9 Celebrities Who Studied at Top Universities

Continuing our list of celebrities with degrees is famous French philosopher Michel Foucault, who studied at France’s top university, École Normale Supérieure (ENS Paris – ranked 33^rd in the world) from 1946 to 1951, gaining a diplôme d'études supérieures (DES, roughly equivalent to an MA degree) in philosophy. He became influenced by the works of German philosophers Heidegger and Nietzsche before becoming known as one of the most prominent figures of structuralism, poststructuralism and postmodernism. Outside of philosophy, he maintained a keen interest in literature, publishing literary reviews and monographs. He also became active in a number of left-wing groups involved in anti-racist drives, movements against human rights abuses, and the struggle for penal reform. Foucault lectured at Tunis University in Tunisia before becoming head of the philosophy department at the then-new Paris VIII. Other ENS Paris alumni include fellow famous philosophers Simone Weil and Jacques Derrida, as well as eight recipients of the Nobel Prize in Physics award.

Former US President Bill Clinton gained his bachelor’s degree foreign service in 1968 from Georgetown University (ranked joint 214^th in the QS World University Rankings). While studying at Georgetown, he ran for and won elections to become president of the student council. He then won a Rhodes Scholarship to study at the University of Oxford (ranked 6^th in the world), where he studied philosophy, politics and economics (PPE).

Bill Clinton obtained a Juris Doctor (JD) degree from Yale University (15^th in the world) in 1973, and this is where he met and began dating Hillary Clinton (then Hillary Rodham), who gained the same degree that year. They married in 1975. Having been First Lady of the US from 1993 to 2001 during Bill Clinton’s presidency, Hillary Clinton is currently campaigning to become the first female president of the US. She’s already become the first female senator from New York, and the first female candidate to be nominated for president by a major US political party.

Other prominent Smith College alumni include Nancy Reagan, Sylvia Plath and US TV personality Julia Child.

South African social rights activist Desmond Tutu studied his bachelor and master’s degrees in theology in the UK at King’s College London (KCL, ranked 21^st in the world) from 1962 to 1966, working as a part time curate at nearby churches during his time there. He rose to international fame during the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid, and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his efforts in ending apartheid. Following the demise of apartheid, Tutu has worked as a global activist on issues relating to democracy, freedom and human rights – campaigning to fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, poverty, racism, sexism, homophobia and transphobia. Tutu has been recognized for his lifelong humanitarian work with awards such as an honorary doctorate from Germany’s Universität Freiburg and the Wallenberg Medal from the US’s University of Michigan.

American actress, comedian, writer and producer Tina Fey received the Pettway Prize while studying drama at the University of Virginia (ranked 172^nd in the world) and graduated in 1992 with a Bachelor of Arts degree before moving to Chicago to pursue her career. Her credits include working as a writer and performer for the popular US sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, writing and co-starring in classic teen comedy Mean Girls in 2004, and creating and starring in the critically acclaimed satirical sitcom 30 Rock in 2006. Fey’s work has earned her eight Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, five Screen Actors Guild Awards, and four Writers Guild of America Awards, and in 2010 she became the youngest person ever to be awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

Next on our list of celebrities with degrees is the late Wangari Maathai, an environmental and political activist who in 2004 became the first African American woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for “her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace”, having founded the Green Belt Movement, a non-governmental, grassroots organization for environmental conservation and women’s rights. She obtained her master’s degree in biological sciences from the University of Pittsburgh in 1966 (ranked 145^th in the world). It was here she first experienced environmental restoration, as the city was making efforts to improve air quality. After working as a research assistant at the University of Nairobi, Wangari also studied for a doctorate at both the University of Giessen and the University of Munich. She also worked as an elected member of parliament in Kenya, and was internationally acknowledged for her courageous involvement in the struggle for democracy in the country.

Concluding our list of celebs who studied at top universities is rock star Mick Jagger, the lead singer and co-founder of The Rolling Stones, with a career spanning over 50 years. After running into old friend Keith Richards at a train station in 1960, Richards intended to start a band but Jagger decided to continue his education, studying business at the London School of Economics and Political Science (ranked joint 37^th in the world), before dropping out in 1963 to pursue his musical career with The Rolling Stones. That turned out to be a pretty good decision, as the Stones are now one of the most successful rock bands ever, while Jagger himself has been described as “one of the most popular and influential frontmen in the history of Rock & Roll”. Find out which other celebrities went to business school.