List of Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom by education

This list of Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom lists each Prime Minister by educational institutions attended.

As of October 2016, of the 54 Prime Ministers to date, 19 were educated at Eton College, seven at Harrow School, and seven at Westminster School. Nine Prime Ministers to date have been educated at non-fee-paying schools; these include all five Prime Ministers to hold office between 1964 and 1997 (Wilson, Heath, Callaghan, Thatcher, Major).

27 Prime Ministers were educated at the University of Oxford (including 13 at Christ Church, Oxford), and 14 at the University of Cambridge (including 6 at Trinity College, Cambridge). Nine Prime Ministers were educated at Eton and Christ Church, including all three Prime Ministers to hold office between 1880 and 1902 (Gladstone, Salisbury, Rosebery).

Three Prime Ministers attended the University of Edinburgh, two attended the University of Glasgow, and two attended Mason Science College, a predecessor institution of the University of Birmingham. John Major was (as of 2015) the last Prime Minister not to have attended university.

Eleven Prime Ministers trained as barristers at the Inns of Court, including eight at Lincoln's Inn (including Disraeli, who attended but did not complete studies). Two Prime Ministers (Wellington and Churchill) completed officer training at military academies.

The Earl of Bute (Leiden Univ.):
the only Prime Minister to attend a university outside the UK without having attended a UK university. 
William Pitt the Younger (Pembroke, Cambridge): home schooled; went to Cambridge aged 14, graduated at 17, MP at 21, Prime Minister at 24. 
W. E. Gladstone (Eton, Christ Church, Lincoln's Inn): attended the three institutions with most alumni Prime Ministers. 
Margaret Thatcher (Somerville, Oxford): the first female PM, educated at an all-female school and college; studied Chemistry, the only PM with a science degree. 
Gordon Brown (Edinburgh Univ.): the only Prime Minister to complete a PhD. Served as Rector of Edinburgh University 1973–76, while still a student. 

List of Prime Ministers of the UK by Education

Prime Minister Term of office School University Professional Training
Robert Walpole 17211742 Eton College Cambridge (King's Coll.)
Spencer Compton
Earl of Wilmington
17421743 St Paul's School Oxford (Trinity Coll.) Inns of Court: Middle Temple
Henry Pelham 17431754 Westminster School Oxford (Hart Hall)
Thomas Pelham-Holles
Duke of Newcastle
17541756
17571762
Westminster School Cambridge (Clare Coll.)
William Cavendish
Duke of Devonshire
17561757 [1]
John Stuart
Earl of Bute
17621763 Eton College Leiden University
George Grenville 17631765 Eton College Oxford (Christ Church) Inns of Court: Inner Temple
Charles Watson-Wentworth
Marquess of Rockingham
17651766
1782
Westminster School Cambridge (St John's Coll.)?[2]
William Pitt the Elder
Earl of Chatham
17661768 Eton College Oxford (Trinity Coll.);
Utrecht University[3]
Augustus FitzRoy
Duke of Grafton
17681770 Westminster School Cambridge (Peterhouse)
Frederick North 17701782 Eton College Oxford (Trinity Coll.);
Leipzig University
William Petty
Earl of Shelburne
17821783 [4] Oxford (Christ Church)
William Cavendish-Bentinck
Duke of Portland
1783
18071809
Westminster School Oxford (Christ Church)
William Pitt the Younger 17831801
18041806
[5] Cambridge (Pembroke Coll.) Inns of Court: Lincoln's Inn
Henry Addington 18011804 Winchester College Oxford (Brasenose Coll.) Inns of Court: Lincoln's Inn
William Grenville
Lord Grenville
18061807 Eton College Oxford (Christ Church)
Spencer Perceval 18091812 Harrow School Cambridge (Trinity Coll.) Inns of Court: Lincoln's Inn
Robert Jenkinson
Earl of Liverpool
18121827 Charterhouse School Oxford (Christ Church)
George Canning 1827 Eton College Oxford (Christ Church)
Frederick J. Robinson
Viscount Goderich
18271828 Harrow School Cambridge (St John's Coll.)
Arthur Wellesley
Duke of Wellington
18281830
1834
Eton College French Royal Academy of Equitation, Angers
Charles Grey
Earl Grey
18301834 Eton College Cambridge (Trinity Coll.)
William Lamb
Viscount Melbourne
1834
18351841
Eton College Cambridge (Trinity Coll.)
Robert Peel 18341835
18411846
Bury Grammar School;
Harrow School
Oxford (Christ Church)
John Russell
Earl Russell
18461852
18651866
Westminster School Edinburgh University
Edward Smith-Stanley
Earl of Derby
1852
18581859
18661868
Eton College Oxford (Christ Church)
George Hamilton-Gordon
Earl of Aberdeen
18521855 Harrow School Cambridge (St John's Coll.)
Henry John Temple
Viscount Palmerston
18551858
18591865
Harrow School Edinburgh University;
Cambridge (St John's Coll.)
Benjamin Disraeli
Earl of Beaconsfield
1868
18741880
Dr Cogan's School, Walthamstow Inns of Court: Lincoln's Inn
William Ewart Gladstone 18681874
18801885
1886
18921894
Eton College Oxford (Christ Church) Inns of Court: Lincoln's Inn
Robert Gascoyne-Cecil
Marquess of Salisbury
18851886
18861892
18951902
Eton College Oxford (Christ Church)
Archibald Primrose
Earl of Rosebery
18941895 Eton College Oxford (Christ Church)
Arthur Balfour 19021905 Eton College Cambridge (Trinity Coll.)
Henry Campbell-Bannerman 19051908 High School of Glasgow Glasgow University;
Cambridge (Trinity Coll.)
Herbert Henry Asquith 19081916 City of London School Oxford (Balliol Coll.) Inns of Court: Lincoln's Inn
David Lloyd George 19161922 Llanystumdwy National School
Andrew Bonar Law 19221923 High School of Glasgow Glasgow University
Stanley Baldwin 19231924
19241929
19351937
Harrow School Cambridge (Trinity Coll.);
Mason Science College, Birmingham
Ramsay MacDonald 1924
19291935
Drainie School
Neville Chamberlain 19371940 Rugby School Mason Science College, Birmingham
Winston Churchill 19401945
19511955
Harrow School RMC Sandhurst
Clement Attlee 19451951 Haileybury College Oxford (University Coll.) Inns of Court: Inner Temple
Anthony Eden 19551957 Eton College Oxford (Christ Church)
Harold Macmillan 19571963 Eton College Oxford (Balliol Coll.)
Alec Douglas-Home
Earl of Home
19631964 Eton College Oxford (Christ Church)
Harold Wilson 19641970
19741976
Royds Hall Grammar School;
Wirral Grammar School for Boys
Oxford (Jesus Coll.)
Edward Heath 19701974 Chatham House Grammar School Oxford (Balliol Coll.)
James Callaghan 19761979 Northern Secondary School, Portsmouth Civil Service: Inland Revenue
Margaret Thatcher 19791990 Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School Oxford (Somerville Coll.) Inns of Court: Lincoln's Inn
John Major 19901997 Rutlish School Correspondence course in banking
Tony Blair 19972007 Fettes College Oxford (St John's Coll.) Inns of Court: Lincoln's Inn
Gordon Brown 20072010 Kirkcaldy High School Edinburgh University
David Cameron 20102016 Eton College Oxford (Brasenose Coll.)
Theresa May 2016 Holton Park Girls' Grammar School Oxford (St Hugh's Coll.)
Prime Minister Term of office School University Professional Training

References

  1. 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."
  2. J. M. Rigg, 'Watson-Wentworth, Charles, second Marquis of Rockingham (1730–1782)', Dictionary of National Biography, 1899, has him 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.
  3. Pitt the Elder attended Utrecht 1728-1730.
  4. 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."
  5. Pitt the Younger was tutored at home, until entering Cambridge at the early age of 14.
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