prime ministers
A prime minister or a premier is the head of the cabinet
Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to:
Furniture
* Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers
* Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transpar ...
to date, 28 were educated at the University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a collegiate university, collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the List of oldest universit ...
(including 13 at Christ Church
Jesus;
he, יֵשׁוּעַ, ''Yeshua, Yēšū́aʿ''; ar, عيسى, ʿĪsā ( 4 BC AD 30 / 33), also referred to as Jesus of Nazareth or Jesus Christ, was a first-century Jews, Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the central figu ...
), and 14 at the University of Cambridge
, mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts.
Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge.
, established =
, other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Scholars of ...
(including six at Trinity CollegeTrinity College may refer to:
Australia
* Trinity Anglican College, an Anglican Church of Australia, Anglican coeducational primary and secondary school in , New South Wales
* Trinity Catholic College, Auburn, a coeducational school in the inner-we ...
). Three attended the University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals
Post-nominal letters, also called post-nominal initials, post-nominal titles, designatory letters or simply ...
, three the University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow (abbreviated as ''Glas.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals; ) is a Public university, public research university in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded by papal bull in 1451, it is the List of oldest universities in continuous ...
, and two Mason Science College
Mason Science College was a university college in Birmingham, England, and a predecessor college of Birmingham University. Founded in 1875 by industrialist and philanthropist Sir Josiah Mason, the college was incorporated into the University of B ...
, a predecessor institution of the University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham (informally Birmingham University) is a public university, public research university located in Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Queen's College, Birmingh ...
. John Major
Sir John Major (born 29 March 1943) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990 to 1997. He served in the Third Thatcher mi ...
was (as of ) 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.
Twenty prime ministers were schooled at Eton College
Eton College () is a public school (private sector) for boys in Eton, Berkshire
Eton ( ) is a town in Berkshire, England, on the opposite bank of the River Thames to Windsor, connected to it by Windsor Bridge. The civil parish
In ...
, of whom nine were educated at Eton ''and'' Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church ( la, Ædes Christi, the temple or house, ''wikt:aedes, ædēs'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Christ C ...
, including all three who held office between 1880 and 1902 (Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone (; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British statesman and Liberal Party (UK), Liberal politician. In a career lasting over 60 years, he served for 12 years as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, spread ove ...
, Salisbury
Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city
City status in the United Kingdom is granted by the monarch of the United Kingdom
The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the constitutional monarchy of t ...
, RoseberyRosebery or Roseberry can mean:
People
*Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery (1847–1929), Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
*Hannah Primrose, Countess of Rosebery (1851–1890), his wife
*Earl of Rosebery, a title in the Peerage of ...
). Seven were educated at Harrow School
(The Faithful Dispensation of the Gifts of God)
, established = (Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal grant issued by a monarch under royal prerogative
The royal prerogative is a body of customary authority, privilege ...
and six at Westminster School
(God Gives the Increase)
, established = Earliest records date from the 14th century, refounded in 1560
, type = Public school (United Kingdom), Public school Independent school (United Kingdom), Independent day school, day and b ...
. Ten 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
Wilson may refer to:
Name
*Wilson (name)
** List of people with surname Wilson
** List of people with given name Wilson
Places Australia
*Wilson, South Australia
* Wilson, Western Australia
* Wilson Inlet, Western Australia
* Wilson Reef, ...
, Heath
A heath () is a shrubland
Shrubland, scrubland, scrub, brush, or bush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominance (ecology), dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, Herbaceous plant, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland m ...
, , , 
Major
Major is a military rank
Military ranks are a system of hierarchical
A hierarchy (from the Greek: , from , 'president of sacred rites') is an arrangement of items (objects, names, values, categories, etc.) in which the items are repre ...
). Theresa May
Theresa Mary, Lady May (; ' Brasier; born 1 October 1956) is a British politician who served as and from 2016 to 2019. May served as from 2010 to 2016 in the and has been the (MP) for in since . Ideologically, she identifies herself as ...
was educated at both independent and grammar schools. Three did not receive (primary or secondary) school education and were homeschooled
Homeschooling or home schooling, also known as home education or elective home education (EHE), is the education
Education is the process of facilitating learning, or the acquisition of knowledge, skills, value (ethics), values, ...
during childhood.
Fifteen prime ministers trained as barristers at the Inns of Court
The Inns of Court in London are the professional associations for barristers in England and Wales. There are four Inns of Court – Gray's Inn, Lincoln's Inn, Inner Temple and Middle Temple.
All barristers must belong to one of them. They have ...
, including 12 at Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of the four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are Call to the Bar, called to the Bar. (The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray' ...
(although not all were called to the bar
The call to the bar (rarely, call to bar) is a legal term of art
Jargon is the specialized terminology associated with a particular field or area of activity. Jargon is normally employed in a particular Context (language use), communicative cont ...
). Two (Wellington
Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-TaraTe Whanganui-a-Tara is the Māori name for Wellington Harbour. The term is also used to refer to the city of Wellington
Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It i ...
and Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill, (30 November 187424 January 1965) was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government
The head of government is either the highe ...
) completed officer training at military academies.
Although William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath
William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath, (22 March 16847 July 1764) was a British Whig politician who sat in the House of Commons of Great Britain, House of Commons from 1707 to 1742, when he was created the first Earl of Bath by George II of Great ...
(in 1746) and James Waldegrave, 2nd Earl Waldegrave
James Waldegrave, 2nd Earl Waldegrave, (4 March 171513 April 1763) was a British politician who is sometimes regarded as one of the shortest-serving British prime minister
The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of governmen ...
(in 1757) briefly attempted to form governments, neither is usually counted as Prime Minister. They are not listed below.
Earl of Bute
Earl () is a rank of the nobility in Britain. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Old Norse, Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant "Germanic chieftain, chief ...
(Groningen
Groningen ( , , , ; gos, Grunn or ) is the capital city and main municipality of Groningen province
Groningen (; gos, Grunn; fry, Grinslân) is the northeasternmost Provinces of the Netherlands, province of the Netherlands. It borders on ...
& Leiden
Leiden ( , ; in English
English usually refers to:
* English language
English is a West Germanic languages, West Germanic language first spoken in History of Anglo-Saxon England, early medieval England, which has eventually become ...
): the only prime minister to graduate from a university outside the UK.
File:William Pitt the Younger.jpg, William Pitt the Younger
William Pitt the Younger (28 May 175923 January 1806) was a prominent Tory
A Tory () is a person who holds a political philosophy known as Toryism, based on a British version of Traditionalist conservatism, traditionalism and conservatism ...
(): home schooled; went to Cambridge aged 14, graduated at 17, MP at 21, Prime Minister at 24. MP for Cambridge University.
File:William Gladstone by Mayall, 1861.jpg, (; 
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church ( la, Ædes Christi, the temple or house, ''wikt:aedes, ædēs'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Christ C ...
; Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of the four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are Call to the Bar, called to the Bar. (The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray' ...
): attended the three institutions with most alumni prime ministers. MP for Oxford University.
File:Margaret Thatcher (1983).jpg, Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013), was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government
The head of government is either ...
( Somerville, Oxford): the first female PM, educated at an all-female school and college; studied Chemistry, the only PM with a science degree.
File:Gordon Brown (2008).jpg, Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown (born 20 February 1951) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government
The head of government is either the h ...
(Edinburgh
Edinburgh (; sco, Edinburgh; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city
A capital or capital city is the holding primary status in a , , , , or other , usually as its seat of the government. A capital is typically a that physically enc ...
): the only prime minister to complete a PhD
A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken in the area around Rome, known as La ...
. Served as University Rector
A rector (‘ruler’, from meaning ’ruler’) is a senior official in an educational institution, and can refer to an official in either a university or a secondary school. Outside the English-speaking world the rector is often the most sen ...
1972–75, while still a student.
List of British prime ministers by education
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 educationReferences
{{DEFAULTSORT:Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom by educationEducation
Education is the process of facilitating learning, or the acquisition of knowledge, skills, value (ethics), values, morals, beliefs, habits, and personal development. Educational methods include teaching, training, storytelling, discussion ...
United Kingdom education-related lists