ministers who did not attend university after leaving secondary education. A number of the prime ministers who attended university never graduated.

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. Twelve 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

Prime Minister Term of office School University Degree Professional training Walpole, RobertRobert Walpole – Eton College Cambridge (King's Coll.) 1696–98, did not graduate (LL.D. 1728) Compton, SpencerSpencer ComptonEarl of Wilmington – St Paul's School Oxford (Trinity Coll.) 1690–?, did not graduate (D.C.L. 1730) Inns of Court: Middle TemplePelham, HenryHenry Pelham–Westminster School Cambridge (King's Coll.) 1709–10 Oxford (Hart Hall) 1710–?, did not graduate Pelham-Holles, ThomasThomas Pelham-HollesDuke of Newcastle –– Westminster School Cambridge (Clare Coll.) 1710–?, did not graduate (LL.D. 1728) Cavendish, WilliamWilliam CavendishDuke of Devonshire – —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." — — Stuart, JohnJohn StuartEarl of Bute–Eton College Groningen University Civil law1730–32 Leiden University Civil law1732–34, graduated 1734 Grenville, GeorgeGeorge Grenville – Eton College Oxford (Christ Church) 1730–?, did not graduate Inns of Court: Inner Temple Watson-Wentworth, CharlesCharles Watson-WentworthMarquess of Rockingham – Westminster School — — 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. —Pitt, William 1William Pitt the ElderEarl of Chatham–Eton College Oxford (Trinity Coll.) 1727–28, did not graduate Utrecht University 1728 FitzRoy, AugustusAugustus FitzRoyDuke of Grafton – Westminster School Cambridge (Peterhouse) 1751–53, M.A. 1753North, FrederickFrederick NorthLord North–Eton College Oxford (Trinity Coll.) 1749–50, M.A. 1750 Leipzig University 1751–52 Petty, WilliamWilliam Petty (FitzMaurice)Earl of Shelburne – —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." Oxford (Christ Church) 1755–57, did not graduate Cavendish-Bentinck, WilliamWilliam Cavendish-BentinckDuke of Portland – Westminster School Oxford (Christ Church) 1755–57, M.A. 1757 Pitt, William 2William Pitt the Younger –– —Pitt the Younger was tutored at home, until entering Cambridge a month before turning 14. Cambridge (Pembroke Coll.) 1773–76, M.A. 1776 Addington, HenryHenry Addington – Winchester College Oxford (Brasenose Coll.) 1774–78, B.A. 1778 (M.A. 1780) Inns of Court: Lincoln's Inn Grenville, WilliamWilliam GrenvilleLord Grenville – Eton College Oxford (Christ Church) 1776–80, B.A. 1780 Inns of Court: Lincoln's Inn Perceval, SpencerSpencer Perceval – Harrow School Cambridge (Trinity Coll.) 1780–82, M.A. 1782 Inns of Court: Lincoln's Inn Jenkinson, RobertRobert JenkinsonEarl of Liverpool – Charterhouse School Oxford (Christ Church) 1787–90, M.A. 1790 Canning, GeorgeGeorge Canning Eton College Oxford (Christ Church) 1787–91, B.A. 1791 (M.A. 1794) Robinson, Frederick JohnFrederick J. RobinsonViscount Goderich – Harrow School Cambridge (St John's Coll.) 1799–1802, M.A. 1802 Wellesley, ArthurArthur WellesleyDuke of Wellington – Eton College — — French Royal Academy of Equitation, Angers Grey, CharlesCharles GreyEarl Grey – Eton College Cambridge (Trinity Coll.) 1781–83, did not graduateLamb, WilliamWilliam LambViscount Melbourne –Eton College Cambridge (Trinity Coll.) 1796–99, M.A. 1799Inns of Court: Lincoln's Inn Glasgow University Resident pupil of Prof. John Millar1799–1801 Peel, RobertRobert Peel –– Harrow School Oxford (Christ Church) Classics and Mathematics1805–08, B.A. 1808 (M.A. 1814) Inns of Court: Lincoln's Inn Russell, JohnJohn RussellEarl Russell –– Westminster School Edinburgh University Resident pupil of Prof. John Playfair1809–12 Smith-Stanley, EdwardEdward Smith-StanleyEarl of Derby –– Eton College Oxford (Christ Church) Classics1817–20, did not graduate Hamilton-Gordon, GeorgeGeorge Hamilton-GordonEarl of Aberdeen – Harrow School Cambridge (St John's Coll.) 1800–04, M.A. 1804Temple, Henry JohnHenry John TempleViscount Palmerston––Harrow School Edinburgh University Resident pupil of Prof. Dugald Stewart1800–03 Cambridge (St John's Coll.) 1803–06, M.A. 1806 Disraeli, BenjaminBenjamin DisraeliEarl of Beaconsfield – Dr Cogan's School, Walthamstow — — Inns of Court: Lincoln's Inn Gladstone, WilliamWilliam Ewart Gladstone –– – Eton College Oxford (Christ Church) Classics and Mathematics1828–32: B.A. 1832 (M.A. 1834) Inns of Court: Lincoln's Inn Gascoyne-Cecil, RobertRobert Gascoyne-CecilMarquess of Salisbury ––– Eton College Oxford (Christ Church) Mathematics1847–50, B.A. 1850 (M.A. 1853),Fellow of All Souls Coll. 1853 Inns of Court: Lincoln's Inn Primrose, ArchibaldArchibald PrimroseEarl of Rosebery – Eton College Oxford (Christ Church) 1866–68, did not graduate Balfour, ArthurArthur Balfour – Eton College Cambridge (Trinity Coll.) Moral Sciences1866–70, B.A. 1870 (M.A. 1874)Campbell-Bannerman, HenryHenry Campbell-Bannerman–High School of Glasgow Glasgow University Greek and Logic1851–53 Cambridge (Trinity Coll.) Classics1854–58, B.A. 1858 (M.A. 1861) Asquith, Herbert HenryH. H. Asquith – City of London School Oxford (Balliol Coll.) Classics1870–74, B.A. 1874, Fellow 1874–82 Inns of Court: Lincoln's Inn Lloyd George, DavidDavid Lloyd George – Llanystumdwy National School — — Solicitor Law, BonarBonar Law – High School of Glasgow Glasgow University Extramural student1879–80Baldwin, StanleyStanley Baldwin–––Harrow School Cambridge (Trinity Coll.) History1885–88, B.A. 1888 (M.A. 1892) Mason College Metallurgy Macdonald, RamsayRamsay MacDonald – Drainie Parish School Birkbeck Literary and Scientific Institution Extramural student1886–87 Chamberlain, NevilleNeville Chamberlain – Rugby School Mason College Metallurgy1887–89 Churchill, WinstonWinston Churchill –– Harrow School — — RMC Sandhurst Attlee, ClementClement Attlee – Haileybury College Oxford (University Coll.) Modern History1901–04, B.A. 1904 (M.A.) Inns of Court: Inner Temple Eden, AnthonyAnthony Eden – Eton College Oxford (Christ Church) Persian and Arabic1919–22, B.A. 1922 (M.A.) Macmillan, HaroldHarold Macmillan – Eton College Oxford (Balliol Coll.) Classics1912–14, did not graduate Douglas-Home, AlecAlec Douglas-HomeEarl of Home – Eton College Oxford (Christ Church) Modern History1922–25, B.A. 1925 (M.A.) Wilson, HaroldHarold Wilson –– Royds Hall Grammar School;Wirral Grammar School for Boys Oxford (Jesus Coll.) PPE (transferred from Modern History)1934–37, B.A. 1937 (M.A.)Fellow of University Coll. 1938–45 Heath, EdwardEdward Heath – Chatham House Grammar School Oxford (Balliol Coll.) PPE1935–39, B.A. 1939 (M.A.) Callaghan, JamesJames Callaghan – Northern Secondary School, Portsmouth — — Civil Service: Inland Revenue Thatcher, MargaretMargaret Thatcher – Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School Oxford (Somerville Coll.) Chemistry1943–47, B.A. 1947 (M.A. 1950) Inns of Court: Lincoln's Inn Major, JohnJohn Major – Rutlish School — — Correspondence course in banking Blair, TonyTony Blair – Fettes College Oxford (St John's Coll.) Law1972–75, B.A. 1975 (M.A.) Inns of Court: Lincoln's Inn Brown, GordonGordon Brown – Kirkcaldy High School Edinburgh University History1967–82, M.A. 1972, Ph.D. 1982,University Rector 1972–75 Cameron, DavidDavid Cameron – Eton College Oxford (Brasenose Coll.) PPE1985–88, B.A. 1988 (M.A.) May, TheresaTheresa May – Holton Park Girls' Grammar School Oxford (St Hugh's Coll.) Geography1974–77, B.A. 1977 (M.A.) Johnson, BorisBoris Johnson – Eton College Oxford (Balliol Coll.) Classics1983–87, B.A. 1987 (M.A.) Truss, LizLiz Truss Roundhay School Oxford (Merton Coll.) PPE1993–96, B.A.Rishi Sunak–Winchester College Oxford (Lincoln Coll.) PPE1998–2001, B.A. Stanford University Business administration2004–06, M.B.A. 2006Keir Starmer–Reigate Grammar School Leeds University Law1982–85, LL.B. 1985Inns of Court: Middle Temple Oxford (St Edmund Hall) Law1985–86, B.C.L. 1986 Burnham, AndyAndy Burnham –present St Aelred's Catholic High School Cambridge (Fitzwilliam Coll.) English literature1988–91, B.A. 1991 Prime Minister Term of office School University Degree Professional training

University offices held Chancellor The following prime ministers served as chancellor of their university:

Cambridge: Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle (1748–1768) Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton (1768–1811) Arthur Balfour, 1st Earl Balfour (1919–1930) Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley (1930–1947)

Oxford: Frederick North, Lord North (1772–1792) William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland (1792–1809) William Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville (1809–1834) Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby (1852–1869) Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury (1869–1903) Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton (1960–1986)

Member of Parliament The following prime ministers served as MP for the university constituency for their university:

Cambridge: William Pitt the Younger (1784–1806) Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston (1811–1831)

Oxford: Robert Peel (1817–1829) William Ewart Gladstone (1847–1865)

See also List of presidents of the United States by education List of prime ministers of Australia by education List of prime ministers of Canada by academic degrees List of presidents of the Philippines by education List of first ministers of Scotland by education

References