It’s a known fact that many actors forgo tertiary education to pursue their dreams, even though some do attend university to hone their craft.
Surprisingly though, when perusing the list of this year’s Oscar winners, from the actors to the crew behind the camera, many had in fact gone to university to pursue formal degrees — both in film and not.
And no, it’s not just another Paul Thomas Anderson situation, the award-winning director who famously dropped out of New York University after merely two days of attendance.
Here are 5 Oscar winners this year who actually have degrees
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Jessie Buckley
Best Actress for “Hamnet”
This year’s best actress, Jessie Buckley, delivered a raw, gutwrenching performance in “Hamnet,” about the untold story of William Shakespeare’s wife, Agnes Hathaway, and his only son, Hamnet, who died at age 11. A grief-riddled performance from the perspective of a mother, Buckley managed a clean sweep of this season’s awards.
The Irish actress trained her acting skills overseas at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London.
Ryan Coogler
Best Original Screenplay for “Sinners”
The mastermind behind “Black Panther,” “Fruitvale Station,” “Creed,” and now the 2025 vampire horror “Sinners,” Ryan Coogler delivers truth and emotion no matter the genre of film. The fruit of his hard work has paid off: the director won four Oscar awards for “Sinners.” His educational background is nearly as diverse as his stories.
This Oscar winner attended the California State University (CSU), Sacramento as a finance major on a football scholarship, before setting on his true path at the USC School of Cinematic Arts to pursue a Master of Fine Arts in Film.
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Ludwig Göransson
Best Original Score for “Sinners”
You cannot mention Ryan Coogler without shouting out Ludwig Göransson, as these two go way back. The Swedish composer and three-time Oscar award winner had initially met Coogler at USC while they were both students, marking the start of their partnership. Göransson wrote the score for Coogler’s highly acclaimed short film, Locks, in 2009.
Before his studies at USC, he attended the Royal College of Music in Stockholm to pursue jazz.
Maggie Kang
Best Animated Feature for “Kpop Demon Hunters”
Maggie Kang’s Best Animated Feature win for “Kpop Demon Hunters” marks the first time an Asian woman has received the award. The film took over Netflix, as well as everyone’s playlists with the song “Golden,” which also won Best Original Song.
This history-making Oscar winner is an alumna of the Sheridan College Trafalgar Campus in Oakville, Canada, studying animation and graduating in 2004. The college had congratulated Kang for the award on Instagram, writing: “The Sheridan community is celebrating right alongside the fans. #SheridanProud.”
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Kate Hawley
Best Costume Design for “Frankenstein”
“Frankenstein” by Guillermo del Toro features a Gothic costume design that draws on Art Nouveau influences, the Tiffany Archives, and surprisingly enough, David Bowie’s Thin White Duke era.
This is the work of Kate Hawley, the Kiwi costume designer who attended the Toi Rauwhārangi College of Creative Arts at Massey University, graduating with a diploma in visual communication design in 1992. You may recognise more of her work across films like “Suicide Squad,” “Crimson Peak,” and “Edge of Tomorrow.”
